CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets
Cash and equivalents	$ 357,809	$ 390,761
Investments in short-term commercial paper	64,982	84,830
Accounts receivable, net	737,531	679,898
Accounts receivable-related parties	51,643	42,893
Inventories	1,270,941	1,199,584
Deferred income taxes	26,089	25,341
Income taxes receivable	2,833	16,722
Other current assets	15,029	15,229
Total current assets	2,526,857	2,455,258
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,199,509	2,193,745
Restricted cash	26,994	26,528
Intangible assets, net	442,277	450,893
Goodwill	743,441	745,066
Other assets	104,549	107,736
Total assets	6,043,627	5,979,226
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	462,492	414,240
Accounts payable-related parties	9,765	6,584
Income taxes payable	14,383	10,880
Accrued expenses	186,247	185,964
Accrued profit sharing	9,348	38,671
Current maturities of long-term debt	439,633	444,078
Total current liabilities	1,121,868	1,100,417
Long-term debt
Term loan	257,812
Other long-term debt	36,707	37,272
Total long-term debt	1,932,019	1,936,022
Deferred income taxes	500,642	489,915
Other liabilities	82,613	82,278
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	73,924	70,694
Equity
Common stock voting, $.0025 par value; 900,000,000 shares authorized; 255,171,906 and 255,052,811 shares issued; and 219,074,339 and 218,873,720 shares outstanding, as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively	636	636
Treasury stock, at cost; 36,097,567 and 36,179,091 shares, as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively	(721,024)	(722,653)
Additional paid-in capital	1,031,043	1,026,157
Retained earnings	2,035,569	2,011,801
Total Steel Dynamics, Inc. equity	2,346,224	2,315,941
Noncontrolling interests	(13,663)	(16,041)
Total equity	2,332,561	2,299,900
Total liabilities and equity	6,043,627	5,979,226
7 3/8% senior notes, due 2012
Long-term debt
Senior notes		261,250
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