Analysis
October 29, 2025
Cliffs touts steel stamping solution to replace aluminum in automotive
Written by Kristen DiLandro
Cleveland-Cliffs’ latest exposed steel stamping trial could provide a way for steel to better compete with aluminum in the automotive industry.
Cliffs said it successfully completed a defect-free trial production of exposed steel parts using aluminum-forming equipment in collaboration with an unnamed OEM,
The Cleveland-headquartered steel producer said on Tuesday the trial is evidence of its ability to “replace aluminum in critical automotive applications without the need for costly retooling.”
In other words, the method requires no changes to existing stamping lines designed to work with aluminum.
Cliffs said it is currently producing and delivering orders to a client. It is also fielding inquiries from others looking to replace aluminum with steel.
The steelmaker’s announcement comes in the wake of aluminum costs soaring on Section 232 tariffs doubling to 50%.
The US has traditionally sourced most of its aluminum from Canada, which had been exempt from the tariff. S232 doubling to 50%, including on metal from Canada, has sent aluminum prices – and notably Midwest premium – soaring higher, a topic that Aluminum Market Update (AMU) explored in detail here.
That surge in aluminum prices contrasts with more modest gains in steel, where the US has far more domestic production capacity.
