[SMM Baja]

Stelco Holdings Inc. will indefinitely idle finishing operations at its Hamilton, Ontario plant, affecting up to 500 workers across Hamilton and Lake Erie. The company said the move was 'unfortunate but necessary', citing US tariffs that have cut demand for its cold rolled and galvanized products. Demand in its traditional markets fell almost 25% in Q2 2026 vs the 2024 quarterly average, with Canada down 10%. Ottawa's import curbs have cut volumes but not enough to close the gap. Production will be concentrated at the Lake Erie Works in Nanticoke, Ontario. Parent Cleveland-Cliffs said the product mix will change but steel tonnage will not, and will offer Hamilton staff Lake Erie roles. Peer Algoma Steel announced over 1,000 layoffs; ArcelorMittal Long Products Canada shut its Hamilton wire drawing mill.

Italy's steel association Federacciai warned that soaring energy costs are threatening the continuity of domestic steel production and urged the EU to suspend its Emissions Trading System (ETS). It said the combined burden of high electricity prices and carbon costs has left Italian mills, particularly electric arc furnace operators, facing unsustainable pressure, with some lines at risk of shutdown. Federacciai called on the EU and the Italian government to take emergency measures, including halting ETS allowance auctions and adjusting carbon cost pass-through rules, to protect steel supply and jobs. Spanish peer Unesid also warned of a 658 million EUR energy cost overrun (about 710 million USD) and sought an emergency plan. Source: Federacciai.

Komisi Eropa mengusulkan pelarangan impor skrap besi dan non-besi asal Uni Eropa oleh Mesir setelah revisi Regulasi Pengiriman Limbah berlaku penuh pada 21 Mei 2027. Mesir, bersama India, Pakistan, Maroko, Bangladesh, dan Arab Saudi, gagal membuktikan pengelolaan limbah yang ramah lingkungan. Mesir mengimpor 1,86 juta ton skrap Uni Eropa pada 2025 dan 2,12 juta ton pada semester pertama 2026, naik 59,7% tahun-ke-tahun, menempati peringkat ketiga global; sekitar setengah pasokan skrap besinya berasal dari Uni Eropa. Pabrik baja perlu mencari skrap alternatif atau lebih banyak DRI: biaya angkut Eropa 20-25 USD/ton dibandingkan 35-40 USD/ton dari Tiongkok atau AS. Mesir juga kehilangan 213 juta USD ekspor baja akibat tindakan anti-dumping Uni Eropa dan AS. Umpan balik ditutup 16 Oktober; adopsi direncanakan pada kuartal keempat 2026.