US auto firms seek tariffs exemption for key supplier Tata Steel Nederland

Tata Steel Nederland (TSN), the Dutch arm of the Indian steel giant, said on Wednesday some of its U.S. clients, notably from the automotive sector, were lobbying for the supplier to be exempted from U.S. tariffs on steel imports.

“Exemptions are the most important part in mitigating (the effect of the tariffs),” a TSN spokesperson told Reuters, adding that it was too early to comment on the impact for the sector.

"We have been assessing the implications of the change in government in the U.S. for some time and are in close contact with our customers. We are also in close contact with relevant stakeholders to assess and mitigate possible effects," he said.

TSN supplies high-quality specialised, critical, and strategic steel grades to the United States. It is the sole American supplier of nickel-plated strip for electric vehicle batteries and copper-plated strip for fuel lines in cars.

The U.S. is the group's second most important market after Europe, typically accounting for about 12% of annual sales.

The Dutch steel maker benefitted from an exemption from steel tariffs under the previous Trump administration, in 2018.

Trump's increased tariffs on steel and aluminium imports took effect on Wednesday as prior exemptions, duty-free quotas and product exclusions expired.