Nucor Corp. will invest approximately $125 million to open a new advanced manufacturing facility in Decatur, Alabama. The new business unit, Nucor Towers & Structures, will produce transmission towers. Nucor, which already has a significant presence in Alabama, plans to create 200 full-time jobs over the next four years at its new facility.
Charlotte, NC-based Nucor established the new business unit after its 2022 acquisition of Summit Utility Structures LLC and Sovereign Steel Manufacturing LLC, which produces metal poles and other steel structures for utility infrastructure and highway signage.
“We are very excited to be building this new tower production plant in Alabama, where Nucor has a long history and presence throughout the state,” said Leon Topalian, chair, president and CEO of Nucor Corp. “As America’s most diverse industrial manufacturer of steel products, we will be able to efficiently supply this new plant, helping to ensure that our nation’s critical energy and digital infrastructure is built with the cleanest, most sustainable steel in the world.”
Nucor facilities in Alabama produce steel, tubular products, joists and decking, and metal buildings, with locations in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Fort Payne, Eufaula and Decatur. The company’s capital investment in Decatur includes land improvements, construction of a new building and manufacturing equipment. The new plant will be located adjacent to the Nucor Steel Decatur sheet steel mill. It will be highly automated, utilizing efficient straight-line production, and will also include advanced hot-dip galvanizing operations. These state-of-the-art features will increase Nucor Towers & Structures’ capabilities to provide engineered solutions for utility infrastructure and construction projects.
“Nucor Corp. has a long-standing manufacturing presence in Alabama, and it’s great to see the new Nucor Towers & Structures business unit commence operations in Decatur,” said Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “Over the years, we’ve developed a strong partnership with Nucor, and I look forward to seeing our relationship expand with this new venture.”
Several factors are driving increased demand for utility infrastructure, including grid hardening, renewable energy projects, building a nationwide network of EV chargers, natural disasters and replacements, and population growth, according to Nucor. Increased federal government support for electric infrastructure and clean energy projects will drive additional demand.