Nucor Corp. is preparing to start up its $4 billion sheet steel mill in Apple Grove, West Virginia, at the end of 2026. The Mason County facility sits along W.Va. 2 near the Ohio River and CSX railroad tracks. Its melt shop made its first heat in September, and Nucor began sending coils from the pickle line to downstream company divisions in October.
What it means
Nucor expects to process its first coils through the hot mill, cold mill and construction-grade galvanizing lines by December. The company expects production at the West Virginia mill to increase in early 2027.
Nucor said the facility is expected to produce about 1 million tons after ramp-up. Automotive steels are projected to account for 30% of output during the ramp-up, while exposed automotive applications are expected to represent about 10% of the mill’s production. Auto tons are expected to enter qualification in 2028.
Nucor has received an entire exposed-automotive-sheet platform from General Motors, with that work moving to West Virginia. Data center construction accounts for about 15% of Nucor’s order backlog, and the company said it can make or supply roughly 95% of the steel used inside and outside a data center.
Key facts
- Nucor is preparing a $4 billion sheet steel mill in Mason County, West Virginia.
- The Apple Grove project was announced in 2022; its formal groundbreaking took place in August 2023.
- The melt shop produced its first heat in September.
- Nucor began shipping pickle-line coils to downstream divisions in October.
- First coils are expected through the hot mill, cold mill and construction-grade galv lines by December.
- Production is expected to ramp up in early 2027, according to Nucor.
- The mill is expected to produce about 1 million tons after ramp-up, according to Nucor.
- Automotive steels are expected to comprise 30% of output during ramp-up, according to Nucor.
Source: Charleston Gazette-Mail, reporting Nucor Corp. mill plans