In a rare cooperative move between competitors, Tata Steel UK has purchased steel slabs from British Steel for use at its Port Talbot plant, aiming to comply with US tariff rules, according to The Guardian.
Under the Trump administration’s proposed rule, only steel “melted and poured” in the UK qualifies for zero tariffs when exported to the US. While the US agreed to reduce UK steel tariffs to 0%, implementation has stalled due to concerns of third-country circumvention. As a result, UK steel currently faces a 25% tariff — still lower than the 50% applied to other importers.
Tata Steel UK, which shut down its blast furnaces in 2024 to transition to electric arc furnaces, has been importing slabs from the Netherlands and India during the transition. Buying from British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant offers a shorter-term, tariff-compliant solution.
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