MSS Steel Tubes USA is a joint venture of Portugal’s Metalogalva Group and Brazil’s Soufer Group.
 
“We chose Memphis for our first U.S. plant to support Nextracker’s utility-scale solar demand across the Southeast,” said António Pedro Antunes, Metalogalva Group chief executive. “Memphis has the transportation, infrastructure and capable workforce necessary to support a solar manufacturing program like this.”
 
According to BusinessWire, the facility will manufacture Nextracker’s steel torque tubes for its projects in Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi and Georgia. Tennessee-based Silicon Ranch is developing many of those projects. The company signed a supply agreement for 1.5 GW with Nextracker in 2022 and signed on for another new 3-GW supply agreement today.
 
“This is what energy security looks like: New U.S. manufacturing jobs using American-made steel to produce affordable clean energy,” said Dan Shugar, founder and chief executive of Nextracker. “Customers want domestic, low-carbon technologies like solar power. We are excited to inaugurate a new dedicated Nextracker manufacturing line in Memphis with MSS Steel Tubes USA, and to continue to team with Silicon Ranch with a new 3-GW multi-year agreement to provide the Tennessee Valley and greater Southeast with our high-performing systems.”