BAYTOWN, Texas, June 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- JSW Steel (USA) Baytown, Texas, has announced that it has received preliminary Board approval, contingent upon securing governmental financial support, to proceed with a full-scale modernization project expected to take approximately 20 months to complete. The new state-of-the-art discrete plate mill will significantly increase product offerings while improving customer service with exceptional quality. "While perfecting the unique plate and contiguous pipe mill facility in Baytown over the last two years, our engineering teams have been concurrently working to design the 'Plate Mill of the Future,'" said John Hritz, President and CEO of JSW Steel (USA).

JSW (USA) has awarded this distinctive project to Danieli, a world leader in steelmaking technology. The decision to select Danieli as the supplier was based on the company's long track record of excellence in large scale capital projects in the steel industry globally. "Danieli is the perfect partner for the modernization because they have been in business for more than 100 years and understand the level of quality and precision that the project will require."

As part of JSW (USA)'s vision for the future, the plate mill modernization is the first phase of a much larger project under consideration by the Board. The second phase includes the construction of a new state-of-the-art melting and casting facility in the U.S. utilizing new technologically superior and eco‑friendly processes. A location has not yet been determined for the melting and casting facility. If fully implemented, the new melting and casting facility is expected to create 500 new high wage American jobs over the course of three years. It would also increase JSW (USA)'s ability to supply defense, as well as energy pipeline and domestic infrastructure projects, a goal of the Trump administration for both national security and economic reasons.

"This is the perfect time in U.S. history to implement our vision; we finally have an environment that supports the expansion and technological advancement of the domestic steel industry," Hritz added. "We at JSW (USA) feel this project is fully in sync with rebuilding the American infrastructure promoted by the Trump administration."

"With this modernization, JSW (USA) will become a low cost producer of exceptional, high quality plate and will be able to significantly increase market share in the ever-strong US market," said Parth Jindal, Director, JSW (USA). "With the thrust on manufacturing back, JSW feels there is no better time to invest in the US market. The JSW Group's consideration to invest in JSW Steel (USA)'s expansion represents a vote of confidence in the future of U.S. manufacturing."

About JSW Steel (USA) Inc.

JSW Steel (USA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Group, an $11 billion company headquartered in India with more than 40,000 employees worldwide. The Company operates a uniquely integrated plate/pipe mill complex with a strategic location for North American export markets. The Baytown, TX plate mill capacity is 1.2 mtpy and pipe mill capacity is 0.5 mtpy.

Contacts:

Devorah Goldburg

Jacobson Strategic Communications

703-350-9856 / [email protected]

Chris Blackman

Jacobson Strategic Communications

610-888-6390 / [email protected]

SOURCE JSW Steel (USA)