Nucor to restart Louisiana DRI plant

Nucor Corp. has announced that its direct reduced iron (DRI) plant in Louisiana will resume operations by the end of January 2016.

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based steelmaker temporarily suspended production at the plant at the end of 2015 for planned maintenance and indicated it may suspend production beyond that based on market conditions. However, the company says “changes in the raw materials market led to the decision to restart plant operations.”

Nucor manufactures steel and steel products at several electric arc furnace (EAF) mills. The company says its “raw materials strategy is built on flexibility, with the company constantly evaluating the market for the lowest cost raw material inputs at the quality levels our customers need.”

Through its Cincinnati-based subsidiary The David J. Joseph Co., Nucor processes and brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron, HBI (hot briquetted iron) and DRI. Nucor’s DRI manufacturing plant in St. James Parish, Louisiana, was constructed from 2011 to 2013 and commissioned in December 2013.