1905

An Unlikely Connection

Ransom E. Olds, creator of the Oldsmobile, forms REO Motor Company, which evolves into the Nuclear Corporation of America and ultimately Nucor.

1962

Moving Toward The Steel Market

Nuclear Corporation makes two strategic moves that change the company and ultimately the American steel industry: the acquisition of Vulcraft, a producer of steel joists and girders, and the hiring of Ken Iverson to run Vulcraft. Iverson soon emerges as one of the great visionaries and mavericks in American industry.

1964

Building Something Bigger

The company opens a second Vulcraft plant in Nebraska to meet increasing demand for steel joists. Based on the success of its first two plants, Vulcraft purchases M&S Steel Company of Fort Payne, Alabama in 1967, which becomes Vulcraft – Alabama, and builds its fourth steel joist plant in Grapeland, Texas the following year. Business booms, and Vulcraft’s growth has continued ever since.

1965

Iverson & Siegel Forge a New Path

Nuclear’s newly appointed president, Ken Iverson, and company treasurer and controller, Sam Siegel, act quickly to put the company on a course toward profitability, including selling off inefficient divisions.

1966

Steel Resolve

The company moves its corporate headquarters from Phoenix, Arizona, to Charlotte, North Carolina. Iverson proposes entering the steelmaking business and starts a profit sharing program, beginning the company’s tradition of paying for performance.

1969

Mini Might

The company’s first mini mill, located in Darlington, South Carolina, goes into production. At first intended as a way to provide a reliable and economical supply of steel to the company’s Vulcraft divisions, the mini mill soon expands production to accommodate outside customers.

1971

Nuclear Goes Nucor

With the company now on its way to becoming a highly focused steel producer, the board of directors of Nuclear Corporation of America approves a name change to Nucor.

1972

On The Big Board

Nucor is listed under the ticker symbol NUE on the New York Stock Exchange for the first time. The company also announces plans to build a second mini mill, located in Norfolk, Nebraska, while a fifth steel joist plant goes into operation in St. Joe, Indiana.

1973

Credit Where Credit is Due

Nucor offers a 5-cent cash dividend per share of the company’s common stock, and has paid a quarterly dividend ever since. A year later, the Nucor Foundation is established for teammates’ children. Since 1974, Nucor has contributed over $97 million to scholarships and educational disbursements. And in 1975, Nucor begins the tradition of listing teammate names on the cover of the annual report.

1975

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Sensing an opportunity in a market experiencing short-term steel shortages, Nucor begins operation of its third mini mill in six years. Located in Jewett, Texas, Nucor Steel Texas is sixty miles from the Vulcraft plant in Grapeland.

1979

Cold Start

The company enters the cold-finish market with a new mill in Norfolk, Nebraska.

1981

Go West

Nucor begins operating a 400,000-ton-per-year mini mill in Plymouth, Utah. With the company performing well, this fourth mini mill further increases Nucor’s steelmaking capacity and gives it a strong foothold in the West.

1986

Fasten Up

The company enters the steel fastener market with a new production facility in St. Joe, Indiana

1987

Buildings Group

Nucor Building Systems begins operation with a new plant in Waterloo, Indiana, focusing on the design and manufacture of custom-engineered metal building systems. After three greenfield startups, the Buildings Group grows in 2007 to include American Building Company, Kirby Building Systems, Gulf States Manufacturers and CBC Steel Buildings. By 2015, the Buildings Group has an annual capacity of approximately 465,000 tons.

1988

Beaming Business

Nucor-Yamato Steel Company forms as a joint venture between Nucor and Yamato Kogyo with the goal of manufacturing wide-flange beams in Blytheville, Arkansas. Today, Nucor-Yamato has the capacity to produce over 2.5 million tons per year of wide-flange beams and a variety of other products and structural shapes.

1989

A World First

A new era of steelmaking begins when thin-slab technology goes on-line at the new mini mill in Crawfordsville, Indiana. It is the first mini mill in the world to make quality flat-rolled steel using the technology.

1992

A Second In Arkansas

After three years of successfully producing sheet using thin-slab technology, Nucor opens a second sheet mill in Hickman, Arkansas, not far from Nucor-Yamato Steel Company. With two large mills in Mississippi County, northeast Arkansas is one of the top steel-producing regions in America.

1996

Racing To The Top

A third sheet mill is added to the company’s portfolio when Nucor Steel Berkeley begins operations. The next year Nucor announces plans to build a beam mill on the site. With its expansion, Nucor soon passes Bethlehem Steel to become the No. 2 steelmaker in the U.S.

2000

Dan Dimicco Takes The Helm

Dan DiMicco is named the President and CEO of Nucor, succeeding prior CEOs David Aycock (1999-2000) and John Correnti (1996-1999). He will go on to be elected Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors in June 2001, and Chairman of the Board in 2006. DiMicco leads the company through a period of strong growth and champions an ongoing fight for fair trade practices to save American jobs and the U.S. manufacturing industry.

2000

Plate Mill Innovation

The company’s state-of-the-art plate mill in Hertford County, North Carolina, begins operations. Nucor Steel Hertford County, developed on 990 acres along the Chowan River, produces plate for uses ranging from railroad tank cars to armored personnel carriers.

2001

Blazing A New Trail

The acquisition of Auburn Steel, a bar mill in New York, is the company’s first steel mill acquisition in its then 36-year history, heralding a decade of aggressive and strategic growth for the company.

2002

No Rolling Required

Castrip® technology goes on-line in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The process casts molten steel directly into sheet steel at or near its final thickness, eliminating the need for large hot and cold rolled reductions. Compared to the casting and rolling process of an integrated steelmaking facility, the Castrip process consumes about 95 percent less energy and emits less than one-tenth the greenhouse gases.

2002

Gaining Momentum

Nucor’s acquisition strategy moves into high gear. In July, Nucor acquires Trico Steel, which becomes Nucor Steel Decatur, LLC. In December, the company acquires Birmingham Steel, resulting in several new Nucor mills: Nucor Steel Kankakee, Inc.; Nucor Steel Jackson, Inc.; Nucor Steel Seattle, Inc.; Nucor Steel Birmingham, Inc.; and Nucor Steel Memphis, Inc., which begins operating in 2008.

2003

South By Southwest

Nucor acquires a North Star Steel mill in Kingman, Arizona, for $35 million. Nucor Steel Kingman, LLC begins operating in 2009, focusing production on rebar and wire rod.

2004

Expanding In The South

Nucor acquires Corus Tuscaloosa in Alabama, which becomes Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa, Inc..

2005

Expanding In The Midwest

The company’s buying spree continues with the acquisitions of Fort Howard Steel, which becomes Nucor Cold Finish Wisconsin, Inc., and Marion Steel in Ohio, which becomes Nucor Steel Marion, Inc.

2006

Taking Control

Production of direct reduced iron (DRI) begins at the innovative Nu-Iron Unlimited facility in Point Lisas, Trinidad, signaling a shift to DRI as an alternative to scrap.

Nucor also purchases Connecticut Steel and renames the mill Nucor Steel Connecticut, Inc.

2007

Casting Downstream

The $1.07 billion acquisition of Harris Steel Group provides entry into the rebar fabrication market, significantly expanding Nucor’s North American footprint and providing downstream growth opportunities.

2008

It’s All About Steel Scrap

Nucor acquires The David J. Joseph Company, one of the nation’s largest scrap processors and brokers. The acquisition provides Nucor further control of its raw material supply, especially scrap steel, which makes up 75 to 90 percent of the material used to recycle steel.

2010

Venturing Into Sheet Processing

Nucor announces a joint venture with Mitsui & Co. to create NuMit, LLC. The venture includes Steel Technologies LLC, which operates sheet steel processing facilities throughout North America, transforming flat-rolled steel into products for the automotive, agricultural and consumer goods markets.

2013

John J. Ferriola Named CEO

John J. Ferriola assumes the role of President and CEO, succeeding Dan DiMicco. The next year, Ferriola takes on the responsibilities of Executive Chairman.

2014

NSLA DRI Plant and Gallatin Acquisition

Nucor’s $750 million DRI plant in St. James Parish, Louisiana becomes fully operational, making it one of the largest DRI facilities in the world and the first in the U.S. since 2009. In October, Nucor acquires Gallatin Steel in Kentucky, expanding flat-rolled capacity and strengthening its presence in the Midwest.

2016

Focused On Profitable Growth

Nucor continues to execute its strategy for profitable growth. The company acquires a plate mill in Longview, Texas, and announces a joint venture with JFE Steel Corporation of Japan to build a plant in central Mexico to supply that country’s growing automotive market. Nucor also moves boldly into the steel tubing market, adding over a million tons of capacity with the acquisition of Independence Tube Corporation, Southland Tube Incorporated, and Republic Conduit.

2018

Anything But Ordinary

The company sets a new earnings record of $2.36 billion and $7.42 per share, triggering an “Extraordinary Bonus” for teammates. From 2017-2018, Nucor announces over $2 billion in planned capital investments, including the construction of rebar micro mills in Florida and Missouri, and major expansions and upgrades at existing mills. The company’s brand evolves, including an updated initiative focusing on customer experience, and a new tagline: Powerful Partnerships. Powerful Results.

2020

New Decade New Challenge

Leon J. Topalian is named President and CEO and introduces a new mission statement—Grow the Core, Expand Beyond, Live Our Culture—along with a bold goal to become the World’s Safest Steel Company. Nucor holds its first Team Hall event, distributing more than 27,000 Challenge Coins. Nucor also opens Nucor-JFE and Nucor Steel Florida, a rebar micro mill.

2021

A Focus On Sustainable Steel

Nucor sets a 2030 target to reduce GHG intensity at its steel mills by 35%, bringing emissions to 77% below the global average. Nucor expands its product line with the acquisition of Hannibal Industries, a manufacturer of steel racking. The company also acquires CENTRIA, and Metl-Span, forming the Nucor Insulated Panel Group. Nucor launches ECONIQ—the world’s first net-zero carbon steel at scale.

2022

Breaking Records And Expanding Beyond

Nucor expands into steel-adjacent markets with the additions of C.H.I. Overhead Doors, Summit Utility Structures, Sovereign Steel Manufacturing, and Elite Storage Solutions. It also grows its core steelmaking operations by acquiring majority ownership in California Steel Industries with JFE. Nucor marks its most profitable and safest year ever, distributing $1 billion in profit sharing to teammates and celebrating 50 years on the NYSE.

2023

Another Year Of Firsts

Nucor Steel Brandenburg rolls its first plate, becoming the only U.S. mill capable of producing heavy-gauge plate for offshore wind monopiles at scale. Nucor also becomes one of the first diversified North American steelmakers to set a net-zero, science-based GHG target for 2050.