During a conference call to discuss Nucor’s first-quarter earnings, Ferriola said the new mill was started up successfully in March.

“We have already delivered to customers prime product, both pickled-and-oiled as well as fully processed cold-rolled product, and production continues to ramp up,” he said. 

The mill, housed at its Hickman, Ark., USA, mill, makes motor lamination, high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA), and advanced high-strength steel grades.

Elsewhere, Ferriola said Nucor’s Gallatin sheet mill is set to begin processing coils on its new 72-inch galvanizing line. Production of pickled-and-oiled coils is to begin in July, he said, and production of galvanized coils is to begin in August. 

Nucor announced plans for the 72-inch line in 2017, saying that it would help the company meet demand from parts of the automotive sector that it currently doesn’t serve.

Additionally, Ferriola said the company expects to start up its new in-line bar rolling mill at its Marion, Ohio, mill in the third quarter. 

“The newly installed reheat furnace is running well and delivering the anticipated reductions in energy use. These upgrades will significantly improve Marion's cost structure and position the mill as a leader in the regional rebar market that it serves,” Ferriola said.