Features
US steel industry applauds ITC final determination in coated trade case
Written by Kristen DiLandro
September 26, 2025
Domestic mills praised the US International Trade Commission’s (ITC’s) final determination that imports of corrosion-resistant (CORE) steel from 10 countries pose a threat to them.
Recall that the ITC voted 3-0 on Thursday in favor of US mills. The US Commerce Department will issue in antidumping and countervailing duties as a result.
Commerce determined the final duty rates in late August. SMU complied a list of them, which you can find here.
US mills cheer
“We commend the ITC and Commerce for their commitment to enforcing US trade laws and leveling the playing field for domestic producers,” Nucor Chair, President, and CEO Leon Topalian said in a statement.
“Nucor has made substantial investments in our CORE production capabilities, and this outcome strengthens our ability to continue investing in our operations and in the hardworking teammates who make our success possible,” he added.
U.S. Steel applauded the decision too.
“These orders not only provide American industries critical relief from unfairly traded imports, but also provide crucial backing to U.S. Steel’s expansion initiatives, especially in the ramp up of its new CORE lines at Big River Steel Works,” the Pittsburgh-based steelmaker said in a statement.
US mills have added significant new coating capacity in recent years. SMU has a list of those expansions, including those at Big River, here.
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI), likewise, cheered the decision.
“In the first half of 2024, imports of CORE from these 10 countries surged nearly 60%, taking much-needed market share from the U.S. steel industry and necessitating the filing of these cases in September 2024,” SDI President and Chief Operating Office Barry Schneider said in a statement.
Background
The ITC determined that CORE imports from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Vietnam threaten to injure the US market. It also found that subsidized CORE from Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and Vietnam are a threat to the domestic market.
CORE includes products such as galvanized, Galvalume, and aluminized steel.
Nucor, U.S. Steel, and SDI were all petitioners in the CORE trade case, which was originally filed a year ago.
The ITC will detail the findings that led to the affirmative injury determination in a report that will be available by Nov. 5.
Kristen DiLandro
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