Central Wire has announced the acquisition of Charter Steel’s wire rod finishing mill, located in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. This facility consists of an automated pickling line, batch annealing, and finishing capabilities. Central Wire is a worldwide supplier of stainless steel, nickel, brass and other alloy wires. The acquisition allows Central Wire to expand its product line into a broader array of ferritic and martensitic stainless steel grades up to 1.0in diameter. In addition to serving the company’s traditional customers, focusing on cold heading wire and high temperature corrosion resistance grades, this acquisition will also provide pickling and annealing services to rod producers requiring improved surface quality and consistency of product. Central Wire also acquired the bearing steel division of Hitachi Metals and transferred the equipment to its Lancaster, South Carolina facility. In operation since January 2009, this facility is now producing bearing steel and other alloys in coil form, centerless ground bar and blanks for machining and ball bearing applications servicing the automotive, medical and other business sectors. In addition, the Lancaster location can supply stainless and nickel wire in a diameter range from .030in – .750in in coil form, reels and pay-off packs serving the forming, cold heading, weaving/belt and spring wire markets.