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Mexico shuts down steel importer amid trade talks

Written by Stephanie Ritenbaugh

June 17, 2025

Mexico’s Ministry of Economy and Finance suspended export programs for LAU Industries of Mexico, a US-based steel importer, after alleging the manufacturer took advantage of a government program to promote trade.

The government shut down two plants and warehouses operated by US-based LAU Industries, formerly Ruskin of Mexico SAPI, according to an announcement by the ministry. The move was made while the country negotiates with Washington for an exemption to the 50% tariff on steel imports into the US.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance suspended the company’s operations in both Monterrey and Ciudad Juárez after detecting that it allegedly imported nearly 400,000 tons of steel products through IMMEX, an import duty deferral program for foreign companies operating in Mexico, during the first quarter. The program failed to record or trace its inputs and allegedly undervalued them, according to a press release from the ministry.

“This increase in the aforementioned company’s steel import volume would represent the total steel imports from all IMMEX programs within the segment, recorded in the same quarter of 2024,” the ministry stated.

The decision was made as part of its Operation Cleanup campaign, which is aimed at seizing unauthorized Asian products being shipped through Mexico to the United States.

Stephanie Ritenbaugh

Stephanie Ritenbaugh is a reporter for Steel Market Update. She is an experienced business journalist, holding a variety of positions for trade publications and newspapers, including covering shale development for Gas Business Briefing/Platts and for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She can be reached at stephanie.ritenbaugh@crugroup.com or +1 724-759-7868

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