Cargill will build its eighth U.S. steel processing center 60 miles north of Denver at the The Broe Group’s Great Western Industrial Park in Windsor, Colorado. Construction of the 60,000-square-foot steel processing and distribution facility is scheduled to begin in early 2014.

The company said the facility, which is expected to create 25 new jobs during the next three years, is needed to “help meet the increasing demands for steel products in the manufacturing and shale oil industries.”

The plant will process hot rolled steel coils into cut-to-length steel sheet and plate products in thicknesses from 16-gauge up to one-half inch, in widths from 48 inches to 72 inches wide, in standard and custom lengths for customers in 15 western and Midwestern states. It will also serve as a distribution center for laser quality, ultra-flat RPS steel product produced at Cargill’s Granite City, Illinois, facilities and hot rolled cut-to-length sheet and plate from its Port of Catoosa, Oklahoma, facility.

The new steel processing center will be operated by Cargill Metals Supply Chain, which operates eight hot rolled steel processing centers and five distribution centers in the United States and worldwide, across the ferrous metals sector. CMSC buys and sells iron ore and ferrous scrap; processes a variety of flat steel products, trades wire rod, rebar, flat rolled and billets; provides logistics and transportation solutions and support; and offers risk management and other financial solutions to the industry.

“By locating in northern Colorado, which is in the heart of one of the largest oil shale formations in the U.S., Cargill can better serve and bring more value to our customers in this part of the country,” said Cargill Steel Service Center President, Mike Taylor.

Cargill first opened a distribution depot in Colorado in 2011, retrofitting an 18,000-square-foot leased facility in nearby Fort Collins. Rapid growth in the manufacturing, as well as the recent development of the shale oil industry in this part of the U.S., has created greater demand for steel products across many market segments, the company said.

“Our team is excited about Cargill joining the family of companies calling the Great Western Industrial Park home. We look forward to helping Cargill get their new facility up and running, fully utilizing rail service provided by Great Western Railway and greatly appreciate the support received from state and local officials,” said Great Western Industrial Park Senior Vice President of Industrial Development, Rich Montgomery.

“Cargill is a welcome addition to the growing list of world-class businesses to locate within Windsor. It is our commitment to Cargill to remain a business-friendly community and a location that helps all of our businesses to flourish,” said Kelly Arnold, Town Manager of Windsor.

“Leading manufacturers are increasingly coming to understand that Northern Colorado is just right for their operations. Being centrally located and having solid infrastructure makes Weld County and the Great Western Industrial Park ideal for reaching customers and markets,” said William Garcia, Chair of the Weld County Commissioners.