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Try the Free AI Search EngineCopper Tariff Fears Impact Steel: AM/NS Calvert Activity Soars as Georgetown Plummets
In North America, concerns around rising copper prices, potentially triggered by new tariffs, appear to be impacting the steel market, as seen through shifts in steel plant activity. Recent volatility observed through satellite data at key steel plants may be connected to the trade policy changes described in news articles titled “This has not happened for more than 50 years: copper prices in the United States are breaking records” and “Report: Trump Plans to Set 50% Copper Tariff“.
The news articles highlight that a potential 50% tariff on copper imports, potentially impacting manufacturers using copper, is being considered, but it is not possible to directly link it to the steel plant activities observed.
Overall, North American steel plant activity has declined significantly in July, averaging only 21% compared to 41% in June.
The Liberty Steel Georgetown plant, a smaller EAF-based mill in South Carolina producing semi-finished and finished rolled products, has seen a sharp decline in activity. From January to June 2025, activity steadily declined from 20% to 9%. The largest drop occurred in July 2025, with activity plummeting to only 5%. While the plant holds a ResponsibleSteelCertification, there is no direct connection established between this decline and the news articles “This has not happened for more than 50 years: copper prices in the United States are breaking records” or “Report: Trump Plans to Set 50% Copper Tariff“.
The Ternium Guerrero San Nicolás de los Garza steel plant in Mexico, an integrated DRI-EAF facility producing hot- and cold-rolled coils, profiles, and tubes, showed relative stability between January and June 2025, fluctuating between 46% and 48%. No July data is available. There is no direct connection established between this activity level and the news articles “This has not happened for more than 50 years: copper prices in the United States are breaking records” or “Report: Trump Plans to Set 50% Copper Tariff“.
AM/NS Calvert LLC, a large EAF-based plant in Alabama producing finished rolled products for the automotive and infrastructure sectors, operated at very high activity levels between January and June 2025, increasing from 92% to 99%. No July data is available. It is not possible to directly link this to the news articles “This has not happened for more than 50 years: copper prices in the United States are breaking records” or “Report: Trump Plans to Set 50% Copper Tariff“.
Evaluated Market Implications:
The significant drop in overall North American steel plant activity in July, combined with the potential impact of the copper tariff as described in the news articles “This has not happened for more than 50 years: copper prices in the United States are breaking records” and “Report: Trump Plans to Set 50% Copper Tariff“, may indicate a near-term period of increased market uncertainty. The decline in activity at Liberty Steel Georgetown, while not directly linked, further contributes to this uncertainty.
- Procurement Action: Steel buyers should prioritize securing short-term supply from reliable suppliers with high utilization rates, such as AM/NS Calvert, to mitigate potential disruptions caused by the uncertain market conditions and general decline in plant activity in July. Steel buyers should investigate alternative, less affected, sources of steel given the significant reduction in activity in Liberty Steel Georgetown.