According to Latin American steelmaker Ternium, the company has started operations on two new production lines - a cold rolling mill and a galvanizing line - at its Pesquería plant in Nuevo León, Mexico, as part of its ongoing $4 billion expansion project in the country.
Ternium stated that the startup marks a key milestone in the third phase of expansion at its Industrial Center in Pesquería. The investment was announced in 2023, with the plan to start up the new flat steel plant in 2026. The facility will have an annual production capacity of 2.6 million mt.
Downstream facilities now operational
Ternium CEO Máximo Vedoya stated during a meeting with investors, “We have started production on our new cold rolling mill and galvanizing line at the Pesquería facility. This achievement completes our downstream expansion at the Industrial Center. The project also included the addition of a pickling line and a finishing line center. All of these facilities are now operational, and the cold rolling and galvanizing lines have begun their phased commissioning.”
According to the company, the new galvanizing and pickling line and cold tandem rolling mill production lines form part of the third stage of expansion at the Pesquería Industrial Center. The complex produces advanced high-strength steels, which are used in the manufacturing of lighter and safer vehicles.
Ternium noted that the expansion aims to respond to increasing sustainability requirements and to the higher regional content value requirements under the USMCA.
Slab plant construction progressing
Ternium specified that the slab operation remains under development. The company stated that construction of the integrated steelworks, comprising a direct reduction iron (DRI) unit and an electric arc furnace, is progressing as planned.
“This integrated DRI and EAF steel plant is the key investment of this third phase, with an estimated production capacity of around 2.6 million mt per year, and is poised to become the most modern and sustainable in the Americas,” the company stated.
The investment is designed to allow the future use of green hydrogen as fuel when it becomes economically viable.