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Released July 30, 2025 | SUGAR LAND
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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--As part of its second-quarter earnings results, Nucor Corporation (Charlotte, North Carolina) provided updates on major growth projects, including several that are set to wrap up construction and begin operations by the end of 2026, although the company expects lower capital spending in the second half of this year. Industrial Info is tracking 71 capital Nucor projects, worth $7.3 billion.
In the earnings-related conference call, Nucor Chief Financial Officer Steve Laxton did not say whether the company was on track to meet its $3 billion in planned capital expenditures (capex) for this year, but did say there would be lower capital spending in the second half of the year and the company was "starting to see contributions from investments that were made several years ago."
Second-quarter capex totaled $954 million, while the first quarter saw $859 million in spending.
Chief Executive Officer Leon Topalian provided updates on various projects. He said construction of the company's $3.1 billion sheet mill in Apple Grove, West Virginia was "nearly 60% complete and remains on track for completion by the end of 2026." The 3 million-ton-per-year mill will supply customers in the Midwest and Northeast with hot-rolled sheet products.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can click here for the project report.
Topalian also noted several other capital projects will soon commence operations. Within Nucor's bar mill group, the 430,000-ton-per-year rebar micro mill in Lexington, North Carolina, which will cater to developers of roads, buildings, sidewalks and other structures, is in the early stages of ramping up production.
Meanwhile, the new melt shop at Nucor's steel rolling mill in Kingman, Arizona, which produces products such as straight-length rebar, coiled rebar and wire rod, will be ramping up throughout the third quarter. The 630,000-ton-per-year melt shop will add capacity to the 500,000-ton-per-year mill. Subscribers can read more information on the Lexington and Kingman projects.
In addition, Nucor will have new coating capability at its sheet mills in Berkeley County, South Carolina and Crawfordsville, Indiana. Construction of the Indiana site's 300,000-ton-per-year galvanizing (galv) line and 250,000-ton-per-year pre-paint line is expected to wrap up by the end of the year. The Berkeley site's 500,000-ton-per-year galv line will produce galvanized steel up to 72 inches wide and will serve automotive customers in the U.S. Southeast. Commissioning and startup at Berkeley are planned for the second half of 2026.
Subscribers can read more information on the Indiana and Berkeley projects.
Lastly, Topalian provided updates on two projects from Nucor's Towers and Structures business, which manufactures steel poles and structures for utility infrastructure: transmission tower-manufacturing plants in Trinity, Alabama and Crawfordsville, Indiana. Pole production and galvanizing at the Alabama plant are set to begin in September, and Indiana by the end of first-quarter 2026. Subscribers can read more information on the Alabama and Indiana projects.
Laxton discussed four current demand drivers for steel and steel products:
Subscribers can click here for a full list of Nucor's active capital project activity.
Nucor also discussed potential impacts from federal trade policy, particularly a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, including steel, set to go into effect August 1, and the "One Big Beautiful Bill."
Nucor imports two key items from Brazil--direct reduced iron (DRI) pellets and pig iron--but Jack Sullivan, vice president of investor relations, said Nucor has made changes to global sourcing for DRI pellets, among other measures, and the issue is "largely taken care of," while the company would expect "to do largely the same thing" for pig iron. He said the company also has the ability to self-supply.
Topalian noted the company's raw material flexibility will allow the company to not feel a "full impact to its bottom line" from the tariff.
Nucor also pointed to catalysts from the "One Big, Beautiful Bill." It allows manufacturers to expense costs related to new facilities and machinery/equipment and provides $150 billion in new defense spending, including about $29 billion for shipbuilding, as well as new investments in transportation and infrastructure and funding for border security.
Click here to see reports for all of the projects discussed in this article and click here for the 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).
In the earnings-related conference call, Nucor Chief Financial Officer Steve Laxton did not say whether the company was on track to meet its $3 billion in planned capital expenditures (capex) for this year, but did say there would be lower capital spending in the second half of the year and the company was "starting to see contributions from investments that were made several years ago."
Second-quarter capex totaled $954 million, while the first quarter saw $859 million in spending.
Chief Executive Officer Leon Topalian provided updates on various projects. He said construction of the company's $3.1 billion sheet mill in Apple Grove, West Virginia was "nearly 60% complete and remains on track for completion by the end of 2026." The 3 million-ton-per-year mill will supply customers in the Midwest and Northeast with hot-rolled sheet products.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can click here for the project report.
Topalian also noted several other capital projects will soon commence operations. Within Nucor's bar mill group, the 430,000-ton-per-year rebar micro mill in Lexington, North Carolina, which will cater to developers of roads, buildings, sidewalks and other structures, is in the early stages of ramping up production.
Meanwhile, the new melt shop at Nucor's steel rolling mill in Kingman, Arizona, which produces products such as straight-length rebar, coiled rebar and wire rod, will be ramping up throughout the third quarter. The 630,000-ton-per-year melt shop will add capacity to the 500,000-ton-per-year mill. Subscribers can read more information on the Lexington and Kingman projects.
In addition, Nucor will have new coating capability at its sheet mills in Berkeley County, South Carolina and Crawfordsville, Indiana. Construction of the Indiana site's 300,000-ton-per-year galvanizing (galv) line and 250,000-ton-per-year pre-paint line is expected to wrap up by the end of the year. The Berkeley site's 500,000-ton-per-year galv line will produce galvanized steel up to 72 inches wide and will serve automotive customers in the U.S. Southeast. Commissioning and startup at Berkeley are planned for the second half of 2026.
Subscribers can read more information on the Indiana and Berkeley projects.
Lastly, Topalian provided updates on two projects from Nucor's Towers and Structures business, which manufactures steel poles and structures for utility infrastructure: transmission tower-manufacturing plants in Trinity, Alabama and Crawfordsville, Indiana. Pole production and galvanizing at the Alabama plant are set to begin in September, and Indiana by the end of first-quarter 2026. Subscribers can read more information on the Alabama and Indiana projects.
Laxton discussed four current demand drivers for steel and steel products:
- Technology and advanced manufacturing, including semiconductor facilities. He noted the company provides steel to eight large, unnamed facilities under construction.
- Infrastructure, he said, has been buoyed in part by funds allocated to projects, such as bridge construction, under the Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021.
- The energy sector, as evidenced by "exceptional growth" in power transmission, with Nucor's first-half shipments to the market up 88% year over year, as well as "significant increases" in steel shipments related to solar and onshore wind projects.
- Strong data center construction.
Subscribers can click here for a full list of Nucor's active capital project activity.
Nucor also discussed potential impacts from federal trade policy, particularly a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, including steel, set to go into effect August 1, and the "One Big Beautiful Bill."
Nucor imports two key items from Brazil--direct reduced iron (DRI) pellets and pig iron--but Jack Sullivan, vice president of investor relations, said Nucor has made changes to global sourcing for DRI pellets, among other measures, and the issue is "largely taken care of," while the company would expect "to do largely the same thing" for pig iron. He said the company also has the ability to self-supply.
Topalian noted the company's raw material flexibility will allow the company to not feel a "full impact to its bottom line" from the tariff.
Nucor also pointed to catalysts from the "One Big, Beautiful Bill." It allows manufacturers to expense costs related to new facilities and machinery/equipment and provides $150 billion in new defense spending, including about $29 billion for shipbuilding, as well as new investments in transportation and infrastructure and funding for border security.
Click here to see reports for all of the projects discussed in this article and click here for the 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).
