Berkeley County steel plant makes the “coolest thing” in South Carolina
HUGER, S.C. (WCBD) – Products made at Nucor Steel in Berkeley County are being recognized as the “coolest thing” made in South Carolina.
The South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance held a March madness-style competition where they searched for the “coolest thing” to be made in the Palmetto State.
In the middle of the month, the competition narrowed the field from 175 nominated things down to 16 items made in the state, from boats to SUVs to diapers to Girl Scout uniforms to F-16 jets.
The coolest thing, though, is one of the hottest to be made in South Carolina – steel.
The alliance announced on Wednesday that steel, which can reach temperatures of 3,000 degrees during the manufacturing process, earned the most votes in the final round of voting.
Nucor Steel, which operates a manufacturing facility in the Huger area of Berkeley County, was recognized as the winner of the contest during a presentation at the South Carolina Statehouse.
“Steel is a literal pillar of the modern world and our economy,” said South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance President & CEO Sara Hazzard. “Nucor is one of our state’s most vital manufacturing companies, employers, and corporate citizens. They are a major contributor to both our state and local communities. I want to congratulate their leadership and all of their 975 employees, and I know they will hold the title of Coolest Thing Made in SC with pride.”
The Berkeley County facility began operations in 1996 – they make sheet and beam steel products for myriad industries including agriculture, automotive and appliance, construction, energy generation & transmission, oil & gas, heavy equipment, infrastructure, and transportation.
-
The trophy given to Nucor Steel for being named the coolest thing made in South Carolina is seen at a news conference on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins) -
Nucor Steel Vice President Mike Lee speaks as Gov. Henry McMaster holds a trophy after the steel made by Lee’s company was named the coolest thing made in South Carolina in a vote handled by the South Carolina Manufacturing Alliance at a news conference on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins) -
Nucor Steel Vice President Mike Lee holds a trophy after the steel made by his company was named the coolest thing made in South Carolina in a vote handled by the South Carolina Manufacturing Alliance at a news conference on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)
Leaders say the company is a significant recycler, turning scrap metal into 3.5 million tons of steel annually.
They say Nucor’s greenhouse gas emissions are less than half the average for all global steel manufacturers.
More than 110,000 votes were cast for the competition. The three other finalists include the F -16 Fighting Falcon manufactured by Lockheed Martin in Greenville, Electrolux and Frigidaire’s Single Door Refrigerator and Freezer made at its facility in Anderson, and the Honda Talon 1000 X-4 made by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. South Carolina Manufacturing in Timmonsville.
