The start-up of electric arc furnace steelmaker Steel Dynamics' (SDI) new Texas mill is delayed into the fourth quarter because of inclement weather.
The 3mn short ton/yr flat-rolled mill in Sinton, Texas, near the port city of Corpus Christi, will fire up its melt shop three to four weeks after initially planned, chief executive Mark Millett said.
The delay was brought on by recent heavy rain and subsequent flooding.
The hot strip mill was originally planned to turn on in September, and in April Millett expected the mill to produce 150,000-200,000st in the fourth quarter.
The mill's pre-paint and coating lines remain on schedule to start-up in July and August, respectively.
The delay adds to tightness in the US steel industry, with buyers struggling to find enough steel to match customer demand even as steel prices continue into record territory.
The Argus US Midwest hot-rolled coil (HRC) assessment rose to $1,785/st on 6 July, a 79pc increase from the beginning of the year.
