Steel Dynamics, Inc.’s New Millennium Building Systems, LLC, subsidiary conducted a ground-breaking ceremony for its new $30-million steel fabrication facility in Lake City, Fla., on October 22.

Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida, participated in the ceremony along with officials of Lake City and Columbia County, Fla. Bert Hollman, Vice President of Steel Dynamics and President of New Millennium Building Systems, represented SDI.

In prepared remarks, Governor Bush said, "The high-end jobs to be created by New Millennium will provide an outstanding contribution to the economic growth of this rural community. I congratulate Columbia County in today's groundbreaking ceremony and thank New Millennium for choosing Lake City for their corporate expansion."

Doug Lang, General Manager of the planned Lake City operation, said, "We are excited about coming to Florida and the opportunity to expand our business into this dynamic region. Construction of our 250,000 square-foot plant should be completed and ready for production early in 2005. We have begun hiring management and engineering personnel, and will begin hiring employees for production positions in the fourth quarter."

The new Florida facility will provide building components for non-residential construction projects in Florida and surrounding states. The plant's annual production capacity will be about 70,000 tons of joists, trusses, and girders, and about 50,000 tons of steel roof and floor decking. Steel for fabrication and decking material will come from Steel Dynamics' Indiana steel mills.

Since beginning production at its Butler, Ind., plant in 2000, New Millennium Building Systems has grown to become a major building-components manufacturer, primarily in the upper Midwest. The company plans to continue its geographic expansion to cover other regions of the United States.