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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Industrial Info is tracking more than $5.4 billion worth of projects that are presently under construction in West Virginia. The Metals & Minerals sector plays an outsize role in the state's project activity, coming in with more than 80% of the overall investment value. Most of the remainder consists of Industrial Manufacturing projects, although projects in other industries also are underway in the state.
Contributing the most to West Virginia's project investments is Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) (Charlotte, North Carolina), which is building a grassroot steel sheet mill in Apple Grove that will increase the company's product offerings. The 3 million-ton-per-year mill will produce hot-rolled sheet products and will have a tandem cold mill, annealing capabilities and two galvanizing lines. The galvanizing lines will include an advanced high-end automotive line and a construction-grade line. The facility is expected to be completed in mid-2026 and is planned to produce about 1.1 million tons per year of galvanized steel, 800,000 tons per year of cold-rolled coil, 750,000 tons per year of hot-rolled coil and 350,000 tons per year of pickled and oiled steel sheet. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can click here to learn more.
Joining Nucor's mill will be a grassroot steel micromill from Commercial Metals Company (CMC) (Irving, Texas). CMC primarily supplies rebar and related products to the construction industry. The company's micromill under construction in Martinsburg, located in West Virginia's northeast corner, will produce 650,000 tons per year of merchant bar quality (MBQ) products through a continuous production process. The facility, when completed in late 2025, will be CMC's fourth micromill. Subscribers can learn more by viewing the project report.
Even Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) (Omaha, Nebraska) is getting in on West Virginia's metals action through its subsidiary Titanium Metals Corporation (Warrensville Heights, Ohio) with the construction of a brownfield titanium melting plant at a former aluminum smelter in Ravenswood. The plant will include two types of electric furnaces to generate heat for melting sponge and scrap. Initially, the melting plant is expected to need about 18 megawatts (MW) of power to operate before ramping up to its full capacity of 106 MW by the end of 2027. This power will be supplied by an onsite microgrid array that will be powered by solar panels and featuring 50 MW of battery energy storage capacity. As the power needs of the melting plant grow, the microgrid will increase generating capacity as needed. The batteries likely will use lithium-iron-phosphate technology, a lower-cost chemistry that's catching on for stationary storage. Subscribers can learn more by viewing the reports on the melting plant and microgrid projects.
Another type of battery will be manufactured by Form Energy Incorporated (Somerville, Massachusetts) at a repurposed former steel mill in Weirton: iron-air batteries. According to Form Energy and other industry publications, iron-air batteries are much lower cost than lithium-ion batteries and can store and release energy for days, compared with the faster discharge rate of more expensive lithium-ion batteries. Storing and releasing energy in the form of rusting and "unrusting," the iron-air batteries are heavier than their lithium-ion counterparts, making them more suitable for large undertakings such as energy storage at renewable energy facilities than for lighter-weight needs such as vehicles and laptops. The project broke ground last year and involves renovating existing buildings as well as constructing a new 800,000-square-foot building. The plant is expected to begin operations in early 2025. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Industrial Manufacturing Project Database can click here for more details on the project.
Coal mining remains an important part of West Virginia's economy, and according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) most recent state energy profile, West Virginia was second only to Wyoming for U.S. coal production in 2022, accounting for about 14% of the coal produced in the U.S. In Logan County, Ramaco Resources Incorporated (Lexington, Kentucky) is in the home stretch of completing a grassroot above-ground coal mine that will begin ramping up to full production of 900,000 tons per year when completed in the coming months. The mine will join other Ramaco facilities in Logan County. Subscribers can click here to learn more about the project.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Database can click here to view reports for all of the projects discussed in this article and click here for the related plant profiles.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
Contributing the most to West Virginia's project investments is Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) (Charlotte, North Carolina), which is building a grassroot steel sheet mill in Apple Grove that will increase the company's product offerings. The 3 million-ton-per-year mill will produce hot-rolled sheet products and will have a tandem cold mill, annealing capabilities and two galvanizing lines. The galvanizing lines will include an advanced high-end automotive line and a construction-grade line. The facility is expected to be completed in mid-2026 and is planned to produce about 1.1 million tons per year of galvanized steel, 800,000 tons per year of cold-rolled coil, 750,000 tons per year of hot-rolled coil and 350,000 tons per year of pickled and oiled steel sheet. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can click here to learn more.
Joining Nucor's mill will be a grassroot steel micromill from Commercial Metals Company (CMC) (Irving, Texas). CMC primarily supplies rebar and related products to the construction industry. The company's micromill under construction in Martinsburg, located in West Virginia's northeast corner, will produce 650,000 tons per year of merchant bar quality (MBQ) products through a continuous production process. The facility, when completed in late 2025, will be CMC's fourth micromill. Subscribers can learn more by viewing the project report.
Even Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) (Omaha, Nebraska) is getting in on West Virginia's metals action through its subsidiary Titanium Metals Corporation (Warrensville Heights, Ohio) with the construction of a brownfield titanium melting plant at a former aluminum smelter in Ravenswood. The plant will include two types of electric furnaces to generate heat for melting sponge and scrap. Initially, the melting plant is expected to need about 18 megawatts (MW) of power to operate before ramping up to its full capacity of 106 MW by the end of 2027. This power will be supplied by an onsite microgrid array that will be powered by solar panels and featuring 50 MW of battery energy storage capacity. As the power needs of the melting plant grow, the microgrid will increase generating capacity as needed. The batteries likely will use lithium-iron-phosphate technology, a lower-cost chemistry that's catching on for stationary storage. Subscribers can learn more by viewing the reports on the melting plant and microgrid projects.
Another type of battery will be manufactured by Form Energy Incorporated (Somerville, Massachusetts) at a repurposed former steel mill in Weirton: iron-air batteries. According to Form Energy and other industry publications, iron-air batteries are much lower cost than lithium-ion batteries and can store and release energy for days, compared with the faster discharge rate of more expensive lithium-ion batteries. Storing and releasing energy in the form of rusting and "unrusting," the iron-air batteries are heavier than their lithium-ion counterparts, making them more suitable for large undertakings such as energy storage at renewable energy facilities than for lighter-weight needs such as vehicles and laptops. The project broke ground last year and involves renovating existing buildings as well as constructing a new 800,000-square-foot building. The plant is expected to begin operations in early 2025. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Industrial Manufacturing Project Database can click here for more details on the project.
Coal mining remains an important part of West Virginia's economy, and according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) most recent state energy profile, West Virginia was second only to Wyoming for U.S. coal production in 2022, accounting for about 14% of the coal produced in the U.S. In Logan County, Ramaco Resources Incorporated (Lexington, Kentucky) is in the home stretch of completing a grassroot above-ground coal mine that will begin ramping up to full production of 900,000 tons per year when completed in the coming months. The mine will join other Ramaco facilities in Logan County. Subscribers can click here to learn more about the project.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Database can click here to view reports for all of the projects discussed in this article and click here for the related plant profiles.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
