WASHINGTON, D.C – Cleveland-Cliffs has announced the closure of their tinplate steel production plant in Weirton.
Cleveland-Cliffs is the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America. The tin produced in Weirton has been used to produce food packaging and other containers.
In January 2023, Cleveland-Cliffs along with the United Steelworkers filed antidumping and countervailing duty petitions with the Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce found evidence of foreign unfair dumping and subsidization and announced tariffs. However, the International Trade Commission has rejected these tariffs.
“The Cleveland-Cliffs closure is an absolute blow to our hardworking West Virginia steelworkers. When I toured Cleveland-Cliffs, we discussed the threat of unfair foreign competition and how it put the plant at risk. As a result of my meetings, I talked with the Department of Commerce and urged them to crack down on unfair foreign competition and save these jobs. The Department of Commerce sided with us, but the globalist, Democrat led International Trade Commission sided with the cheap foreign competitors and as a result another American plant was closed,” said Congressman Alex X. Mooney.