Big River Steel to decide on location for new mill in 2020 Americas / Flat Products

Big River Steel (BRS), an eAF-based steel producer in the USA, expects to make a final decision on the location of its new flat steel mill on the US-Mexico border in the first half of 2020.

The company which holds a lease option for 800-acre (327.3 ha) land plot in the port of Brownsville area, Texas, directly on the U.S. – Mexico border, is seeing Brownsville a preferred site for its second mill. Yet, it has yet to make a final deci- sion, and is also looking at other locations on the Gulf Coast, Metal expert learnt. “our expectation is that we will move through the first half of 2020 with a focus on finalizing our site selection process and begin our environmental permit work

in earnest shortly thereafter,” local media reported citing Ahab Garas, president of Brownsville Investor Group, BRS’s entity responsible for the development of the project.

The new $1.6 billion mini-mill project will enable Big River Steel to reach a total capacity of about 6 million stpy, sources say. The plant will employ advanced automation systems and energy efficient technologies. The finished products will be shipped to automotive, energy and appliance sectors.

The company’s existing 1.6 million st mill in osceola, Arkansas, was put into operation in late 2016. It produces high-quality steels (tube grade sheet, silicon steels and high-strength steels) for pipeline construction, energy and electric motor applications and the US automotive industry. Now, the company is moving forward with the $1.2 billion expansion of its steel plant, aiming to double its annual hot-rolled steel production capacity.