Analysis
August 25, 2026
Steel Summit: Steel Dynamics calls transshipment key US trade-policy concern
Written by Laura Miller
US steelmakers are pressing for tougher action against imports routed through Canada and Mexico.
Barry Schneider, Steel Dynamics’ president and COO, and chairman of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA), said transshipment is a central trade policy concern. Speaking during a fireside chat Monday afternoon at the SMU Steel Summit 2026 in Atlanta, he identified steel, fabricated products, and pipe as areas exposed to potential leakage through the two USMCA partners.
“We just cannot allow those countries to be places for transshipments,” he stated on stage.
The executive said enforcement can provide a faster response than anti-dumping and countervailing duty cases, which require extensive data and can take longer to conclude. US Customs and Border Protection and other agencies are also using shipment-pattern AI analysis to identify possible tariff evasion, he noted.
The US administration is considering a mix of Section 232 measures and potential tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for countries that continue to ship steel into the country, Schneider said. He did not specify target markets, rates, or implementation dates.
Schneider said the industry expects trade agreements with Canada and Mexico, while arguing that regional enforcement is essential to protect the concept of “Fortress North America.” He added that he did not expect a meaningful tariff rollback by 2027.
