Japanese steel giant plans Pittsburgh move for US HQ in US Steel takeover bid

An executive has announced that Nippon Steel will move its US headquarters to Pittsburgh if the proposed $15 billion takeover bid for US Steel goes through. This move aims to reassure stakeholders and facilitate the transaction's finalisation. However, the takeover has faced significant opposition in the United States. President Joe Biden expressed his preference for domestic ownership of the assets, and his political opponent in the previous presidential election, Donald Trump, vowed to block the deal if he were to be re-elected. Nippon Steel, ranked as the fourth-largest steelmaker in the world, has been negotiating with the United Steelworkers (USW). This crucial labour union will significantly influence the upcoming November elections. However, the USW has been opposing the deal so far. One of Nippon Steel's Executive Vice Presidents, who is also a key negotiator in the deal, emphasised that not only are we keeping the Pittsburgh headquarters - which other bidders would not be able to do - but we are planning to move Nippon Steel's existing US headquarters from Houston to Pittsburgh. In a document filed by US Steel with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, it stated that US Steel is engaged with the USW and outlined specific commitments regarding job security, investment, and other areas. Nippon Steel reiterated its pledge to uphold all existing agreements between US Steel and the USW, emphasising the company's commitment to preserving jobs, maintaining operational facilities, and avoiding the shift of production overseas.