Steel Dynamics to Ramp Up Capacity at Columbia City Mill

Steel Dynamics(STLD Quote), a steel manufacturer, said it plans to add additional production capacity at its Columbia City, Indiana mini-mill in an effort to diversify its product offerings. It will allow the plant to make lighter-weight structural shapes of steel and merchant bars and more rail products. The mill's current primary product is a wide-flange beam.

The Fort Wayne, Indiana-based company expects to add capacity of about 600,000 tons per year with the expansion, taking the mill's total steel production capacity to about 1.6 million tons per year. The company said about 150 new jobs would be added to the mill's current workforce of 400 employees.

The company is estimating that the project would cost about $200 million. The project beginning this spring will take about 18 months to complete, and first shipment is expected in the second half of 2007. ...