U.S. Steel, USW file new trade case targeting tin mill imports

The petitioners requested an investigation into allegedly dumped tin mill products from China, Taiwan, and Turkey, and allegedly subsidized product from China.

The petitions cite high dumping margins – up to 1,077% for China, 160% for Taiwan, and 193% for Turkey – based on import data and constructed production costs.

Petitioners argue these imports have undercut domestic prices, taken market share, and contributed to the idling of Cleveland-Cliffs’ Weirton, W.Va., tin mill, leaving U.S. Steel as the only active domestic producer.

U.S. Steel still produces tin mill products at its Midwest Plant, part of Gary Works in northwest Indiana.

The case revives issues from the 2023-24 tin mill investigations in which Cliffs and the USW sought duties on tin mill imports from Canada, China, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, and the UK. The case ended with no trade remedies after the ITC found no injury.

Petitioners say conditions have changed: import volumes remain significant, foreign capacity is expanding, and US producers face worsening financial pressure despite 50% Section 232 tariffs.

If Commerce initiates the case, preliminary determinations could come later this year, potentially reshaping supply chains for food cans, aerosol containers, and other packaging markets. Commerce will decide whether to initiate by the end of April, and ITC will make its preliminary injury determinations by the end of May.

Tin mill products covered by the case include all flat-rolled steel sheet coated with tin, chromium, or chromium oxide – sold as tinplate or tin-free steel – in coils or cut sheets, regardless of thickness, width, finish, or coating weight. The scope also covers laminated or plastic-coated tin mill products.

The new case uses a broader scope than a previous order on tin mill products from Japan. It drops long-standing product exclusions, pulling in specialty tin mill items that were previously carved out.