Dec. 12, 2006 — The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) issued a statement in advance of the International Trade Commission’s December 14 ruling regarding the existing duties on imported corrosion-resistant steel.

In the statement released by Ann Wilson, NEMA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, NEMA said the tariffs have the effect of placing upward pressure on the cost of all steel purchased in this country. Pointing to the extensive use of corrosion-resistant steel in the production of cars and trucks and their components, the statement said that a decision by the ITC to keep the duties in place will certainly accelerate the loss of American jobs in the auto parts industry.

NEMA stated that its customers — the six largest auto manufacturers in the U.S. — have joined together publicly to urge the ITC to revoke the duties. The auto industry uses about half the corrosion-resistant steel consumed in the U.S., and auto parts makers and a variety of other manufacturers use the rest. NEMA noted that collectively, companies that use steel in manufacturing employ over six million workers, 60 times the employment of the steel industry.

Pointing to headlines that describe a "revitalized and healthy" steel industry, NEMA called for an end to the existing countervailing and antidumping duty orders on imported corrosion-resistant steel.