Nucor Corporation announced plans for the continued expansion of its special bar quality (SBQ) production capabilities over the next two years. The company approved $290 million for projects to be completed at its Memphis, Tenn., Norfolk, Neb., and Darlington, S.C., steel mills that will expand SBQ and wire-rod capacities by a combined 1 million tons. These capital plans also include investments in state-of-the-art quality inspection capabilities necessary to ensure the highest qualities for the most demanding engineered-bar applications.            

Engineering studies have been finalized, and Nucor expects to complete each of the projects by the end of 2013. Charlotte, N.C.-based Nucor continues to see strength in the engineered-bar markets, driven by energy, automotive, heavy-truck and heavy-equipment manufacturers. The company also believes that manufacturing growth in the U.S. will allow SBQ markets to continue to grow over the next several years.