CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets
Cash and equivalents	$ 420,938	$ 390,761
Investments in short-term commercial paper	9,998	84,830
Accounts receivable, net	660,351	679,898
Accounts receivable-related parties	55,089	42,893
Inventories	1,252,153	1,199,584
Deferred income taxes	26,917	25,341
Income taxes receivable	17,082	16,722
Other current assets	15,816	15,229
Total current assets	2,458,344	2,455,258
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,208,660	2,193,745
Restricted cash	27,806	26,528
Intangible assets, net	433,559	450,893
Goodwill	741,817	745,066
Other assets	101,194	107,736
Total assets	5,971,380	5,979,226
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	381,250	414,240
Accounts payable-related parties	11,924	6,584
Income taxes payable	2,164	10,880
Accrued expenses	168,928	185,964
Accrued profit sharing	15,271	38,671
Current maturities of long-term debt	439,912	444,078
Total current liabilities	1,019,449	1,100,417
Long-term debt
Term loan	254,375
Other long-term debt	36,224	37,272
Total long-term debt	1,928,097	1,936,022
Deferred income taxes	510,479	489,915
Other liabilities	81,795	82,278
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	77,424	70,694
Equity
Common stock voting, $.0025 par value; 900,000,000 shares authorized; 255,225,325 and 255,052,811 shares issued; and 219,154,966 and 218,873,720 shares outstanding, as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively	636	636
Treasury stock, at cost; 36,070,359 and 36,179,091 shares, as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively	(720,481)	(722,653)
Additional paid-in capital	1,033,086	1,026,157
Retained earnings	2,058,108	2,011,801
Total Steel Dynamics, Inc. equity	2,371,349	2,315,941
Noncontrolling interests	(17,213)	(16,041)
Total equity	2,354,136	2,299,900
Total liabilities and equity	5,971,380	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	287,498	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