KEY POINTS
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Nucor will invest $59 million to add steel-grating production capabilities at its Vulcraft Indiana facility in St. Joe.
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The expansion is expected to create 20 full-time jobs at a facility that employs more than 300 people.
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Vulcraft products support roofs and floors in warehouses, data centers, manufacturing facilities, retail buildings, schools and hospitals.
Nucor plans to invest $59 million to expand production capabilities at its Vulcraft Indiana manufacturing facility in St. Joe, Indiana, adding steel-grating production to the site’s existing operations.
In a statement from Nucor Aug. 13, 2026, the building product manufacturer said the project is expected to create 20 full-time jobs. More than 300 people currently work at the Vulcraft Indiana facility.
Steel Grating Expands Vulcraft’s Construction Product Mix
The investment will expand Vulcraft Indiana’s downstream production capabilities, according to Nucor. Steel grating is used in commercial and industrial construction for applications such as elevated walkways, platforms, stairs and access areas around equipment, and building systems.
The company said the investment is intended to better serve customers while expanding its manufacturing footprint in Indiana. The addition broadens the range of fabricated steel products that Nucor can produce through its Vulcraft business.
The company did not provide a production start date or additional project details in the announcement.
Vulcraft manufactures open-web steel joists, joist girders, and steel decking. Those products provide structural support for roofs and floors in a wide range of nonresidential construction, including warehouses, data centers, manufacturing facilities, retail stores, shopping centers, schools and hospitals. They are also used in some multistory residential buildings.
Nucor said Vulcraft has annual joist and deck production capacity of approximately 1.2 million tons. The Indiana facility is one of nine Vulcraft locations operating across North America.
An image of steel bar grating at the Nucor Steel Mill in Sedalia, MO. The steel bar grating was produced by Nucor's sister company, Nucor Vulcraft in Utah. The Sedalia plant uses the grating, according to the company, for walkways, platforms and stairs. Image: Nucor Vulcraft
Fourth Major Indiana Investment in Recent Years
Nucor described the Vulcraft expansion as its fourth major investment in Indiana in recent years.
The company announced a $290 million investment in 2022 to modernize sheet-mill operations in Crawfordsville. In 2023, Nucor announced plans for a $115 million utility infrastructure production facility nearby. The company also invested $28.5 million in an insulated metal panel production facility in Waterloo, next to its Nucor Building Systems Indiana campus. That facility began operations in 2021.
Together, those projects have created approximately 300 Nucor jobs in Indiana, the company said. Nucor now employs more than 2,600 people at more than a dozen locations across the state.
Indiana Manufacturing Base Supports Nonresidential Construction
Nucor acquired Vulcraft in 1962, marking its entry into the steel industry. Vulcraft Indiana opened in 1972 as the company’s fifth Vulcraft facility.
The investment adds another planned source of fabricated steel products within Nucor’s Indiana manufacturing network. The company’s product portfolio also includes metal building systems, insulated metal panels, overhead doors, steel racking, utility structures, reinforcing steel, wire and wire mesh.
Nucor is North America’s largest recycler, according to the company. Its operations span the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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