Nucor Corporation announced today that it will build a full-range merchant bar quality (MBQ) mill at its existing bar steel mill located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The MBQ mill will have an annual capacity of 500,000 tons and is expected to cost $180 million. The project will take approximately two years to complete.
In a press release, the company said the Midwest region is one of the largest markets for MBQ products, and Nucor will be able to fully utilize the company's existing bar mill by optimizing its melt capacity and infrastructure that is already in place.
Nucor said it will also take advantage of an abundant scrap supply in the region, as well as the company's commercial footprint in the central United States. Nucor Steel Kankakee, Inc. will continue to supply reinforcing bar products.