U.S. Industry Applauds Unanimous Affirmative ITC Determination in Trade Cases against Structural Steel Beams

June 15, 2000

Washington, DC—U.S. producers of structural steel beams applauded today's final determination by the U.S. International Trade Commission, which found by a 6 to 0 vote that the U.S. industry has been injured or threatened with injury due to dumped imports from Japan. The affirmative finding will result in the imposition of antidumping duties on Japanese imports of steel beams of 65.21%. "The ITC’s final affirmative injury finding confirms our allegation that the U.S. industry was devastated by dumped imports from Japan," said Alan H. Price of Wiley Rein & Fielding, Washington, DC, counsel to the petitioners. "The onslaught of dumped imports from Japan and Korea seriously harmed the U.S. structural steel beam industry and its workers. Japanese and Korean imports led a plunge in beam prices and profits, which was only remedied by the filing of the dumping petitions,” Price said. "An affirmative determination in the Korean case is also essential to ensure an effective remedy,” Price added.

Antidumping and countervailing duty cases were also brought against structural steel beam imports from Korea. Those cases were extended by the Department of Commerce. A final determination in the Korean dumping case is due on June 26 from Commerce, and on July 13 from the ITC.

In April, the U.S. Department of Commerce made a final determination that structural steel beams from Japan are being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value. The Department found dumping margins of 65.21% against most Japanese producers, including Kawasaki Steel Corporation, Nippon Steel Corporation, NKK Corporation/Toa Steel Co., Sumitomo Metals Ind. Ltd., Tokyo Steel Manufacturing Co., Ltd., and Topy Ind., Ltd. The margin for all other shippers is 31.98%. The final dumping duty order will be issued within 7 days. The duties will be imposed on all imports from Japan entered on or after February 11, 2000, the date of the Commerce Department’s preliminary determination.

The petitioners are Northwestern Steel & Wire Co., Sterling, Illinois; Nucor-Yamato Steel Co., Blytheville, Arkansas; TXI-Chaparral Steel, Inc., Midlothian, Texas, and Petersburg, Virginia; and the United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO, which represents workers at Northwestern Steel & Wire.