Nucor acquires majority ownership of California Steel Industries

Steel and steel products manufacturer Nucor Corp., Charlotte, N.C., has acquired a majority ownership in California Steel Industries by purchasing a 50% equity interest from a subsidiary of Vale S.A. and a 1% equity ownership stake from JFE Steel Corp. The company will be a joint venture between Nucor and JFE, pending regulatory approvals.

"Acquiring a majority ownership stake in California Steel Industries expands our geographic reach in sheet steel and gives us a strong presence on the West Coast," said Leon Topalian, president/CEO of Nucor. "This acquisition will grow our portfolio of value-added sheet products, provide opportunities for increased internal shipments, and enable us to provide our downstream businesses in the region such as Verco and Hannibal Industries with sheet steel products.”

CSI is a flat-rolled steel converter with the capability to produce more than 2 million tons of finished steel and steel products annually. The company has five product lines, including hot rolled, pickled and oiled, cold rolled, galvanized, and ERW pipe. Key end-use segments include the construction, service center, and energy industries. CSI employs more than 800 full-time and temporary employees.

When the acquisition is completed, it will be Nucor's second joint venture with JFE. Since 2020 the two companies have been operating an automotive steel joint venture in Mexico. The facility in Mexico has the capacity to produce 400,000 tons of galvanized steel for the automotive industry per year.