ArcelorMittal announced on Friday (28) the approval of an investment between R$ 4 billion and R$ 5 billion (roughly US$ 750 million to US$ 950 million) at its Tubarão plant in Serra, in the metro area of Vitória, capital of Espírito Santo state. The project includes a cold strip mill and a continuous coating line, with construction expected to begin later in 2026, according to G1.
The new line will process 560,000 tonnes per year. The raw material stays in-house: hot-rolled coils already made at Tubarão will be turned into cold-rolled, metallic-coated steel, which resists corrosion better. The buyers, the company says, are the automotive, construction and home appliance industries.
Construction and jobs
Building should take about three and a half years and employ around 3,000 workers at the peak of the works. Once operating, expected in the first half of 2030, the plant will keep about 450 workers on staff, the company said.
"By generating opportunities, attracting new business and creating a positive multiplier effect across the value chain, this project will contribute to the state's economic growth and reflects our confidence in Brazil's future", said Jorge Oliveira, president of ArcelorMittal Brasil and CEO of ArcelorMittal Flat Steel LATAM, according to G1.
The investment follows the group's strategy of moving into higher-value stages of the steel chain, known as downstream. As Folha Vitória notes, the company had already pushed in that direction by acquiring Tuper, a supplier to the automotive and oil and gas sectors, Tekno, which specializes in pre-painted steel, and Dânica and Perfilor, both focused on construction.
The bet on the domestic market rests on a figure cited by the company itself: Brazilians consume an average of 122.5 kg of steel per person per year, 41% below the global average of 209 kg, which the company reads as room for growth at home.
For Espírito Santo's supply chain, the outlay means demand for services and suppliers over three and a half years of construction, followed by local output of coated steels. For end buyers such as automakers, appliance manufacturers and builders, the promise is a domestic source of higher-value products from 2030. ArcelorMittal employs about 20,000 people in Brazil, with plants in eight states and annual capacity of 15.5 million tonnes of crude steel, according to Folha Vitória.