Dutch Tata Steel says it should be exempt from US tariffs

The Dutch arm of Tata Steel said on Friday the United States should exempt it from new import tariffs on steel and aluminium, as it products were vital for the American economy.

"We don't dump our steel on the American market, our products are no threat to American national security and many American companies depend on our products," Tata Steel Netherlands director Theo Henrar said in a statement.

From its factories in IJmuiden, near Amsterdam, Tata supplies high-quality steel to companies such as machine builder Caterpillar and battery maker Duracell.

Tata also caters for carmakers and the packaging and bottling industry in the United States with products it says no domestic steel producer makes.

On Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump pressed ahead with import tariffs on steel and aluminium, but exempted Canada and Mexico and offered the possibility of excluding other allies.

Henrar said he would ask the Dutch government and the European Commission to make sure that all European steel products would be exempt from the tariffs.