Growing protectionism in the UK and European markets threatens to replace steel and raise costs for end users, said participants at a meeting held last week in Leeds jointly by the National Steel Manufacturers Association (NSA) and the International Steel Trade Association (ISTA), attended by Callanish.
"Our business is under attack," said one speaker, referring to changes made by the Office of Consumer Protection (TRA) earlier this year.
This "unfairly costs companies millions of pounds due to unfunded duties and continues to distort the trade structure of the affected product groups."
"Investments will not be made against the background of instability and uncertainty caused by the unpredictability of ministers," they added.
Although they noted the need to preserve domestic steel production, this should not prejudice independent steel processing, distribution, manufacturing, and construction enterprises.
They added that docks and carriers cannot exist solely on exports.
The source highlighted the continued opposition from some sectors in response to EU proposals to reduce import quotas to 2013 levels.
"Manufacturers of secondary products will be wide open to importing finished products, while at the same time facing higher prices from domestic producers, who will be protected," they said.
They rejected suggestions that the UK and EU markets are the same, noting that manufacturers in the EU are protected by quotas, while consumers still have a wide choice of manufacturers, while the UK has one manufacturer for each major product. This can lead to a monopoly situation.
Elsewhere, a port representative also warned of "massive changes around the world," which they said would affect everyone in the industry.
The changes will make trading "difficult to access" because no one can risk paying a 50% tariff.
If the UK repeats the EU's precautionary measures, it will lead to higher prices in the domestic market, leading to higher costs for the manufacturing industry and automakers, they noted.
"We live in a global industry, and it is relatively easy to replace steel," they noted. In some cases, steel can be replaced with wood and concrete.
They assumed that the material that is the cheapest and has the lowest degree of trade protection will be chosen.
"We are killing our industry and production",
