Cleveland-Cliffs closed orders for hot-rolled steel for December

American steel company Cleveland-Cliffs has announced that it will no longer accept spot orders for hot-rolled coil (HRC) with delivery in December 2025. According to a letter to customers, contract buyers can only place orders within the scope of existing agreements.

The company notes that higher import tariffs and Melted and Poured in USA labeling requirements in key market segments have led to increased domestic demand for American steel. This has resulted in a significant increase in order flow over the past month.

As a result, Cleveland-Cliffs’ production limits for hot-rolled steel are already filled until the end of the year, and the terms of new contracts have been extended until January 2026. Orders for this period are not yet open – the company promises to inform customers about its sales plans for January in the near future.

Cleveland-Cliffs emphasizes that it strives to ensure stability of supply and maintain the trust of its partners in difficult market conditions.

As a reminder, at the end of October, American companies began to report price increases for hot-rolled coil after a long period of stagnation. In particular, Nucor raised its offers for October 27–November 3 by $10/t to $885 per short ton. NLMK USA increased prices for hot-rolled and cold-rolled coil by at least $50/t, as well as for coated steel by at least $100/t.