A US$1.2 billion investment, the electrical steel facility will include an annealing pickling line, cold rolling mill, annealing coating line, packaging and slitter line, as well as ancillary equipment needed for specialized operations related to electrical steel manufacturing. Construction is to begin in the second half of this year, the company said.  

The new facility will be close to the AM/NS Calvert rolling mill, which is nearing completion of its new electric arc furnace (EAF) and caster. Commissioning is underway, ArcelorMittal said, and once fully ramped up, it will be capable of annually producing 1.5 million metric tons.

It will produce exposed automotive grades, dual-phase, third-generation advanced high-strength steel, and press-hardened steels, among other advanced grades. According to ArcelorMittal, the EAF will be the first in North America capable of supplying exposed automotive grades with domestically melted and poured material.

It also will produce nongrain-oriented electrical steel (NOES) slabs, which will be hot charged into the rolling mill and taken to the electrical steel facility for final processing and finishing.

“The project will establish Calvert as the No. 1 automotive facility in the U.S and cement ArcelorMittal’s technology leadership in the highly attractive North America automotive market,” the company said.

 The electrical steel facility is expected to enter service in 2027.

“We’re committed to meeting the growing demand for high-quality electrical steels while helping customers overcome their supply chain challenges,” said Peter Leblanc, ArcelorMittal North America’s chief marketing officer. “The new plant will greatly enhance our capacity to support manufacturers by providing a steady domestic supply of high-quality NOES, enabling them to produce superior products and avoid material shortages, extended lead times and cost volatility associated with overseas supply chains.”