West Virginia officials today welcomed new development by an international manufacturer that turns steel and metal scrap into useful products.
Commercial Metals Company is building a micro mill in Berkeley County, with the capacity to produce 500,000 tons of straight-length rebar and a premium spooled rebar.
The state-of-the-art steel production micro mill is expected to open in late 2025. The company anticipates employing about 230 workers.
“The people of West Virginia will make the steel that builds America,” said Barbara Smith, chief executive of Commercial Metals, appearing for the announcement in Charleston.
During the search for a new location, she said, “Our instincts kept bringing us back to Berkeley County and West Virginia.”
The State of West Virginia will commit $75 million toward the half-billion-dollar project, a resolution that was on the agenda this morning for the West Virginia Economic Development Authority’s Board of Directors. The announcement is described as a high-impact development project.
Gov. Jim Justice made a noon announcement about the project along with state Economic Development Secretary Mitch Carmichael.
“It is absolutely off the chart the goodness they will bring,” Justice said on stage at the state Culture Center.
The governor also attended a state economic development meeting today that focused on the state’s financing portion of the project. Carmichael noted that the governor was there “because this is an incredibly auspicious occasion.”
The Berkeley County Council also briefly described the project during a meeting this morning. “The governor will be making an announcement on a business coming in today at noontime,” said Council President Doug Copenhaver. “They’ll be coming in to Berkeley County, so good news for the State of West Virginia and Berkeley County.”
Commercial Metals is a steel and metal manufacturer based in Irving, Texas. The company prides itself on using recycled steel, turning scrap into useful products. The company also touts its rate of using 82 percent less energy than traditional steelmaking while also cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions.
Commercial Metals has a network of facilities that includes seven electric arc furnace mini mills, two electric arc furnace micro mills, one rerolling mill, steel fabrication and processing plants, construction-related product warehouses, and metal recycling facilities in the United States and Poland.
Stock for the company has been on the rise, gaining more than 35 percent since the start of the year.
The company was founded in 1915 in Dallas by Moses Feldman as a scrap trading company.
West Virginia gained another major recycled steel company, Nucor, with an announcement earlier this year.
At the economic development authority meeting, a board member implored state officials to keep the development announcements coming.
“Interesting you mention that,” Carmichael replied,” because there may be some future announcements.”