Anti-Dumping Duties Issued For Hot-Rolled Steel Flat Products

The Department of Commerce announced today its affirmative preliminary determinations in the anti-dumping duty investigations of hot-rolled steel flat products from Australia, Brazil, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the U.K.

The products covered by these investigations are certain hot-rolled, flat-rolled steel products, with or without patterns in relief, and whether or not annealed, painted, varnished, or coated with plastics or other non-metallic substances.

Hot-Rolled Steel Dumping Margins

In the U.K. investigation, the mandatory respondent Tata Steel U.K. Ltd. (NS:TISC) received a preliminary dumping margin of 49.05%. All other producers/exporters in the U.K. received a preliminary dumping margin of 49.05%.

In the Australia investigation, mandatory respondent BlueScope Steel Ltd. (AX:BSL) received a preliminary dumping margin of 23.25%. All other producers/exporters in Australia received a preliminary dumping margin of 23.25%.

In the Brazil investigation, mandatory respondents Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (NYSE:SID) and Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais (OTC:USNZY) (Usiminas) received preliminary dumping margins of 33.91% and 34.28%, respectively. All other producers/exporters in Brazil received a preliminary dumping margin of 33.91%. The rate for Usiminas was calculated using total adverse facts available because the company did not respond to Commerce’s questionnaire.

In the Japan investigation, mandatory respondents JFE Steel Corporation (T:5411) and Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (OTC:NSSMY) received preliminary dumping margins of 6.79% and 11.29% respectively. The rates for both companies were calculated using partial facts available and adverse facts available, as they, too, did not provide Commerce with requested information. All other producers/exporters in Japan received a preliminary dumping margin of 10.24%.

In the South Korea investigation, mandatory respondents Hyundai Steel Company (KS:004020) and POSCO (NYSE:PKX) received preliminary dumping margins of 3.97% and 7.33%, respectively. All other producers/exporters in Korea received a preliminary dumping margin of 5.65%.

In the Netherlands investigation, the mandatory respondent Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V.(NS:TISC) received a preliminary dumping margin of 5.07%, which was calculated using partial adverse facts available because the company also failed to provide requested information. All other producers/exporters in the Netherlands received a preliminary dumping margin of 5.07%.

In the Turkey investigation, mandatory respondents Colakoglu Metalurji A.S./Colakoglu Dis Ticaret A.S and Ereğli Demir ve Çelik Fabrikaları T.A.Ş./Iskendrun Demir ve Çelik T.A.Ş. received preliminary dumping margins of 7.07% and 5.24%, respectively. All other producers/exporters in Turkey received a preliminary dumping margin of 6.82%.

What Does This Mean For the Metals You Buy?

As a result of the preliminary affirmative determinations, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to require cash deposits for covered imports of hot-rolled steel flat products based on these preliminary rates.

The petitioners for these investigations are AK Steel Corporation (NYSE:AKS), ArcelorMittal USA LLC (NYSE:MT), Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE), SSAB Enterprises LLC (LON:0KII), Steel Dynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ:STLD), and United States Steel Corporation (NYSE:X).