The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty announced Monday that Gerdau will expand into West Knox County. The additional facility in WestBridge Business Park will take steel rebar manufactured at the current Lonsdale mill and apply finishing services for original equipment manufacturers (OEM).
The facility will have a capacity of about 120,000 tons of finished steel per year. This expansion represents a multi-million investment by Gerdau and will create approximately 40 new jobs.
"Gerdau's expansion highlights how Tennessee's ideal location, low cost of doing business and high quality work force create the ideal environment for manufacturers to locate and expand," Hagerty said. "Gerdau's confidence in Tennessee speaks highly of our business-friendly climate, and I appreciate their commitment to continued growth in Knoxville."
"The assistance we have received from everyone at the state and county levels has been fantastic. We're fortunate that the stars seem to have aligned," Gerdau Vice President and General Manager Brice Wager said.