NEWS RELEASES - 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: |
Meg Mullery |
202.342.8439 |
STAINLESS
STEEL IMPORTS RETREAT AS
UNFAIR TRADE CASES PROGRESS
(Washington, D.C.) - Statistics released today by the Specialty Steel Industry of North America (SSINA) reflect dramatic declines in imports of all stainless steel product lines during January 1999 compared to the same month last year. "This plunge in import levels can be traced directly to the impact of successful trade cases filed by the industry and its workers over the past almost two years," commented James F. Will, Chairman of SSINA, and Chairman, President and CEO of Armco Inc., in Pittsburgh PA.
Comparing January 1999 to January 1998, total stainless steel imports dropped 28% to 42,189 from 58,228 tons, and total specialty steel imports declined 23% to 55,503 tons from 71,816. For individual stainless steel product lines, the tonnage and import percentages are as follows: stainless steel sheet and strip, the industry's largest product line, dropped 19% to 27,504 tons from 33,940; stainless steel plate, 58%, to 2,671 tons from 6,360; stainless steel bar, 36%, to 5,684 tons from 8,922; stainless steel rod, 28%, to 4,669 tons from 6,465; stainless steel wire, 35%, to 1,661 tons from 2,541.
While tool steel imports declined 33% from 6,000 to 4,037 tons, electrical steel was the only product line to reflect an increase, with imports up 22% to 9,276 tons in January 1999 from 7,588 in January 1998. (Imports, apparent domestic consumption and market penetration statistical information for major specialty steel product lines follow.)
Over the past 18 months, U.S. stainless steel producers and unions have filed 34 cases against 45 producers in 14 countries on four different product lines. Most recently, on March 22, the Commerce Department issued a final ruling on stainless steel plate in coils from Belgium, Canada, Italy, South Africa, South Korea and Taiwan and set antidumping duties ranging from 7 to 45 percent. In the same ruling, Commerce determined that Italy, Belgium and South Africa were also subsidizing their exports and set countervailing duties of 15 percent, 2 percent and 4 percent, respectively. Said the SSINA spokesman, "We are pleased that the trade laws are affecting the flood of unfairly priced imports we have been fighting for many years. We are considering additional cases while continuing to work with Congress and the Administration to improve the trade laws to provide more effective and timely relief to injured industries." (Status of Unfair Trade Cases by Major Product Line Filed in 1997 and 1998 follows.)
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
1999/1998/1997
(Short Tons)
|
|
|
One Month Import |
|||
|
Imports |
U.S. Consumption |
Penetration |
|||
Specialty Steel |
YTD |
Percent |
YTD |
Percent |
YTD |
YTD |
Product Lines |
January |
Increase/ |
January |
Increase/ |
January |
January |
|
1999 |
Decrease |
1999 |
Decrease |
1999 |
1998 |
Stainless Sheet/Strip |
27,504 |
-19% |
132,371 |
-21% |
21% |
20% |
Stainless Plate |
2,671 |
-58% |
15,323 |
-44% |
17% |
23% |
Stainless Bar |
5,684 |
-36% |
15,646 |
-32% |
36% |
39% |
Stainless Rod |
4,669 |
-28% |
6,586 |
-30% |
71% |
68% |
Stainless Wire** |
1,661 |
-35% |
6,148 |
-24% |
27% |
31% |
Total
Stainless Steel** |
42,189 |
-28% |
176,075 |
-25% |
24% |
25% |
Tool Steel |
4,037 |
-33% |
7,186 |
-22% |
56% |
65% |
Electrical Steel |
9,276 |
22% |
41,684 |
-4% |
22% |
18% |
Total Specialty Steel |
55,503 |
-23% |
224,944 |
-22% |
25% |
25% |
U.S.
Imports, Consumption and Market Penetration Data*
For Specialty Steel Product Lines
1999/1998/1997
(Short Tons)
|
Imports |
U.S. Consumption |
Import Penetration |
|||
|
|
Percent |
|
Percent |
|
|
Specialty Steel |
1998 |
Increase/ |
1998 |
Increase/ |
1998 |
1997 |
Product Lines |
|
Decrease |
|
Decrease |
|
|
Stainless Sheet/Strip |
416,740 |
15% |
1,843,557 |
6% |
23% |
21% |
Stainless Plate |
56,903 |
-6% |
226,800 |
-6% |
21% |
21% |
Stainless Bar |
94,306 |
3% |
235,760 |
-7% |
40% |
36% |
Stainless Rod |
61,988 |
-23% |
90,403 |
-20% |
69% |
72% |
Stainless Wire |
30,572 |
2% |
47,453 |
0% |
64% |
63% |
Total
Stainless Steel |
660,509 |
6% |
2,483,972 |
2% |
27% |
26% |
Tool Steel |
67,893 |
11% |
107,816 |
-2% |
63% |
56% |
Electrical Steel |
124,754 |
12% |
517,368 |
0% |
24% |
22% |
Total Specialty Steel |
853,156 |
7% |
3,109,156 |
2% |
27% |
26% |
NOTE: |
Changes in import penetration are percentage point changes. |
* |
Imports adjusted to exclude hot bands imported for re-rolling and reported under shipments. |
** |
Shipments estimated and subject to revision when actual data is received. |
*** |
Shipment and consumption data for these categories may be overstated due to the inclusion of shipment from wire redrawers which are already included in shipments/imports of rod; consequently import penetration may be slightly understated. |
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. |
|
|
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. |
|
|
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 |
On March 22, 1999, Commerce issued final antidumping duties ranging between 7% and 45% and countervailing duties ranging between 2% and 15%. The ITC will issue its final report by May 7, 1999. |
|
|
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. |
