CHARLESTON — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice on Wednesday announced plans for a sheet steel mill in Mason County, with a record $2.7 billion investment from Nucor Corp. out of North Carolina.
The mill is expected to be completed in 2024, bringing 800 “high-quality” manufacturing jobs, along with an additional 1,000 for construction, according to a press release from Justice’s office.
Andy Malinoski, director of marketing and communications for the state Department of Economic Development, said the Nucor facility will be on an industrial property in Apple Grove, Mason County.
With 28,000 employees at approximately 300 facilities across the country, “Nucor teammates are among the highest paid and most productive in the steel industry,” the release said.
Nucor Corp. is a Fortune 150 company and the largest steel producer in the U.S. It recycles scrap metal to produce steel, which makes it North America’s largest recycler of any material, according to the release.
“This steelmaking process makes Nucor one of the cleanest steel producers in the world and a leader in sustainable steel production,” the release said.
The announcement came days after Justice called a special legislative session in which lawmakers approved bills that would include a tax credit for companies like Nucor.
“This is a landmark announcement in the history of our state. Nucor’s brand new facility is going to be a key part of West Virginia’s DNA long into the future,” Justice, who was isolating Wednesday after testing positive for COVID-19, said in the release. “It’s going to change lives by bringing hundreds of great-paying jobs to Mason County, and the economic ripple effects will bring even more goodness to our state.”
Beginning last August, state officials competed with Ohio and Pennsylvania to attract the company, the release said. The process involved data analysis, site location assistance and a look at relationship developments throughout the state.
“We give a warm welcome and look forward to supporting the Nucor team as they succeed in West Virginia,” state Department of Economic Development Secretary Mitch Carmichael said.
Earlier this week, sources said Nucor would also be constructing a transloading facility in Weirton, but a specific site was not named in Wednesday’s announcement.
“The company also announced it is considering building a transloading and processing center in the northern part of the state,” it said.
The Mason County mill will produce up to 3 million tons of sheet steel per year for the automotive, appliance, HVAC, heavy equipment, agricultural, transportation and construction markets.
Members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation weighed in on the announcement.
“We are proud that Nucor has chosen West Virginia for this major investment,” said U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va. “That is why prioritizing our state’s infrastructure is essential and will pay off with long-term investments like the one Nucor is making.”
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., focused on how the news reflects on the state’s business environment.
“Today’s announcement that Nucor will be establishing roots in Mason County is proof that West Virginia can deliver this type of environment,” she said.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said the company “is committed to investing time and resources into our state, communities and their workers.
“The significant investments made through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have made West Virginia an even more attractive location to organizations like Nucor, and as a result, we will continue to attract exciting economic development investments of this magnitude that are transformative for the region and our people.”
Nucor officials expressed an eagerness to get to work in Mason County.
“We look forward to breaking ground in Mason County and becoming an active member of this community by partnering with colleges and universities on workforce development programs, supporting veterans’ organizations and local food pantries and working with opioid recovery programs that will provide meaningful pathways to jobs,” said John Farris, vice president and general manager of Nucor Steel West Virginia.