Trump's metal tariffs 'will create severe UK problems'

BRITISH manufacturers have said Donald Trump's fresh trade tariffs on metals will create “severe problems” and are a “big concern”.

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Liam Bates, president of long products at Marcegaglia, a steel maker in Sheffield, said the tariffs are “very unhelpful”.

Between 15% and 20% of what Marcegaglia melts is sent to the US, across both semi-finished and finished steel products, he told the PA news agency.

Some of those products are “already burdened”, with UK producers facing issues including global competition, high energy costs and the shift to cleaner technologies.

“There was a lull in demand (for UK-made steel) anyway, and therefore to take more away and create more uncertainty does create additional issues for us,” he said.