Gerdau

Gerdau is a Brazilian steelmaker founded in 1901, recognized as the largest producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the top steelmakers worldwide. The company produces approximately 13 million tons of steel annually across operations in Brazil and North America. With 71% of its steel manufactured from recycled scrap, Gerdau is a leader in sustainable steelmaking. The company's product portfolio includes long steel, specialty steel, flat steel, and related steel products for construction, infrastructure, automotive, and industrial applications.

Gerdau was founded on January 16, 1901, by Joao Gerdau, a German immigrant who arrived in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 1869 seeking new business opportunities. The company began as Pontas de Paris, a nail manufacturing operation that would eventually grow into one of the world's largest steel producers. After World War II, the nail factory struggled to secure raw materials, prompting the acquisition of a steel mill in 1948. This strategic move marked the beginning of Gerdau's transformation into a vertically integrated steelmaker. By the 1960s, the company had expanded its milling capacity across Brazil, and in 1970 it became a publicly traded company. Through a series of acquisitions during the privatization of Brazilian state-owned steel companies in the 1980s, Gerdau captured a 40% market share in long steel in Brazil. International expansion began in 1989 with the acquisition of Courtice Steel in Canada, followed by entry into the United States in 1999 through AmeriSteel. Today, Gerdau operates mini mills, integrated mills, and direct reduced iron plants across the Americas. The company is listed on the B3 (GGBR3/GGBR4) and the NYSE (GGB), with revenue of R$68.9 billion and approximately 27,371 employees as of 2023. Gerdau also invests in advanced materials through Gerdau Graphene, a partnership with the University of Manchester focused on graphene additives for industrial applications.