Management attributes the Q2 EBITDA tripling to the materialization of three strategic pillars: automotive volume recovery, footprint optimization, and the expiration of uneconomic legacy supply contracts. Automotive shipments reached a two-year high, allowing finishing lines to return to healthy utilization levels and improving unit cost absorption. The company credits Section 232 and recent trade enforcement for accelerating domestic manufacturing investment and eliminating 'escape valves' for transshipped steel from Mexico and Canada. Management asserts that Cleveland-Cliffs has become the 'supplier of choice' for the U.S. auto sector, claiming market share gains from both domestic integrated competitors and mini-mills. Operational efficiency is being enhanced through AI-based initiatives with Palantir, aimed at optimizing mill schedules and reducing maintenance-related downtime.