The total expansion project is planned to result in a melting and rolling capacity in excess of 1Mt/y in rebar products, according to the Tampa Bay, Fla.-based company.
“With this expansion, our Jacksonville facility will be positioned to serve needs not only in Florida but also in the greater Southeast and Southern regions of the U.S.,” said Jim Kerkvliet, vice president of sales and marketing for Gerdau Ameristeel.
With manufacturing capacity of approximately 12Mt/y of mill finished steel products, Gerdau Ameristeel is the second largest mini-mill steel producer in North America.
Through its vertically integrated network of 19 mini-mills, 19 scrap recycling facilities and 65 downstream operations, Gerdau Ameristeel serves the United States and Canada.
The company’s products are generally sold to steel service centers, steel fabricators or directly to equipment manufacturers.
Porto Alegre, Brazil-based Gerdau is the largest steelmaker in the Western Hemisphere. Apart from Brazil and the United States, it has operations in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela. It produced 5.1Mt of steel in the first quarter 2008.
“This expansion is part of the total capital strategy Gerdau Ameristeel has developed for our core products such as rebar, structural, merchants and wire rod,” said Terry Sutter, chief operating officer of Gerdau Ameristeel.
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