Steel Mills
March 7, 2020
AK Steel Closures Possible Due to Electrical Steel Circumvention
Written by Sandy Williams
AK Steel could be in danger of mill closures, said soon-to-be CEO Lourenco Goncalves, if stronger protection is not provided against electrical steel imports.
In a warning to members of the Congressional Steel Caucus, Goncalves said the AK Steel mills in Butler, Pa., and Zanesville, Ohio, are unprofitable because of a loophole in the Section 232 tariffs that allows imports of electrical steel products to circumvent the tariffs by passing through Mexico and Canada. He called the level of circumvention “absurd” and said the two facilities may have to close unless electrical steel laminations and cores are included in the Section 232 tariffs.
