Area Development
Highbar, a newly formed company focused on sustainable scrap metal recycling and steel production, will establish the first of its two rebar steel mini mills outside of Osceola, Arkansas. The $500 million project is expected to create 200 jobs.

The mill will sit on an over 600-acre greenfield site which will include space for an expanded Mississippi River port facility, a direct Class 1 railroad connection, and a planned adjacent solar installation. Groundbreaking is scheduled for the second quarter of 2023.

"My team and I have had great success investing billions of dollars in northeast Arkansas over the past eight years. I am pleased that after conducting a multi-state site search that we are able to make this announcement today," said Dave Stickler, CEO of Highbar and senior managing partner of Global Principal Partners, a leading metals and mining investment and project development firm. "Arkansas is a great place to conduct business, especially steel business."

Highbar has already achieved significant market acceptance with over 20% of its output pre-sold under long-term agreements.

"Arkansas continues the momentum to become a national leader in the steel industry," Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston noted. "Companies like Highbar are looking for locations where they can find a qualified workforce and low business costs while being able to get products to customers quickly and efficiently. Arkansas checks all of the boxes, and companies are taking note. I am confident we will continue to see many such investments in the future."