Gerdau, one of the world’s largest suppliers of special steel and the leading producer of long steel in the Americas, has completed construction of a new continuous caster at its Monroe, Mich. facility. The new caster, which is part of a multi-year, $155 million capital investment, earlier announced, program to increase production capacity and quality at the mill, was showcased at a ribbon cutting ceremony held on Wednesday, 24 October.

Guests, including State Representative Dale Zorn, Congressman Tim Walberg, and Monroe Mayor Robert Clark joined in the celebration, as well as a number of the company’s customers and supporters.

"We’re excited to showcase the latest in steelmaking technology," said Jack Finlayson, president of Gerdau’s North American special steel division. He added that the investment shows "Gerdau’s commitment to the industry, our community, and our customers."

The new continuous caster takes liquid steel and forms it into solidified steel billets for subsequent re-rolling. The caster is part of the first phase of capital improvements being made at the Monroe mill that will increase the facility’s overall installed annual capacity for special steel by 300,000 tons to meet growing customer demand.

Additional upgrades are being made throughout the mill. The melt shop will install a new vacuum degasser slated to begin operations in the second half of 2013. Major improvements to Monroe’s existing rolling mill facilities are also underway, including the installation of six additional rolling mill stands and a new walking beam reheat furnace. Gerdau is also investing to increase its straightening and quality inspection capabilities.

Monroe’s overall capital project will be completed by the end of 2013.

Gerdau’s North American special steel division is headquartered in Jackson, Mich. Steel manufacturing plants are located in Jackson and Monroe, Mich. and Fort Smith, Ark. and additional steel processing plants are located in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Gerdau is a leading producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special steel in the world. With more than 45,000 employees, it has industrial operations in 14 countries - in the Americas, Europe and Asia - which together represent an installed capacity of more than 25 million metric tons of steel per year. It is the largest recycler in Latin America and around the world it transforms, each year, millions of metric tons of scrap into steel, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. With more than 140,000 shareholders, the Company is listed on the stock exchanges of São Paulo, New York and Madrid.