Initially, it focused on manufacturing rolled products to support industrial and infrastructure development. In 1934, the works expanded with the construction of an electric arc furnace, making it a key supplier of long steel products. Over time, Vaal Works became renowned for its quality reinforcement bars, wire rod, and sections used in construction and engineering projects.

The plant was later absorbed into Iscor, South Africa’s state-owned steel giant, and eventually became part of ArcelorMittal South Africa after the global merger of Arcelor and Mittal Steel in 2006. Today, despite changes in capacity and operations, Vaal Works remains an important facility in Vereeniging, contributing to local employment and the regional economy while maintaining a legacy of more than a century in South Africa’s steelmaking history.

The meltshop was iddled in 2020 due to the high electricity costs.