Record demand for reinforcing steel— known widely as rebar— is prompting a large expansion for Nu Way Companies, one of the largest construction material and equipment suppliers in the St. Louis metro.

The company’s newly-formed division, NuWay FAB, will occupy the new 35,000-SF facility located in Troy, Ill., and house more than quadruple Nu Way’s rebar production tonnage.

“E-commerce-driven warehouse construction coupled with a surge in infrastructure spending has created soaring demand for rebar, a critical element for tilt-up and road construction,” said Greg Rhomberg, president and COO, Nu Way. “On top of that, healthcare, schools and other concrete projects are also driving demand for reinforcing rebar.”

Rhomberg, the third-generation leader of the company, anticipates increasing production from 3,000 to 15,000 tons of rebar annually for the Troy location when the new fabrication facility is complete.

Contegra Construction is the GC on the fabrication facility, which will feature a 31,000-SF fabrication shop and 4,000 SF of office space. Joining Contegra on the project are J.F. Electric, Vee-Jay Cement Contracting, Illinois Electric Works and Affton Fabricating and Welding Company.

The building will be constructed of tilt-up concrete panels and topped with a TPO roof hosting three rooftop industrial HVAC units. The 21-ft clear height fabrication area will have three bays and will be able to process rebar on 3.5 ton coils and straight lengths up to 60-ft long. Each bay will be served by an overhead crane, including a 16-ton magnetic crane, a 10-ton crane and a five-ton crane. The facility will also have five drive-in doors.

Nu Way has recently supplied rebar for a number of notable projects including the new MLS Stadium in Downtown St. Louis, Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery in Roxana, Ill., the Springfield Public School District in Springfield, Ill and numerous expansions for the region’s largest businesses including AB-InBev and BJC Healthcare.

Founded in 1955 by brothers Adolph Rhomberg and Arthur Rhomberg, Sr., Nu Way Concrete Forms has grown to become one of the region’s largest construction suppliers, manufacturing, selling, and renting concrete forms, equipment and accessories.

Headquartered in south St. Louis county, Nu Way employs over 200 people with facilities in Jefferson City, Jackson, and Wentzville, Mo; and Troy, Ill.

The new state-of-the-art facility will be completed in spring 2023.