SteelNews.com Article
Construction Projects at Gerdau Special Steel Mill in Monroe, Mich., Making Progress
Mar. 6, 2013 Gerdau’s capital improvement projects at its special steel producing mill in Monroe, Mich., are making progress. The global steel company completed construction of a new continuous caster in October 2012 and plans to begin construction of a new vacuum degasser this spring. The new equipment is part of the facility’s overall US$155.6 million investment project that was announced in May 2010.
Construction of the new vacuum degasser is scheduled to be complete in the fall. Gerdau is currently in the process of installing six additional rolling mill stands and a new walking beam reheat furnace.
In May 2012, the company also announced an additional capital investment to increase the mill’s straightening and quality inspection capabilities.
“We are expanding our capabilities to meet the growing demands of our customers so we can continue to be their choice supplier,” Jack Finlayson, president of Gerdau Special Steel North America said back in May.
Monroe’s overall capital improvement project will be completed in 2014 and will bring the mill’s production capacity to more than 800,000 tons per year.
Gerdau’s special steel North American division specializes in producing special bar quality (SBQ) steel for the automotive, commercial vehicle, agricultural, and energy markets. The division is headquartered in Jackson, Mich., and has world-class steel manufacturing plants in Jackson and Monroe, Mich., and Fort Smith, Ark.