APPLE GROVE — Nucor Steel West Virginia not only broke ground on its new $3.1 billion steel mill at the Mason County community of Apple Grove, it also broke a world record in the process.
After 550 people in a nearly half-mile line used shovels for the groundbreaking ceremony, an official with Guinness World Records declared the site as the world record for the most people in a single line dig.
Susana Reyes, an adjudicator for Guinness World Records, said the previous record was 250 participants.
“They will now go in the Guinness Book of World Records,” she said. “Nucor’s site in West Virginia is now part of the Guinness World Records family.”
Leaders from Nucor, the National Association of Manufacturers, along with federal, state and Mason County officials, joined students from all three of Mason County’s high schools and members of the community for Friday’s celebration.
“Welcome to the groundbreaking of the most advanced steel mill for sheet products anywhere in the world,” said John Farris, vice president and general manager of Nucor Steel West Virginia. “For almost two years now, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know many of our neighbors here and elsewhere across the state. As we have worked toward this day. It’s great to see so many faces in the audience this morning that we have worked with. The support we have received and the willingness to help is tremendous.”
Leon Topalian, Nucor’s chair, president and CEO, said the company takes seriously its role as America’s largest steel maker and recycler.
“We are the largest steel manufacturer in North America and the largest recycler of any material in the Western Hemisphere. We’ve been in steel for now for nearly 60 years. And over that time we’ve grown to 26 steel mills, and hundreds of facilities across 40 states that produce raw materials for downstream steel products for a nation’s economy,” Topalian said.
Topalian said because Nucor makes it steel by recycling scrap metal and electric arc furnaces, it is among the cleanest and most sustainable in the world.
“The investment we’re making here in Mason County, West Virginia, represents our continued commitment to the revolution of producing clean, sustainable steel for our modern economy,” he said. “This mill will be one of the most technologically advanced, and we’ll have one of the lowest carbon footprints of any sheet mill in the world. And while we’ve always made it our mission to be good stewards of the environment, and the communities where we live and work, we know how this reach will impact this community. And we’re just getting started.”
The company plans to employ up to 2,000 workers for construction and hire around 800 full-time employees to operate the plant.
The facility is expected to take two to three years to build and will boost West Virginia’s reputation as a national leader for skilled labor, according to Gov. Jim Justice, who also spoke at the event. Justice announced the company’s decision to come to West Virginia in January 2022.
“Nucor’s decision to invest in West Virginia represents a true vote of confidence in our state’s strength, resilience and readiness to seize opportunities,” Justice said. “This is more than just a construction project. It’s a symbol of progress and the promise of a brighter future for our communities and families for generations to come.”
Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., promised continued support of the project during the upcoming construction phase.
“You can already see what the traffic is going to do to this road,” Capito said. “So we’re going to work on that, work with the governor. I know he’s committed to it.”
Recently, Nucor announced it will collaborate with Helion, a company developing nuclear fusion technology, to build a zero-carbon, 500-megawatt nuclear fusion power plant at one of its steelmaking facilities. Nucor did not say which facility. Manchin hinted to the possibility of it being West Virginia.
“You’re going to see some innovative, creative things are going to happen, which I can’t talk about right now because they told me not to,” he said. “But I give you a little bit of a teaser on this. You’re going to see energy that’s going to be producing the steel in the cleanest fashion ever done in the world, with a new technology that no one’s ever seen before.”
Senate President Craig Blair said since 2015, the Legislature has passed laws making the state more attractive to business.
“Bill after bill after bill was passed so that companies like Nucor would want to come here,” he said. “Businesses that are shopping state after state after state on where to go, West Virginia is attractive now. We’re making it so our youth — each and every one of you — can stay here and have gainful employment. And you guys know that our number one export in our state in the past has not been coal. It’s been our youth. Our best and brightest have left a state for gainful employment. That’s not happening any more. Job after job after job has come into the state of West Virginia and making it so you can stay here.”
One of the last speakers, Mason County Economic Development Authority Executive Director John Musgrave, received a standing ovation for his efforts to get Nucor to Mason County.
A humble Musgrave gave credit to other Mason County officials, as well as federal, state, local and community leaders.
“I wish that everyone could have experienced the pleasure that I’ve had of working with this Nucor team,” Musgrave said. “I don’t even refer to them as a company or team — they’re family. And that’s what it takes. You get the right people together and you can do just about anything, like put people on the moon and build $3 billion steel mill in Mason County.”
Musgrave said groundbreakings offer an important symbol.
“Groundbreakings started years ago by the farmers that would break the soil and plant seeds,” he said. “Today we’re here to plant seeds as well. We’re gonna break this ground and we’re gonna plant the seeds of business, jobs, families, new homes, increased tax base, and most important of all, seeds to provide an opportunity for these young people. And it’s not just these young gentlemen and ladies here today, but it’s future generations that we sowed the seeds for.”