To view photos from the event, click here.

Apple Grove, WV — Today, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, attended the groundbreaking of Nucor Steel’s new state-of-the-art sheet mill in Apple Grove, West Virginia. The new mill represents a $3.1 billion investment in Mason County, West Virginia, that will create as many as 2,000 construction jobs and approximately 800 full-time positions when fully operational. 

“West Virginia’s steel industry was started in Wheeling in 1884. Before and since then, we’ve mined the coal that forged the steel that built the guns and ships that turned the United States of America into the world’s superpower. That would not have been possible without the people of West Virginia. This little state of West Virginia has given everything she has to this great country of ours — but for a while, we’ve felt like the returning Vietnam Veteran. West Virginians did the dirty work, but we were cast aside. Now, we have arrived, and we are here today to show the rest of the world what our state can do for the infrastructure and energy our country needs and our world needs. Today’s groundbreaking is an opportunity to take that legacy to the next level,” said Chairman Manchin in his prepared remarks. 

“As one of the strongest and most diversified industrial manufacturers in the United States and one of the top five recyclers in the world, Nucor is proud to bring this transformative project to the State of West Virginia. Once operational, our new facility in Mason County will supply the clean, American-made sheet steel products that will be needed to build our nation’s economy for decades to come. Nucor would like to thank Senator Manchin for his tremendous support of this project,” said Leon Topalian, Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nucor Corporation.

“Nucor Steel’s decision to locate in Mason County, West Virginia will reinvigorate our community, bringing new opportunities and investment to our area. Untold benefits will come from this investment and it came to fruition through all of West Virginia working together,” said John Musgrave, Executive Director, Mason County Economic Development. “Senators Manchin and Capito, along with our state and local officials, helped us make West Virginia Nucor’s newest home and I look forward to the watching our region flourish for years to come.”

Chairman Manchin was joined at the groundbreaking by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice; U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV); Leon Topalian, Chair, President and CEO, Nucor Steel; John Farris, Vice President and General Manager, Nucor Steel West Virginia; Rex Query, Executive Vice President, Sheet Products and Talent Resources, Nucor Steel; Jay Timmons, President and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers; Craig Blair, Lt. Governor and President of the West Virginia Senate; John Musgrave, Executive Director, Mason County Economic Development Authority; and Jonathan Pinson, Reverend and Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates.