Nucor Corp. announced that its direct reduced iron (DRI) plant in Louisiana will resume operations by the end of January. The plant temporarily suspended production at the end of last year for planned maintenance, and the company decided not to resume production at that time based on market conditions. Nucor's raw-materials strategy is built on flexibility, with the company constantly evaluating the market for the lowest-cost raw-material inputs at the quality levels customers need. Changes in the market led to the decision to restart plant operations. Nucor and its affiliates are manufacturers of steel products, with operating facilities primarily in the U.S. and Canada.