WASHINGTON, D.C. – Members of the U.S. Senate expressed disappointment as well as continued support for a local manufacturer following a decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission Tuesday.

In January 2023, Cleveland-Cliffs and the United Steelworkers Union filed anti-dumping and countervailing duty petitions against eight countries, with claims of unfairly traded tin and chromium coated sheet steel products.

Tuesday, the ITC determined the domestic tin industry was “not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports” of products from Canada, China and Germany, ruling no duties would be imposed. The U.S. Department of Commerce previously determined the imported products are sold in the U.S. at less than fair value.

The ITC also determined imports from South Korea are negligible, terminating the investigation concerning the nation.

In a statement issued Wednesday, company officials responded to the decision.

“Cleveland-Cliffs and the United Steelworkers clearly demonstrated material injury to the domestic industry and Steelworkers resulting from dumped and subsidized imports of tin mill products. Unfortunately, the International Trade Commission was unpersuaded by our arguments. While we are disappointed by today’s ITC determination, we must respect the ruling of the commission.”

The initial filing from the company and union included claims against imports from the Netherlands, Taiwan, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

“I am disappointed in the ITC’s decision to reverse the U.S. Department of Commerce’s final antidumping and countervailing duties on tin mill products imported into the United States,” said U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., in a statement released Wednesday morning. “I was proud to support Cleveland Cliffs’ and the United Steelworkers’ petition following trends of high-volume imports of unfairly traded tin mill product. Commerce’s final decision announced in January demonstrates our government’s recognition of the damage these unfair trade practices have had on America’s domestic tin mill production and its workers, and underscores the importance of allowing us to compete fairly in the market. I am concerned about the impacts of the ITC’s reversal and I will closely review the rationale behind this decision further as a final report is made public in the coming weeks.”

Capito, along with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., were among those who testified before the ITC in January, also submitting letters of support for Cleveland-Cliffs to the Commerce Department.

“I’m extremely disappointed by the ITC’s negative determinations on the anti-dumping and countervailing duty petitions filed by Cleveland Cliffs and the United Steelworkers,” said Manchin Tuesday night. “A robust domestic steel industry is vital to creating American jobs, strengthening our economy and protecting our national security and that means we must safeguard it against illegally dumped and subsidized imports. I will continue doing everything I can to fight for fair competition within the steel industry and protect Cleveland Cliffs, the United Steelworkers and all of our American manufacturers.”

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, accompanied Manchin to Weirton in September to meet with company and union officials.

“The ITC got this wrong. This ruling makes it impossible for Ohio’s tin mill industry and other domestic manufacturers to compete with unfair, illegally dumped steel from countries like China,” said Brown. “I will never stop fighting for these workers. This ruling is just the latest evidence that our trade enforcement tools are not strong enough. Congress must modernize our trade enforcement laws including passing my bipartisan Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 to fight back against the unfair trade practices that are putting these Ohioans out of work.”

The Cleveland-Cliffs facility in Weirton has employed approximately 950 area residents in recent years, but announced approximately 300 were laid off last summer, pointing to the effects of imports.

The final report on the ITC’s decision will be released by March 13, according to information on the body’s website.