Carbon and Alloy Steel Plate Anti-Dumping Duties Finalized, Japan and France Hardest Hit

The Department of Commerce today announced its affirmative final determinations that steel producers in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), and Taiwan are dumping imports of carbon and alloy steel plate in the U.S.
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Margins in the dumping investigations ranged from 3.62% to 148.02%, and were, in certain instances, based on adverse findings against non-cooperative responding parties. Commerce also determined that critical circumstances exist in three investigations, allowing for collection of duties for a retroactive period of 90 days before the preliminary determination, spanning back to August 16. Commerce also found that South Korea is providing unfair subsidies to its producers of steel plate at a countervailable duty rate of 4.31%. As a result of these final affirmative determinations, Commerce will instruct Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits based on these final rates.
“A healthy steel industry is critical to our economy and manufacturing base, yet our steel industry today is under assault from foreign producers that dump and subsidize their exports,” Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said in a press release about the new anti-dumping and countervailing duties. “After a thorough investigation, the Department of Commerce has found that exporters of steel plate have received government subsidies and sold at unfairly low prices in the United States. The Trump administration is unequivocally committed to the vigorous enforcement of America’s trade laws, including the finding of critical circumstances and the retroactive collection of duties when appropriate. We will ensure U.S. businesses and workers are treated fairly.”
The International Trade Commission is scheduled to make its final injury determinations on or about May 15.

Austrian Producers Hit With Nearly 54% Duties

In the Austria investigation, Commerce found that dumping has occurred by the sole mandatory respondent Bohler Edelstahl GmbH & Co KG, Bohler Bleche GmbH & Co KG, Bohler International GmbH, Voestalpine Grobblech GmbH, and Voestalpine Steel Service Center GmbH (collectively, Voestalpine) at a dumping margin of 53.72%. Commerce calculated a dumping margin of 53.72% for all other producers/exporters in Austria.

Duties for Belgian Plate Producers

In the Belgium investigation, Commerce found that dumping has occurred by mandatory respondent Industeel Belgium S.A. at a final dumping margin of 5.40%. Additionally, Commerce
established a dumping margin of 51.78%, based on adverse facts available, for mandatory
respondent NLMK Clabecq S.A., NLMK Plate Sales S.A., NLMK Sales Europe S.A., NLMK
Manage Steel Center S.A., and NLMK La Louviere S.A. (collectively, NLMK Belgium). Commerce calculated a dumping margin of 5.40% for all other producers/exporters in Belgium.

Nearly 150% Duties for France’s Dillinger SA

In the France investigation, Commerce found that dumping has occurred by mandatory respondent
Dillinger France S.A.at a final dumping margin of 8.62%. Additionally, Commerce established a dumping margin of 148.02%, based on adverse facts available, for mandatory respondent Industeel France S.A. Commerce calculated a dumping margin of 8.62% for all other producers/exporters in France.

Germany Investigation

In the Germany investigation, Commerce found that dumping has occurred by mandatory respondent AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke at a final dumping margin of 5.38%, and dumping occurred by respondent Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH, Salzgitter Mannesmann Grobblech GmbH, Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, and Salzgitter Mannesmann International GmbH (collectively, Salzgitter) at a final dumping margin of 22.90%.
Commerce calculated a dumping margin of 21.03% for all other producers/exporters in Germany.

Italy Investigation

In the Italy investigation, Commerce found that dumping occurred by mandatory respondent
Officine Tecnosiders.r.l. at a final dumping margin of 6.08%. Additionally, commerce established a dumping margin of 22.19%, based on adverse facts available, for mandatory respondents Marcegaglia SpA and NLMK Verona SpA. Commerce calculated a dumping margin of 6.08% for all other producers/exporters in Italy.

Japan Investigation

In the Japan investigation, Commerce found that dumping has occurred by mandatory respondent Tokyo Steel Manufacturing Co., Ltd., at a dumping margin of 14.79%. Additionally, commerce established a dumping margin of 48.67%, based on adverse facts available, for mandatory respondents JFE Steel Corporation and Shimabun Corporation. Commerce calculated a
dumping margin of 14.79% for all other producers/exporters in Japan.

Republic of Korea Investigation

In the Korea anti-dumping investigation, commerce found that dumping has occurred by mandatory
respondent POSCO (formerly the Pohang Iron & Steel Corp.) at a dumping margin of 7.39%. Commerce calculated a dumping margin of 7.39% for all other producers/exporters in South Korea.
In accordance with the scope of the investigation, the application of POSCO’s margin to all-
other producers/exporters applies only to subject CTL plate not within the description of cut-to-length carbon quality steel plate in the 1999 South Korea anti-dumping order.
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In the South Korea countervailing duties investigation, commerce calculated a subsidy rate
of 4.31%for POSCO and a subsidy rate of 4.31% for all other producers/exporters in the Republic of Korea.
The countervailing duties margin’s application is also subject CTL plate not within the 1999 order of the same.

Taiwan Investigation

In the Taiwan investigation, commerce found that dumping has occurred by mandatory respondents
Shang Chen Steel Co., Ltd. and China Steel Corp. at dumping margins of 3.62% and
6.95%, respectively. Commerce calculated a dumping margin of 5.29% for all other
producers/exporters in Taiwan.
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Critical circumstances were alleged with respect to imports of CTL plate from Austria, Belgium,
Italy, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan.
The petitioners are ArcelorMittal USA LLC in Illinois, Nucor Corporation in North Carolina and SSAB Enterprises in Ill.