Big River, Big Gift: Osceola Steel Mill 'Keeps On Giving'

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Big River, Big Gift: Osceola Steel Mill 'Keeps On Giving'

by Jan Cottingham on Monday, Dec. 17, 2018 12:00 am 5 min read

An electric arc furnace at Big River Steel’s Flex Mill near Osceola. Since the mill opened, it has provided hundreds of jobs and a big boost to the local economy. (Karen E. Segrave)

Justin Gurley is shown monitoring the electric arc furnace. The mill currently produces 1.65 million tons of steel annually. (Karen E. Segrave)

Big River Steel's expansion, announced in June, will double the mill's current annual production of 1.65 million tons of steel. (Karen E. Segrave)

A floating dock waits for the next shipment on the Mississippi River, near the mill location. About 25 percent of Big River’s product is shipped by barge, 25 percent by rail and the remainder by truck. (Karen E. Segrave)

Framing of the plant’s $1.2 billion expansion is visible. Big River planned for expansion from the start, said its CEO, David Stickler. (Karen E. Segrave)

The Big River Steel Flex Mill near Osceola uses as much energy as Afghanistan, says Steve Pienaar, logistics manager at Big River. (Karen E. Segrave)

Since the mill opened, it has provided hundreds of jobs and a big boost to the local economy. (Karen E. Segrave)

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Big River Steel, which sits on 1,300 acres not far from Osceola in Mississippi County, employs more than 500 workers at an average annual salary exceeding $75,000.