Zekelman Industries announced a couple of days ago that it would build a $150 million electric resistance welding mill next to its existing facility, subsidiary Atlas Tube, in Blytheville. The mill will start production in September 2021.
In Governor Hutchinson’s Facebook post on the new mill, which he said will bring 75 new jobs to the state, he also announced that Atlas Tube will produce steel for Trump’s border wall. He wrote, “With last week’s 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision to allow President Trump to fund the border wall, Atlas Tube steel is being produced in Blytheville for the steel portion of the wall. Victory in D.C. means jobs at home.”
Zekelman’s announcement noted the preliminary decision to make U.S. importers of steel from China and Mexico are being required to make cash deposits to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A final determination will be announced in December.