CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $) In Thousands	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Current assets
Cash and equivalents	$ 456,694	$ 186,513
Accounts receivable, net	764,715	584,068
Accounts receivable-related parties	51,153	38,121
Inventories	1,158,848	1,114,063
Deferred income taxes	21,652	20,684
Income taxes receivable	24,519	37,311
Other current assets	18,646	19,243
Total current assets	2,496,227	2,000,003
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,168,444	2,213,333
Restricted cash	20,763	23,132
Intangible assets, net	460,206	489,240
Goodwill	746,737	751,675
Other assets	111,104	112,551
Total assets	6,003,481	5,589,934
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	453,232	335,031
Accounts payable-related parties	9,107	13,570
Income taxes payable	14,844	5,227
Accrued expenses	203,191	175,041
Accrued profit sharing	35,883	23,524
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,210	8,924
Total current liabilities	717,467	561,317
Long-term debt
Other long-term debt	41,550	40,397
Total long-term debt	2,379,050	2,377,897
Deferred income taxes	482,543	457,432
Other liabilities	77,391	62,159
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	64,364	54,294
Equity
Common stock voting, $.0025 par value; 900,000,000 shares authorized; 255,029,406 and 254,002,799 shares issued; and 218,690,315 and 217,574,826 shares outstanding, as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively	636	633
Treasury stock, at cost; 36,339,091 and 36,427,973 shares, as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively	(725,849)	(727,624)
Additional paid-in capital	1,023,295	998,728
Retained earnings	2,003,486	1,821,133
Total Steel Dynamics, Inc. equity	2,301,568	2,092,870
Noncontrolling interests	(18,902)	(16,035)
Total equity	2,282,666	2,076,835
Total liabilities and equity	6,003,481	5,589,934
7 3/8% senior notes, due 2012
Long-term debt
Senior notes	700,000	700,000
5.125% convertible senior notes, due 2014
Long-term debt
Convertible senior notes	287,500	287,500
6 3/4% senior notes, due 2015
Long-term debt
Senior notes	500,000	500,000
7 3/4% senior notes, due 2016
Long-term debt
Senior notes	500,000	500,000
7 5/8% senior notes, due 2020
Long-term debt
Senior notes	$ 350,000	$ 350,000