Grapeland’s Nucor Vulcraft Plant Celebrates 50th Anniversary

By Sarah Naron

Messenger Reporter

GRAPELAND – Celebration danced in the air as Nucor teammates from near and far congregated on the grounds of Grapeland’s Vulcraft Texas location in celebration of the plant’s 50th anniversary Thursday, April 26 – a day declared as Nucor/Vulcraft Day by the City of Grapeland.

A presentation was held beginning at noon during which several Nucor executives took time to reminisce on the half-century for which the Vulcraft Texas plant has been in operation.

Vulcraft Texas General Manager Chad Beard – who has been a Nucor employee for more than 10 years – began the presentation by reflecting on the achievements which have been made since the implementation of the division in 1968.

“The biggest, greatest accomplishment of this division is that it is the only division of Nucor that has achieved the President’s Safety Award every year since its inception,” he said. “Every year since 1998, this division has received the award. It’s just an awesome accomplishment.”

Among other outstanding accomplishments noted by Beard were the contribution of “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in money and products made by the division to the local community. Upon meeting its forecast for the year – expected to occur “sometime in the fourth quarter” – the company will exceed $720 million and six million tons of steel.

“The success of this plant has been so important for so many people,” Beard pointed out. “A community, our teammates, shareholders, families – whatever folks you want to talk about, they have benefited from the success of this facility. And I think that’s something that we absolutely are here today to celebrate.”

Beard also extended a word of thanks to the customers, suppliers and shareholders of Nucor/Vulcraft and the community which has provided support throughout the last 50 years.

“The partnership that Vulcraft Texas has with the local community – it’s something special,” Beard said. “It’s been that way for 50 years, and it’s been a huge part of the success of this division.”

According to Beard, the teammates employed by Vulcraft Texas are the most important contributors to the success of the facility.

“It’s you – past and present – that have contributed to this success,” he said. “The opportunities that have been presented to lots of individuals is because of the hard work and commitment and dedication of our teammates. So, thank you. Job well done.”

Beard then introduced Nucor Executive Vice President Jim Darsey, who began his Nucor career at the Grapeland location in 1979 and went on to serve as the division’s general manager from 1995-1999.

Darsey looked back on his time at Vulcraft Texas and described how his fellow teammates made it “one of the best divisions in our company” and the lessons he learned during his tenure.

“I learned about the joist business. I learned about Nucor values. I learned about hard work. I learned about being competitive. I learned about doing what it took to be successful from this team,” he said.

Darsey extended his gratitude to everyone with whom he worked “for what you did to help me grow and become a better person and a better leader.”

Darsey also took a moment to thank those who came before him as Nucor employees.

“It was that group that built this company into what it is and gave me an opportunity to work for a great company,” he said.

Darsey also encouraged the facility’s newer employees to appreciate the company and teammates with whom they work.

“Let me tell you, you work for a great company. We have great people,” he said. “My advice to you is to learn all you can from them. Because they are great teachers.

“On a personal note, it’s important to me that others – just like me and just like you – have the same opportunity with Nucor and Vulcraft Texas that I did,” he continued. “What you do with that opportunity is entirely up to you, but we’ve got to make sure that this opportunity goes on.”

Continuing the presentation was Jim Landrum, who served as the general manager of Vulcraft Texas from 1999-2012.

“I think we all fail to give credit to certain people in our lives who help us, support us and make us successful in what we do – not just in our jobs, but in our lives,” Landrum said. “That’s our spouses, our parents, our children, those who are on the sidelines cheering us on and supporting us.”

Landrum spoke of how many spouses of Nucor teammates, upon being told that the employee to whom they are married is being relocated to another division, “stand up and shoulder a lot of that responsibility” associated with making the move.

“I want to applaud the spouses and our families for all the support that they’ve given us every day,” he said.

Landrum explained that he worked at three separate divisions throughout his Nucor career, but has “never worked with a better group of people than the people of East Texas.

“This is the hardest-working, safest group of employees,” he said. “We’ve made a few mistakes, but we’ve accomplished a lot, and the people here have helped keep each other safe.”

Landrum went on to express appreciation for those who have served as mayors of Grapeland throughout the 50 years in which Vulcraft Texas has been in operation, as well as the community for its unwavering support.

“I thank you all for your support, I love you all, and I appreciate everything that you do and will do,” he concluded.

A presentation of “a very small memento of how warm our heart is toward Nucor as a cornerstone of this community and its economic development and its economics over the last 50 years” was made by Mayor Balis Dailey to Nucor Chairman, President and CEO John J. Ferriola on behalf of the City of Grapeland.

“This is a 50-year Certificate of Honor presented to Nucor/Vulcraft Grapeland celebrating the past and inspiring the future,” Mayor Dailey read. “It is with esteemed pleasure that the City of Grapeland presents this honor.”

Mayor Dailey also proclaimed April 26 as Nucor/Vulcraft Day in the city.

Grapeland Economic Development Corporation President Brandon Bridges then presented Beard with a certificate congratulating the company on its 50 years “of building America from our community.

“Thank you for making Grapeland a better place to live and work,” Bridges said.

State Representative Trent Ashby was also on hand for the celebration.

“Companies like Nucor are hard to find,” Ashby said. “There was a day where there were a lot of companies that took care of their employees, and you felt that family atmosphere when you showed up to work every day. Nucor is one of those companies where when I’m honored to come visit – whether it’s here in Grapeland at Vulcraft or there at the Bar Mill Steel in Jewett – I feel that family togetherness.

“I just want you to know it’s a real honor to be able to stand here on this stage with these men and to congratulate you on 50 years,” he said.

Ashby also presented Beard with a commemorative Texas flag and read a resolution passed in the Texas House of Representatives in honor of Vulcraft Texas’s 50th anniversary.

Deputy District Director Thomas Mardik presented the company with a congressional record “which outlines the achievements you’ve had over the past 50 years and celebrates your 50-year anniversary” on behalf of U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady.

“Hopefully, I’ll be back to give you another one in the next 50 years,” Mardik said.

Also speaking was Regional Sales Manager Wayne “Monty” Montgomery, who has been a teammate of Vulcraft Texas for 49 years.

“50 years ago, a two-way blessing happened in this area,” Montgomery began. “Our corporate office decided to build this Vulcraft division here, and it was a blessing to Houston County and Grapeland. It gave so much hope and a future.”

Montgomery spoke of how young people in the community had to leave the area in order to find jobs after completing their educations.

“Vulcraft came here, and all of a sudden, they didn’t have to leave anymore,” he said. “And we had some of these kids coming back because of the opportunities.”

By constructing a division of its plant in Grapeland, Montgomery said, Nucor received a blessing as well.

“They got a workforce that – the work ethic was beyond compare,” he said. “This area had people that worked in the fields, and they knew what hard work was. They didn’t go by a clock. They worked until the job was done.”

Speaking on behalf of the Vulcraft Texas teammates and the local area, Montgomery expressed gratitude for what Nucor did by starting the plant.

“They brought us hope,” he said. “The Lord brought me here 49 years ago, and I’ve never regretted a bit of it.”

Rounding out the speeches was keynote speaker Ferriola, who also serves as chairman of the World Steel Association and the American Iron and Steel Institute.

“I want to start by thanking you for your outstanding record on safety,” he began. “To win the President’s Safety Award every year since it’s existed – that’s an accomplishment that we should all be proud of. There’s absolutely nothing more important than your safety.”

As Ferriola explained, Vulcraft Texas will surpass $720 million in contributions upon meeting its forecast, expected to occur later this year.

“To think about that number – $720 million,” he said. “Do you know what the initial investment in this division was in this division? One million dollars. I think about the return on an investment of one million dollars – $720 million – that’s a pretty good return. And that’s accredited to all of you who are sitting in this room today and to all who have preceded you in this division.”

Ferriola added that the Vulcraft Texas division has been responsible for the shipment of six million tons of steel throughout its existence, a number he described as “outstanding.

“So, I wanted again to say thank you to you and to all who have preceded you for all those accomplishments,” Ferriola said. “If it wasn’t for this division and the other couple of divisions that we have, we wouldn’t have the company that we have today.”

Ferriola explained that Vulcraft was purchased by Nucor in 1962.

“At that time, there were 250 teammates in our corporation,” he said. “Today, we have over 25,000 teammates in over 260 locations.”

According to Ferriola, 2017 was the company’s highest-earning year since 2008.

“That’s quite an accomplishment,” he pointed out. “And the strength that we saw in 2017, we seem to be taking right into – certainly through the first quarter – of 2018. And we think frankly, that it’s going to be that strong for the rest of 2018.”

The success, Ferriola explained, can be attributed to the demand for the company’s products and the efforts of the U.S. government, which “is finally doing something about the illegal trade and giving us a level playing field for us to compete.

“I’ve said this for more years than I can remember,” he said. “If we – our Nucor team – have a level playing field, we will out compete any company and any country in the world. There’s no doubt in my mind about that. And we’re starting to get that level playing field, and now, it’s up to us – all of us – to show them what we can do.”