Nucor Corporation 's Making Nuclear Instruments

3/ What is your recommendation regarding Nucleon’s long-term manufacturing strategy? What should this company look like in 10 years (e.g. an R&D boutique, an R&D boutique with pilot scale manufacturing capabilities, or an integrated manufacturing enterprise)?

As the day-shift supervisor at the ISG Steelton steel plant, you summon the six college students who are working for you this summer, doing whatever you need done (sweeping up, sandblasting the inside of boilers that are down for maintenance, running errands, and so forth). You walk them across the plant to a field where the company stores scrap metal. The area, about the size of a football field, is stacked with organized piles of metal. You explain that everything they see has just been sold. Metal prices, which have been depressed, have finally risen enough that the company can earn a small profit by selling its scrap.

There are many competitive forces that are affecting Nucor Corporation. Some of the primary ones are the market size, number of rivals, and pace of technological change.

Nucor 's roots went back to 1904 when Ransom Eli Olds, resigned from Olds Motor Works, It emerged from reorganization as Reo Motors, a manufacturer of trucks and, eventually, luxury lawnmowers. Reo Motors neither made nor lost much money. In 1954, it sold off all its assets, at a 15% book loss, and began to distribute the proceeds-approximately $16 million-to its shareholders.

Nucor has been facing many industry challenges including the overall development of the industry. They are competing with foreign firms on cost and efficiency. Nucor has a low cost strategy because as they say their product is not necessarily very attractive. It does not have attractive or unique selling features other than its cost. The commodity of steel is in a very competitive market. Nucor understands that innovation and productivity are going to be key factors to keep their buyers satisfied with their prices. Nucor is facing many challenges with a growing world market and many of their competitors merging in order to create stronger more dominate

The core strategy of Nucor is that of cost leadership via the use of technology. Through innovation and the use of high quality technology to process their steel, Nucor was able to achieve this cost advantage.

The challenges faced by Nucleon, Inc. present more of an issue with how to take full advantage of an opportunity in front of them, rather than a problem that poses a threat to the company. As a company in its early stages, only putting out its first product, it is critical that it is done in a manner that allows the budding firm to grow. The main issue here is determining the most effective means by which they are to manufacture and market their first product, CRP-1. Doing so requires in-depth evaluation of three strategic options, all with their own benefits and potential risks. The problem statement, therefore, is as follows:

Also, Nucleon is mainly a R&D firm and lacks core competencies and capabilities to support large scale manufacturing. As discussed earlier, the changes in organization required to pursue large scale manufacturing for the first time with no significant skill sets, manufacturing know-how and experience can pose a very high risk and detrimental impact on Nucleon’s long term success. Licensing with a proven partner will be a low risk and safe strategy in short term.

This report discusses the challenges that The Nucor Corporation faces during this era of social and economic climate change. Using Porter's Five Forces Analysis and Four Generic Strategies, we will assess the steel industry standards as it relates to the strategies implemented by the Nucor Corporation. We will also assess what Nucor’s strengths and weaknesses are, and if they will be able to continue

Upon Review of Nucor Corporation’s current findings, analysis of internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as a comparative analysis at the industrial level of the steel industry, the following includes a summary of findings and recommendations for Nucor Steel Corporation:

U.S. Steel and other steel companies for decades, relied on the tried and true strategies of vertical integration and price control (Hoerr, 1988). In the 1960’s, foreign competition from developing countries like South Korea, Taiwan and Brazil entered the market "with low material and labor costs, modern equipment, and the support of government policies" (Hoerr, 1988, p. 99). Because of lower costs and concern over supply created by constant threat of strike, many

Another recommendation that I have for Nucor is instead of buying existing plant capacity, make new plants elsewhere or form a joint venture with a supplier to help save money. (Exhibit 3) This would decrease cost of supplies so they would have the extra money to build elsewhere or build a ne plant. By using the SWOT analysis (Exhibit 1) it let me break up Nucor into different parts to see what their strengths and weaknesses are. Nucor is solid with technology and treating the employees correct but the weaknesses that affect Nucor are more market based with some internal problems. Nucor has products for many different industries including automotive and housing. This can cause issues for Nucor if those industries take a fall, which they have over the last 5 years. It’s a good idea to be in these industries but Nucor has to realize what can happen to sales and revenues when one or both of those industries take a fall. Nucor has been expanding more in the United States, recently just building a plant in Louisiana (Exhibit 5). This plant will be a 750 million dollar purchase and will be a mill for pig iron. Nucor is expanding all over the United States but needs more presence internationally plan and simple. Nucor is a solid company with shareholder equity increasing each year; they have a solid stock in the NASDAQ market and continue to be a healthy steel company. They can and will

Nucor Steel is one of the major steel producers in the world and a market leader in America that is facing a threat of competitive pressures from potential international players.

• Aluminum smelting is a perfectly competitive industry: 157 smelters worldwide in 1993 • Traded at London Metal Exchange (LME) • Price in 1988 over $2,500 per ton • Price at beginning of 1994 about $1,100 per ton • Mainly due to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the resulting flood of aluminum into the world markets by the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

The second alternative will allow Nucleon to have a manufacturing strategy with less risk since this option requires no capital investments on Nucleon’s part. Compared to the first alternative, the contract-manufacturing fee is less ($4.8 M) and companies supplying contract-manufacturing services will provide facilities and