U.S. Initiates Trade Investigation into Imports of Nickel-Plated Flat Rolled Steel from Japan
04/25/2013 - The Department of Commerce announced the initiation of an antidumping duty (AD) investigation of imports of diffusion-annealed, nickel-plated flat-rolled steel products from Japan.
On 17 April 2013, the Department of Commerce announced the initiation of an antidumping duty (AD) investigation of imports of diffusion-annealed, nickel-plated flat-rolled steel products from Japan.
For the purpose of AD investigations, dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than its fair value.
The petitioner for this investigation is Thomas Steel Strip Corp. of Ohio.
The products covered by the scope of this investigation are flat-rolled, cold-reduced steel products, regardless of chemistry; whether or not in coils; either plated or coated with nickel or nickel-based alloys and subsequently annealed (i.e., “diffusion-annealed”); whether or not painted, varnished or coated with plastics or other metallic or nonmetallic substances; and less than or equal to 2.0 mm in nominal thickness. For purposes of this investigation, “nickel-based alloys” include all nickel alloys with other metals in which nickel accounts for at least 80% of the alloy by volume.
In 2012, imports of diffusion-annealed, nickel-plated flat-rolled steel products from Japan were valued at an estimated US$24.1 million.
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to make its preliminary injury determination on or before 13 May 2013.
If the ITC determines that there is a reasonable indication that imports from Japan materially injure, or threaten material injury to, the domestic industry, the investigation will continue, and Commerce will be scheduled to make its preliminary determination in September 2013, unless the statutory deadline is extended.
