Brazilian-Based Steel Firm Gerdau AmeriSteel Tops List of Most Active North American Metals & Minerals Companies

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Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas) has identified the top 10 most active companies for future project spending in the Metals & Minerals Industry in North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico). This is a listing of companies with the most active projects planned to begin construction in 2006 or beyond. Gerdau AmeriSteel leads the list with 24 projects totaling about $164 million. In 2002, Brazilian steel maker Gerdau acquired several North American steel mills, and since that time has steadily been expanding and modernizing its operations. See related September 16, 2002 news article - Gerdau Steel's Acquisition and Growth Mode Continues. Future projects include major expansions at four of its North American steel mills. One of those projects is a $43 million melt shop expansion in Florida.

Click on the image at right to view the most active companies list.

The top 10 most active companies list should not be confused with a list of the top spenders, which would include companies like Shell Canada, Limited and Canadian Natural Resources that are planning more than $5 billion a piece in oil sands mining projects in Alberta.

The top 10 most active companies list is led by steel, cement, glass, and building material manufacturers and includes companies that perform a high number of both capital and maintenance projects annually.

The top 10 Metals & Minerals Industry Companies list includes steel manufacturers such as Gerdau AmeriSteel, Nucor, and U.S. Steel. Combined, these three companies are planning in excess of $750 million in capital and maintenance spending.

After steel is cement manufacturing and building materials manufacturers, such as Lafarge North America, Cemex, Holcim, U.S. Gypsum, and Buzzi Unicem USA. All totaled, these companies are planning in excess of $770 million. Glass manufacturers have two representatives on the top 10 list in Owens-Illinois and Saint-Gobain Container.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is a Marketing Information Service company that has been doing business for over 23 years. IIR is respected as the leader in providing comprehensive market intelligence pertaining to the industrial processing, heavy manufacturing, and energy-related industries throughout the world.