NEWS RELEASES - 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: |
Meg Mullery |
202.342.8439 |
Pivotal Year for Stainless Steel
(Washington, D.C.)--"With many unfair trade cases culminating, 1999 is a pivotal year for the stainless steel industry," James F. Will, chairman of the Specialty Steel Industry of North America (SSINA) said as the latest statistical information and current status of unfair trade cases were released today.
"The antidumping and countervailing duty cases filed by SSINA companies and unions over the past eighteen months are now showing positive results. Although overall stainless steel imports continued at record levels in 1998, imports of rod products, on which trade cases were successfully concluded last July, are down 19%. Stainless steel plate imports, which are subject to further antidumping investigations, have declined 6%. For stainless steel sheet and strip products, the industry's largest product line, preliminary antidumping margins were announced in mid-November by the Department of Commerce. As a result, we expect declining imports in the months ahead," Will said.
For the eleven-month period ended November 30, 1998, all stainless steel imports increased 8% to 616,000 tons, the highest level in history, while U.S. consumption was up 2%, the lowest level in many years. (Imports, apparent domestic consumption and market penetration statistical information for major specialty steel product lines follow. Final year-end information will be available about February 28.)
In actions beginning July 1997 to stop illegal stainless steel imports, U.S. producers and unions have filed 34 trade cases against more than 45 foreign producers in 14 nations. The cases filed to date are proceeding under the timetable of current U.S. trade laws and should be concluded this year. "Regrettably, the process is agonizingly slow and provides no redress for past damage to the industry and workers. This defect in our trade laws along with tighter timing cries out for correction by the Congress and Administration," a spokesman for SSINA said.
The specialty Steel Industry of North America is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing virtually all continental producers of stainless steel and alloy tool steels, electrical steels, super alloys, and other high technology materials.
David A. Hartquist, an international trade attorney with the Washington, D.C. law firm of Collier, Shannon, Rill & Scott, pllc, serves as lead counsel to SSINA.
U.S. IMPORTS, CONSUMPTION AND MARKET PENETRATION DATA
FOR SPECIALTY STEEL PRODUCT LINES -- 1998/1997/1996
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IMPORTS |
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IMPORTS |
U.S. CONSUMPTION |
PENETRATION |
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Specialty Steel |
YTD |
Percent |
YTD |
Percent |
Eleven Months |
|
Product Lines |
November |
Increase/ |
November |
Increase/ |
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|
|
1998 |
Decrease |
1998 |
Decrease |
1998 |
1997 |
Stainless Sheet/Strip |
387,993 |
16% |
1,681,857 |
5% |
23% |
21% |
Stainless Plate |
53,673 |
-6% |
248,022 |
-7% |
22% |
21% |
Stainless Bar |
87,923 |
8% |
220,798 |
-3% |
40% |
36% |
Stainless Rod |
57,453 |
-19% |
83,945 |
-17% |
68% |
70% |
Stainless Wire |
28,781 |
5% |
44,388 |
2% |
65% |
63% |
Total Stainless Steel |
615,824 |
8% |
2,279,010 |
2% |
27% |
25% |
Tool Steel |
63,178 |
13% |
100,544 |
-1% |
63% |
55% |
Electrical Steel |
118,918 |
19% |
485,428 |
2% |
24% |
21% |
Total Specialty Steel |
797,919 |
10% |
2,864,982 |
2% |
28% |
26% |
1997 and 1996 statistical data in tons follow:
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IMPORTS |
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IMPORTS |
U.S. CONSUMPTION |
PENETRATION |
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|
Percent |
|
Percent |
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|
Specialty Steel |
1997 |
Increase/ |
1997 |
Increase/ |
1997 |
1996 |
Product Lines |
|
Decrease |
|
Decrease |
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|
Stainless Steel Sheet/Strip |
361,532 |
7% |
1,734,795 |
5% |
21% |
20% |
Stainless Plate |
60,553 |
22% |
282,509 |
16% |
21% |
20% |
Stainless Bar |
91,153 |
22% |
253,312 |
10% |
36% |
33% |
Stainless Rod |
80,850 |
25% |
113,052 |
22% |
72% |
70% |
Stainless Wire |
29,897 |
10% |
47,329 |
1% |
63% |
58% |
Total Stainless Steel |
623,987 |
13% |
2,430,997 |
7% |
26% |
24% |
Tool Steel |
61,333 |
11% |
110,051 |
-3% |
56% |
49% |
Electrical Steel |
111,402 |
3% |
516,765 |
-2% |
22% |
21% |
Total Specialty Steel |
796,723 |
11% |
3,057,814 |
5% |
26% |
25% |
Stainless Steel Producers and Unions
Status of Unfair Trade Cases by Major Product Line Filed in 1997 and 1998
Product |
Stainless Steel Rod |
Date Filed |
July 30, 1997 |
Named Countries |
Italy, Germany, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan |
Status |
The case concluded with the issuance of final antidumping and countervailing duty (CVD) orders by the Commerce Department on 9/15/98. The duties range up to 34% with penalties extending back to 3/5/98. The International Trade Commission (ITC) voted on final injury determination on 9/1/98. Excluding Germany, ITC concluded that imports from six of the seven named countries caused injury to producers. |
Next Step |
On 10/15/98, appeals were filed with Court of International Trade. Successful appeals would result in a significant increase in the antidumping duties levied on imports from Korea and the assessment of antidumping duties on imports from Germany. The industry will vigorously pursue the appeals process with the hope of a decision by yearend 1999. |
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Product |
Stainless Steel Round Wire |
Date Filed |
March 27, 1998 |
Named Countries |
Canada, India, Japan, Korea, Spain, Taiwan |
Status |
On 6/4/98, the ITC preliminarily determined that imports from the named countries are injuring the domestic industry. On 11/13/98, Commerce set preliminary antidumping duties ranging up to 36% on imports from the subject countries. |
Case Concludes |
The ITC and Commerce will conclude their investigations and final antidumping duty orders will be announced in early April, 1999. |
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Product |
Stainless Steel Plate in Coils |
Date Filed |
March 31, 1998 |
Named Countries |
Belgium, Canada, Italy, South Korea, South Africa, Taiwan |
Status |
On 5/15/98, the ITC voted preliminarily that imports from the named countries are injuring the domestic industry. On 9/1/98, Commerce issued preliminary CVD determinations against Korea, Italy, Belgium, and South Africa ranging up to 15%. On 10/27/98, Commerce announced preliminary antidumping duties ranging up to 68% on imports from the six named countries. Subsequently, on 12/3/98, Commerce published a revised preliminary determination on imports from Taiwan and took the extremely unusual step of finding that Taiwanese producer Ta Chen Stainless Pipe and its U.S. subsidiary, Ta Chen International, engaged in "middleman dumping" of coiled stainless steel plate produced by Yieh United Steel Corp. |
Case Concludes |
Commerce will issue final dumping and CVD determinations on March 22, 1999; the ITC will issue its final report by May 7, 1999. |
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Product |
Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils |
Date Filed |
June 10, 1998 |
Named Countries |
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom |
Status |
On 7/24/98, the ITC voted preliminarily that imports from the named countries are injuring the domestic industry. On 10/30/98, U.S. producers requested that Commerce apply the "critical circumstances" provision of U.S. trade laws to combat recent import surges. An affirmative finding would impose antidumping duties retroactively to 9/18/98. On 11/10/98, Commerce announced preliminary CVD rates ranging up to 29% against France, Italy and South Korea. On 12/18/98, Commerce announced preliminary antidumping duty margins ranging up to 59%, and decided favorably on "critical circumstances" as to Germany, Japan (Nippon Metals, Nippon Yakin, and Nisshin only) and Korea (Taihan Electric Wire Co. only). "Critical circumstances" were not found for Italy and Taiwan. |
Case Concludes |
Commerce will issue its final dumping and CVD determinations on May 20, 1999; the ITC will issue its final report by July 5. |
