Industrials Regulatory News and Trends - October 3, 2025

Welcome to Industrials Regulatory News and Trends. In this regular bulletin, DLA Piper lawyers provide concise updates on key developments in the industrials sector to help you navigate the ever-changing business, legal, and regulatory landscape.

CBP issues Withhold Release Order covering Giant bicycle products. On September 24, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) covering bicycles, bike parts, and biking accessories made by Taiwan-based Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. over concerns about forced labor in the company’s supply chain. The order was issued pursuant to 19 U.S.C. § 1307, which prohibits goods made with forced labor from entering the US, and is effective immediately. CBP stated that it acted in the wake of its investigation into working conditions at Giant factories which uncovered a number of forced labor indicators, among them debt bondage and abusive working and living conditions. “Giant profited by imposing such abuse,” CBP stated in a press release, “resulting in goods produced below market value and undercutting American businesses.” Should Giant be unable to show that its products were not made with forced labor, or if CBP uncovers further evidence of forced labor, then CBP could issue a finding allowing it to seize and forfeit Giant’s goods. The company has indicated that it intends to petition CBP seeking revocation of the order. This is the third WRO that CBP has issued this year; in total, it is currently enforcing 53 WROs. Giant, the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer, operates factories in China, Hungary, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Pilot, GM, and EVgo reach milestone in nationwide EV fast charging network. In September, Pilot Company, in partnership with General Motors and charging infrastructure company EVgo, announced the opening of more than 200 fast charging locations for electric vehicles at Pilot and Flying J travel centers across nearly 40 US states. This marks a significant step toward their joint goal of installing up to 2,000 high-power EVgo fast chargers at 500 locations nationwide. The new charging sites are strategically located along major US highways and interstates, supporting long-distance and cross-country EV travel. Many of the new chargers are in areas currently lacking access, which can help to address gaps in the national charging infrastructure, including in rural areas. Each site features high-power 350kW fast chargers, can accommodate a wide range of EV models, and offers amenities such as canopies, pull-through charging for larger vehicles, and 24/7 access.

China’s rising production of ethylene. China’s rapid expansion of its ethylene production capacity could deepen the global decline in the chemical’s prices. The worldwide production of ethylene already exceeded that of any other organic compound before China’s decision in May this year to surge production. While demand in China for the chemical continues to grow, the country’s surge in capacity is forecast to outstrip that demand; reportedly, China will likely seek to export its excess, putting pricing pressures on North American and European manufacturers.

President exercises golden share mechanism to keep steel plant open. In early September, US Steel announced that in November this year it would shutter its Granite City Works, the Illinois mill that processes raw steel slabs into sheet steel for the automotive, construction, container, and pipe industries. That decision has been reversed via a feature in Nippon Steel’s June 2025 acquisition of US Steel: the so-called “golden share” mechanism, crafted to address national security concerns by giving the US government a single share of preferred stock, “Class G,” which confers veto power over a wide array of company actions. According to Securities and Exchange Commission filings, that golden share is controlled by President Donald Trump or his designee while he remains president; for future presidents, that control passes to the Commerce Department and Treasury Department. A White House statement released on September 22 announced that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had informed the company that President Trump was exercising the golden share mechanism to block the plant’s closure. While US Steel has since announced it will keep Granite City Works open indefinitely, the terms of Nippon Steel’s acquisition of US Steel do not include future investments in the plant, and any protections for the facility under the agreement expire in 2027. US Steel’s other facilities are protected until 2035. See some of our earlier coverage of this acquisition here.

White House proclamation introduces $100,000 H-1B visa fee: Key considerations. President Donald Trump’s September 19 proclamation, “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” requires a $100,000 payment to accompany or supplement new applications for H-1B petitions “to curb abuses that displace U.S. workers and undermine national security.” The proclamation also calls for limits on visa issuance and changes to the prevailing wage levels for the H-1B program. See our alert summarizing the H-1B program changes and subsequent United States Citizenship and Immigration Services guidance.

Chilean government submits draft National Critical Minerals Strategy for public consultation. In a major step forward to implement the 2050 National Mining Policy, Chile’s Ministry of Mining has submitted the draft National Critical Minerals Strategy for public consultation. Chile is the world’s largest producer of copper and the second largest producer of lithium. See our alert on key aspects of the draft National Critical Minerals Strategy.

Industrial, manufacturing, and tech companies report on their readiness for extreme weather events. A report from insurance company FM of 800 risk decision-makers at global industrial, manufacturing, and technology companies finds that 62 percent of respondents have experienced severe business disruptions from extreme weather events over the past three years Those respondents still report significant gaps between perceived and actual preparedness for future weather disasters. Four in ten companies, FM noted, report that their boards regularly discuss extreme weather risks, and 80 percent of the study’s respondents told FM that their employees are increasingly concerned about their company’s exposure to weather risks. Furthermore, compared to five years ago, the report found that corporate boards have a more nuanced understanding of these risks – an understanding that extends to the vulnerability of entire supply chains and business ecosystems. However, the respondents also said that significant gaps remain between perceived and actual preparedness: their current insurance, most reported, would cover about half of potential weather-related impacts. Respondents also reported that their companies are under-adopting risk mitigation measures that could harden their facilities against intense weather events. See the 2025 FM Natural Disasters Report.