North American Stainless's Kentucky Operation to Grow with Expansion and Job Opportunities

North American Stainless (NAS), the largest fully-integrated stainless steel producer in the United States, will proceed with a $244 million expansion to its Ghent, Kentucky facility in Carroll County. The expansion will boost NAS’ total capacity by 200,000 tons annually—a 20% growth— meeting customers’ increasing demand for top-of-the-line stainless products. This expansion adds 70 new jobs to a plant, which already boasts nearly 1,600 employees and 500 on-site service providers.

Cristobal Fuentas, CEO of North American Stainless, stated, “ We are proud to lead America’s stainless steel economy, support our national security with our products and create great jobs for our region. Our latest expansion will bring more clean, sustainable, and American-made stainless to consumers and directly compete with the subsidized imports of stainless.” 

Fuentes went on to say, “NAS appreciates the steadfast partnership of Kentucky’s federal, state, and local leaders who made it possible.  Our parent company Acerinox—one of the largest producers of stainless in the world—was eager to further invest in Kentucky to demonstrate its commitment to our customers and the U.S. market and because our workforce meets and exceeds all goals every year.” 

For its 13th major expansion since 1990, NAS will build a new cold rolling mill, roll grinders, an extensive upgrade of its annealing and pickling lines to support the new rolling mill, a new temper mill, and the expansion of the Melt Shop Building to include a 400-metric ton crane. The continued importation of subsidized stainless steel—and the accompanying national security threats—made the NAS expansion a pressing priority. 

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear praised the project. “I’m excited to announce more growth in Kentucky’s metals industry with this latest investment from North American Stainless,” said Gov. Beshear. “NAS is a leading stainless steel producer in the United States, and all the company’s production lines are located at the company’s headquarters in Carroll County. I want to thank its leaders for continuing to put their faith in Kentucky’s workforce and investing in the commonwealth. NAS is growing at an incredible rate, with this being the company’s 13th expansion since it was founded in 1990. I look forward to seeing NAS continue to grow and create more opportunities for Kentuckians.” 

As part of the Acerinox Group of companies, NAS is a Delaware general partnership with Stainless Steel Invest Inc. as its managing general partner. NAS is situated on 1,600 acres in Carroll County. Founded in 1990, NAS has become the largest, fully integrated stainless steel producer in the United States and remains focused on being the leading producer of high-quality stainless steel in the Western Hemisphere. NAS offers a full range of stainless flats including slabs, billets, plates, sheets, and strips, as well as long products including wire, rods, angles, and rebar. All of NAS’ production lines are located at one site, which allows the company to avoid inherent delays that are common in mills. In 2016, NAS was awarded the Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) Award from Trade & Industry Development magazine for a $150 million expansion in Carroll County. The commonwealth’s metals industry has nearly 250 active facilities and employs over 27,600 Kentuckians. 

NAS offers a full range of stainless flats and long products with competitive delivery times. Since all of NAS’ production lines are located onsite at its 1,600-acre headquarters, it is able to avoid supply chain and other delays that are common among competitors. 

KIEDA is a regional economic development partnership created to attract additional investment, companies, and jobs. KIEDA also promotes infrastructure projects and enhances workforce and quality-of-life programs within the region. Businesses, site selectors, and developers are encouraged to contact KIEDA to learn more about the benefits of locating within Kentucky’s I-71 Corridor. Contact us here for more information.