Steel Dynamics announced plans to expand its offering of value-added flat roll steel products through the addition of painting and Galvalume capabilities at its Columbus, Mississippi, steel mill. The company plans to invest approximately USD 100M and create 40 new jobs in order to add production capability of higher-margin pre-painted and Galvalume flat roll steel.
The most significant portion of the expansion will be the addition of a state-of-the-art continuous coil paint line with an annual coating capacity of 250,000 tons. Operations are expected to begin during the first quarter of 2017, based on an 18-month project timeline, which includes permitting requirements. The Columbus paint line will utilise an improved design similar to the company’s existing two lines located in Indiana.
This growth project also includes the addition of equipment to an existing Columbus galvanising line to enable production of Galvalume, or aluminium-zinc alloy coated flat roll steel. The combination of aluminium and zinc significantly enhances corrosion performance and solar reflectivity, making it the material of choice for premium metal roofing used in construction.
