US President Donald Trump raised customs duties on steel and aluminum imports to 25% “without exceptions or exemptions” in a move that hopes to help the troubled industries in the United States, but it may also lead to a trade war on multiple fronts.
Trump signed a decree raising the rate of American tariffs on aluminum to 25% from 10%, and eliminates the exceptions of countries and quotas deals, as well as hundreds of thousands of exceptions to customs tariffs for certain products for both metal.
A White House official confirmed that these measures will enter into force on March 12, according to Reuters.
Customs duties will be applied to millions of tons of steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea and other countries that were entered into the United States exempt from customs duties under exceptions.
Trump told reporters that this step would simplify customs tariffs on minerals “so that everyone can understand exactly what it means,” adding that it is 25% “without exceptions or exemptions. This applies to all countries, regardless of its source.”
International aluminum production
According to the data of the International Institute of Aluminum, the world of aluminum was 66.52 million metric tons from January to November 2024.
In the latest data issued by the institute, global aluminum production in December 2024 reached 6.23 million metric tons, thus the global total becomes 72.7 million metric tons in 2024, exceeding the production of 2023, which amounted to 70.7 million metric tons.
The global aluminum market size was $ 189.3 billion in 2024, and the world aluminum market is expected to record a 5.9% annual growth rate between 2024 and 2030 to reach 267.7 billion dollars by 2030, according to the (Globe News Wire) platform.
In this report, Al -Jazeera Net focused on steel due to its great importance in the global economy.
Global steel production
The world’s total crude production was 1.88 billion tons in 2024, according to the World Steel League.
The size of the global steel market reached 974.4 billion dollars in 2024, and given the future, the IMRC group estimates that the market is about $ 1.3 trillion by 2033, which means an annual growth rate of 3.14% during the period 2025- 2033.
The Asia Pacific region is currently dominating the market, and it has a large market share of more than 62.7% in 2024, and the increasing use of the product in military and satellite applications, the increasing demand for electrical appliances, the rapid use of the product in shipbuilding, and the increase in the use of the product in manufacturing many Consumer goods are among the factors that lead the market.
The economic importance of steel
The steel industry plays a strategic role in almost all economies; It is the backbone of manufacturing, construction, infrastructure, transportation, energy sector, weapons, electrical tools and many others, and it is a basic entrance to create the infrastructure of green energy, however, the sector faces many challenges.
The sector is often the focus of the distorted government support of the market, which creates trade tensions between countries, and to ensure continuing steel industries, governments and industry need cooperation to reduce market distortions, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
America from export and import
The United States was the world’s largest steel producer during the first half of the 20th century and reached the peak of its production in 1969 at about 141 million tons of steel, according to the Poweid Metals platform.
However, the rapid technological developments and competition from foreign companies greatly affected this industry, and by the 21st century, the United States was relying on imports to provide its factories with stainless steel steel it needs.
The United States has become the world’s largest steel importer with the rapid development of the global economy.
It is clear that the recent Trump procedures aim to restore the soul to the American steel industry, and Trump said, “Such customs duties can help stimulate the major American industries. For example, some companies may choose to open new factories in the United States to avoid customs tariffs, in When buyers can switch to products made in the United States instead of the most expensive imports. “
Trump stressed that America “needs to manufacture steel and aluminum in America, and not in foreign lands that we need to create in order to protect the future renaissance of American manufacturing and production, which we have not seen for many decades.”
The 10 largest steel producing countries in the world
Below is a list of the 10 largest crude steel producing countries in the world in 2024, according to the World Steel League:
- China: 1005.1 million metric tons.
- India: 149.6 million metric tons.
- Japan: 84 million metric tons.
- US: 79.5 million metric tons.
- Russia: 70.7 million metric tons.
- South Korea: 63.5 million metric tons.
- Germany: 37.2 million metric tons.
- Türkiye: 36.9 million metric tons.
- Brazil: 33.7 million metric tons.
- Iran: 31 million metric tons.
The 10 largest steel exporters in the world
Below is a list of the 10 largest steel exporters in 2023, according to an extensive report of the World Steel League:
- China: 94.3 million metric tons.
- Japan 32.2 million metric tons.
- South Korea: 27 million metric tons.
- Germany: 22.5 million metric tons.
- Italy: 16.1 million metric tons.
- Belgium: 14.6 million metric tons.
- Russia: 13.9 million metric tons.
- Türkiye: 12.7 million metric tons.
- Brazil: 12.3 million metric tons.
- Iran: 11.9 million metric tons.
The 10 largest steel countries in the world
Below is a list of the 10 largest steel imported countries in the world in 2023, according to the World Steel Association:
- US: 26.4 million metric tons.
- Germany: 18.7 million metric tons.
- Italy: 18.7 million metric tons.
- Türkiye: 18 million metric tons.
- Mexico: 17.5 million metric tons.
- South Korea: 15 million metric tons.
- Vietnam: 14 million metric tons.
- Thailand: 13.7 million metric tons.
- Indonesia: 12.4 million metric tons.
- France: 11.8 million metric tons.
The 5 largest Arab countries producing raw steel
Below is a list of the largest 5 Arab countries producing crude steel in 2024, according to the World Steel League
- Egypt: 10.7 million metric tons.
- Saudi Arabia: 9.6 million metric tons.
- Algeria: 4.5 million metric tons.
- The UAE: 3.7 million metric tons.
- Sultanate of Oman: 3 million metric tons.
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The 10 largest steel industry companies in the world
This is a list of the 10 largest steel (steel) manufacturers in the world and its annual production, according to 2022 data issued by the World Steel Federation, according to a previous report (Al Jazeera Net).
- China Bo Group for Chinese Steel: 131.84 million tons.
- Arsloormetal from Luxembourg: 68.89 million tons.
- Anestil Chinese collection: 55.65 million tons.
- Japanese Nippon Steel Company44.37 million tons.
- China Changang Group41.45 million tons.
- Chinese HPI Group41 million tons.
- South Korean Bosco Holding: 38.64 million tons.
- Gian Long Chinese collection: 36.56 million tons.
- Chinese China Group: 33.82 million tons.
- Tata Steel India: 30.18 million tons.