Oct. 18, 2006 — Tuesday, Oct. 17 marked Day 1 of a two-day International Trade Commission (ITC) hearing in regard to the five-year (sunset) review of countervailing duty and antidumping duty orders on corrosion-resistant carbon steel products from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

The Commission heard from a range of witnesses representing steel producers, steel consumers and other related groups. The agenda also included a series of Congressional and State Government appearances, including Senator Arlen Specter and Senator John D. Rockefeller. (Additional details available through the ITC website.)

Witnesses in support of continuation of the countervailing and antidumping duty orders represent producers including U.S. Steel, AK Steel, Mittal Steel USA and related union representation, Nucor, Steel Dynamics. Additional witnesses supporting continuation of the duty orders include John Bates Sr., CEO of Heidtman Steel and Peter Morici, Professor of Economics for the University of Maryland.

Witnesses in opposition to continuation of the countervailing and antidumping duty orders represent steel consuming companies including DaimlerChrysler, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda of America Mfg., Honda Trading America, Nissan North America, and Toyota North America.

Additional witnesses in opposition to continuation of the countervailing and antidumping duty orders represent steel producers outside the United States, including Dofasco, Sorevco, Dongbu Steel, Hyundai HYSCO, Pohang Coated Steel, Pohang Iron and Steel, Union Manufacturing, and POSCO America. Additional non-U.S. steel companies represented included JFE Steel, Kobe Steel, Sumitomo Metal Industries, Nippon Steel, Nisshin Steel, ThyssenKrupp Steel, Saltzgitter AG Stahl und Technologie, ThyssenKrupp Steel NA, ThyssenKrupp Steel Services, ThyssenKrupp Materials, TCC Steel, Sollac Atlantique, Sollac Lorraine, Arcelor FCS Commercial, and Arcelor International America.

The hearing will reconvene for its second (and final) day on Thursday, Oct. 19.