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Forza Steel, headquartered in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, is in the process of building a $60 million manufacturing facility at the Port of Brownsville across State Highway 48 from the Keppel AmFELS yard.
The project is evidence of the growing importance of steel to the port, already a major importer/exporter of the commodity. Forza, which specializes in the manufacture of carbon steel and has been serving the U.S. and Mexican markets for more than two decades, said it will install equipment this summer to begin rolling-mill operations at the site.
Forza said the decision to built the plant at the port is intended to enhance its operations in the United States by getting closer to its customer base in order to close gaps in the supply chain. This project marks the company’s first foray into the U.S. market.
“The Port of Brownsville is the perfect location for Forza Steel’s entry into the American market,” said Forza Steel USA General Manager Isidro Cantu. “The location from Monterrey to Brownsville is ideal. Forza Steel is very excited to be part of the Brownsville community and grow.”
The 650,000-square-foot plant will manufacture steel pipes and tubes for the automotive, construction, and oil-and-gas sectors, and will support 150 direct jobs and 450 indirect jobs for the region, according to the company. Forza plans to bring in 260,000 metric tons of steel per year and output 240,000 tons of finished goods annually.
Eduardo Campirano, port director and CEO, welcomed the company as the port continues to grow its steel portfolio.
“We are excited to expand our role in the steel industry as a major gateway for steel in both Mexico and the United States,” he said. “Our multi-modal logistics allow companies to optimize the movement of goods via rail, truck and water to save time and money.”
Steel slab continues to be the port’s top commodity in terms of cargo volume, making up the lion’s share of the 15.2 million tons of cargo it moved in 2022, breaking its previous record of 13.8 million tons in 2021.
The only deep-water seaport directly on the U.S.-Mexico border, and with 40,000 acres the the largest land-owning port authority in the United States, the Port of Brownsville trans-ships more steel into Mexico than any other U.S. port.
