Mississippi Biocarbon Facility Creates 100 Jobs at $110K+

Instead of golden scissors, Mississippi leaders grabbed chainsaws Wednesday to celebrate something rare: a facility that's both good for the planet and your wallet.

Steel Dynamics just opened its new biocarbon plant in Lowndes County, creating nearly 100 jobs that pay between $110,000 and $120,000 per year by the end of 2026. That's six figures in a state where the median household income is around $49,000.

The 90-acre facility does something clever with waste that usually gets burned or buried. It transforms sawdust, wood chips, and forest thinnings into biocarbon, a clean alternative to coal for making steel. The plant will produce 200,000 tons annually to fuel Steel Dynamics mills in Mississippi and Indiana.

"That technology is right behind me," said CEO Mark Millett, pointing out that while most steel companies promise carbon neutrality "if the technology gets invented," his company is already using it. The facility represents a genuine leap forward in making steel production sustainable without waiting for future breakthroughs.

The Ripple Effect

The benefits spread far beyond the plant gates. Governor Tate Reeves noted that local landowners across Mississippi who have timber on their property now have a new buyer for materials that previously had little value. What was once considered forest waste becomes income for rural families.

The facility joins Steel Dynamics' existing Columbus steel mill, which opened in 2014 and ships 3.1 million tons of coil steel yearly to automotive plants and construction manufacturers. Together with the recently opened Aluminum Dynamics mill that shipped its first products in August, the region is becoming a hub for sustainable manufacturing.

The project hit a bump in November when a flash fire during cleaning operations injured two workers and delayed the opening. Millett confirmed both employees are recovering and the company has implemented new safety measures to prevent future incidents.

The $300 million investment was partly funded through a $246 million state assistance package approved in a 2022 special session. Lowndes County Board of Supervisors President Trip Hairston said the community has gotten used to good news, with frequent ribbon cuttings that bring the governor to town.

This partnership between Steel Dynamics and Michigan-based biocarbon company Aymium shows that American manufacturing can compete globally while cleaning up its environmental footprint and paying workers well.