American steel mills are booming. Jim Vaughan, director of steel sales for Cameron Connect, is currently working on one of the largest greenfield projects in the U.S.—and he doesn’t see momentum slowing down any time soon.

This wasn’t always the case.

Only eight years ago, most American steel mills were either idled or only working a few days a week. Foreign producers started shipping subsidized steel into the U.S. at prices domestic producers couldn’t match. Once Section 232 Tariffs came into place, in 2018, domestic steel began its comeback as mills that had gone dark began reopening.

The Unexpected Side Effects of Tariffs

As idled steel mills came back online, the impact of the tariffs was felt throughout the industry. Section 232 Tariffs reduced imports and generally shifted demand back toward domestic producers, contributing to higher prices and renewed production across U.S. mills.

The tariffs reshaped pricing, production, and where steel gets made.

What’s been less predictable is how foreign companies and manufacturers have responded.

“Companies outside of the U.S. are buying our domestic manufacturers or starting to build here to avoid paying the tariff,” Vaughan says.

This shift is driving a surge of new greenfield projects in the U.S., ultimately meeting demand without the added cost of tariffs.

The result is the same: Steel production has moved back to the U.S. Cameron Connect plays an essential role in keeping these projects on schedule and aligned with spec.

Cameron Connect’s Role in the Greenfield Boom

Greenfield projects are built from the ground up. This poses challenges around lead times and the price contractors pay for a wrong order—especially when they’re on a strict timeline.

“For greenfield projects, the goal is to get everything up and running as fast as possible,” he says. “They want to start generating some kind of revenue for the amount of money they’re putting into the project.”

Since greenfield projects have so many unknowns, Vaughan encourages companies to include Cameron Connect early on in the planning process so they can advise on lead times and cable specifications. Confirming cable specs is where confusion typically occurs across teams.

“Electricians, contractors, manufacturers, and engineers all have their own cable descriptions,” he explains. “We take all of those into account and come up with the type of cable we know they’re looking for.”

These differences may seem minor, but they can be detrimental to the project. Mismatched specifications can delay procurement and create installation issues that ripple across the entire project. Ensuring alignment early on will prevent costly adjustments closer to the startup date.

For instance, most steel equipment comes from European manufacturers. Considering their cables are different from what’s available in the U.S., Cameron will take their measurements and convert the cable into something that is readily available and cost-effective locally.

Taking Unknowns Into Account

For companies tackling greenfield projects, planning for the unexpected is a part of the job. Even the best set plans hit a bump in the road.

“You have to plan for changes,” Vaughan says. “In one instance, we found an ancient burial ground, and you can’t move those. We had to cordon the area off, change the layout of some of the buildings, and change some of the pathways to feed power and utilities into the building.”

From Cameron Connect’s perspective, supplying cables to a greenfield project can be difficult. Vaughan finds it most effective to have 35% of engineering complete before bringing him on to the project, as he’ll have access to historical information based on the type of equipment installed.

Startup dates don’t move, and as that date approaches, timelines compress and cable demand becomes more urgent. “The last 30-35% of the project we need to have that material in stock so we can ship it the next day,” Vaughan explains.

What This Means for Contractors

Early alignment and execution under pressure are essential to the success of greenfield projects.

Even the slightest misstep in cable specifications, equipment sourcing, and timing can delay steel projects in a way that’s difficult to come back from.

That’s why Vaughan encourages companies to bring partners in early so they can establish trust long before the startup date arrives.

“Trust is important. Everyone involved should have a vested interest in making sure the project goes well,” he says. “The earlier customers and businesses choose their partners and the more open the communication, the better the project will be.”

As more greenfield projects come online, the margin for error continues to narrow. Coordination across teams becomes increasingly complex, especially as timelines remain strict and fixed. In a fast-paced environment built on startup dates, establishing strong partnerships determines whether a steel project stays on track or falls behind.