“The U.S. remains an exciting growth region for BlueScope, where we see strong demand for steel, particularly for large-scale infrastructure investments, steel-intensive renewable energy systems and the build-out of e-commerce buildings over the coming decade,” the company said Monday. 

Announcing the project during its first-half fiscal 2024 earnings, BlueScope said the project would initially include a cold rolling line, a pickling line and a galvanizing/Galvalume® line. A second coil coating line could be added later. The project would be carried out in phases over the next seven years, BlueScope said. 

Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Tennessee are on the list of states in which it might build such a project, it said. 

BlueScope estimates the project would represent an investment of US$1.2 billion over the next seven years, if fully implemented as designed. 

BlueScope managing director and chief executive officer Mark Vassella said that the plan is not yet cemented, and with a phased approach, the company ultimately could wind up buying an asset to fulfill the plan. 

“Given some of the moves that are going on in North America, who knows, Stage 2 of this process might not necessarily be a build. It might be the potential for us to pick up an asset from somewhere else, if someone has an asset that they think is surplus to their needs,” he said.

Meanwhile, the company is continuing to assess a potential US$229.5 million potential debottlenecking project at its North Star sheet mill in Ohio. The project could unlock more than 500,000 tons of annual capacity. Projects include cooling and downcoiler upgrades, slab temperature upgrades, and a ladle aisle flow upgrade.