Our Heritage

More than 130 years of experience in steel, and counting.

BlueScope Steel is one of the leading suppliers of premium steel building products, since year 1885.

The BlueScope Journey

1885 – 1935

The Formative Years

1885

BHP formed to mine silver, lead and zinc.

1915

BHP commenced steelmaking.

1928

Australian Iron & Steel Limited (AIS) was formed to operate a steelworks at Port Kembla in New South Wales adjacent to the region’s abundant coalfields. 

1935

BHP acquired Australia Iron & Steel Limited (AIS).

1965 – 1990

Years of Innovation

1965

Rollformers established in Singapore.

1966

First Colorbond® steel produced.

1968

Rollformers established in Malaysia.

1971

Launched Colorbond® steel to rollformers in Asia.

1973

Rollformers established in Indonesia. BHP acquired John Lysaght®.

1980

BHP acquired ASC Pacific in the United States.

made1990 – 2004

Redefining Future

1995

Metal coating line a paint line established in Indonesia.

1999

Cold rolled mill, metal coating & painting lines established in Thailand; Newcastle steelworks closed.

2001

BHP merged with Billiton PIC.

2002

BlueScope became an independent company; made further investment in Asia and North America.

2003

Changed entity name to BlueScope Steel following shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting.

2004

Acquired Butler Manufacturing, leading designer and producer of pre-engineered buildings in North America and China.

2005 – 2016

Redefining Future

2005

Vietnam metal coating/coated painting line commissioned; established joint venture with Tata Group to form Tata BlueScope Steel.

2006

Second metallic coating and painting facility opened in Thailand.

2008

Acquired IMSA Steel Corp in USA – Steelscape, ASC Profiles, Varco Pruden and Metl-Span.

2012

Restructured Asia and US Businesses under Global Buildings, Solutions, and Building Products.

2013

Announced 50% Joint venture with Nippon Sumitomo Metal Corporation (NSSMC) Japan.

2014

New entity NS BlueScope Coated Products celebrated 1 year of successful operation.

2015

NS BlueScope Product Innovation Centre (PIC) launched in Singapore.

2016

Colorbond celebrated 50 years in ASEAN.