Galvanized steel is a growing sector of the steel industry. Hundreds of thousands of tons are produced annually worldwide, primarily for construction and automotive use. Appliances also present a sizable market.
Galvanization is the process of applying a protective coating of zinc, which retards corrosion. In some environments, galvanized steel will defy rust for decades. Additional treatment with chromate will further extend its useful life span.
Industry trends
Galvanized steel finds use in many innovative and creative ways. It recently played a significant role in the transformation of a disused shed into an award-winning low-cost energy efficient house, library and gallery. It was also used to construct a home with a design based on the semi-circular structure of a Quonset hut.
Recently, industry leader Steel Dynamics announced plans to add a new galvanizing line at its plant in Columbus, Mississippi. When it is completed, the company will have nine galvanizing lines with an approximate capacity of 3.8 million tons throughout its facilities in the eastern United States.
While Steel Dynamics has been a substantial producer of non-automotive galvanized steel, its continuing series of upgrades will allow it to enter the automotive market.
Market growth
According to data gathered by IndustryNet from 32 galvanized steel companies, jobs over the last year have remained flat at 2,317. Sales, however, have risen slightly, from $652.3 million to $654.8 million. The following businesses illustrate the essential role galvanized steel plays in the steel industry.
Top 11 companies by number of employees
ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation joined to create I/N Kote. The company annually produces 500,000 tons of hot-dip galvanized and galvannealed steel, and 400,000 tons of electro-galvanized sheet.
The plant sits on 25 acres in New Carlisle, Indiana. It serves both the automotive and appliance markets, and its products are also used in office furniture. The facility has a workforce of 500.
The location of the Pro-Tec Coating Co. plant in Leipsic, Ohio, was chosen for its proximity to steel-making facilities and its automotive customers. It is connected to both by truck and rail routes.
The company is a joint venture of United States Steel Corporation and Kobe Steel Limited of Japan. The 1,200-acre site has an annual production capability of over 1.1 million tons. The company provides jobs for 318 workers.
The Worthington Steel Co. galvanizes both hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel. The company offers dual coatings and heavy gauge steel up to 0.25 inches.
Its products find agricultural uses such as grain bins and construction uses such as metal framing, struts, guard rails, decking and in-ground pools. Worthington also provides galvanized steel for heavy trucks. The Delta, Ohio, plant employs 150 workers.
Valmont Coatings-Oklahoma Galvanizing LLC features a 60-foot galvanizing kettle that is among the longest in the United States. The 120 employees at the Claremore, Oklahoma, plant with a sales force that is available 24/7 pride themselves on customer service.
They offer assistance at customers' job sites in order to keep projects on schedule. The company provides shipping from Tulsa's port of Catoose.
Southwest Galvanizing Inc., in Houston, Texas, is a privately owned and operated corporation established in 1966. The company is committed to sustainability, and its products are recyclable and reusable. Southwest offers tours of its plant to its customers.
Since its establishment in 1993, Steel Dynamics Inc. has become a major U.S. steel producer and metal recycler. Its Jeffersonville, Indiana, facility galvanizes steel sheet. The company contributes to communities in which its employees live and work by supporting higher education, human services and economic development. The Jeffersonville plant employs a staff of 90.
United States Steel Corp., Mon Valley Works, Fairless Plant is a finishing facility in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. It produces galvanized sheet for the automotive, appliance, metal building and home construction industries. The workforce at the Fairless location is comprised of 90 people. The company conducts continuous training in safety, job skills and leadership.
Duncan Galvanizing Corp. was founded in 1890 as J. Duncan Company. The firm serves architects, engineers, specifiers, fabricators and general contractors in the Northeast United States and Canada.
Duncan offers seminars on hot-dip galvanizing to educate its customers. The company is located in Everett, Massachusetts, and has 83 employees.
AZZ Galvanizing Services - Dixon maintains lines for both hot-dip and rebar galvanization. The company has expertise and experience in applications in agricultural, infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, chemicals and vehicular use. The plant in Dixon, Illinois, has a staff of 80.
Lafayette Steel Co. (also known as Loeffel Steel) is located in Riverdale, Illinois. The company was founded 35 years ago. The location is convenient to the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad. Lafayette reports employing 80 people.
Double G Coatings Company, LP. is jointly owned by ArcelorMittal and U.S. Steel. The 78 employees process steel supplied the company's customers. Its hot-dip galvanizing facility with a dual line has an annual production capability of approximately 315,000 tons. It primarily serves the pre-painted construction market.
Click here to see a complete listing of all galvanized steel suppliers in the U.S.
