TPCO America Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corporation (TPCO), one of the world's largest seamless steel pipe manufacturers, has filed an air permit application with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for the construction and operation of the TPCO America Texas Mill, a mini mill facility that will manufacture steel products from recycled scrap steel. The Texas Mill is expected to produce 500,000 metric tons of pipes per year. The project is expected to create 600 jobs.
The Texas Mill will also contain a pipe mill, which creates high-quality seamless steel pipe from the billets made in the mini mill. This seamless steel pipe can be used for oil and gas well casings and tubing, line pipe and other similar applications. The primary market for the pipe is the U.S. along with Canada, South America and West Africa.
The Texas Mill will be located east of Gregory, Texas, between State Highway 35 and State Highway 361 in San Patricio County on a 250 acre site. The estimated capital cost for this facility is $1 billion including pollution prevention equipment. Commissioning of the plant is planned in the beginning of 2011.