Commerce finds dumping of Chinese stainless steel

The Commerce Department said it has determined that imports of Chinese stainless steel sheet and strip are dumped on the U.S. market at less than fair value.    The Commerce Department said it has determined that imports of Chinese stainless steel sheet and strip are dumped on the U.S. market at less than fair value.
   The department also found that the Chinese government subsidizes the manufacturers of these products to boost their exports.
   Specifically, Commerce’s investigation found that dumping occurred with Shanxi Taigang Stainless Steel Co. Ltd. and Tianjin Taigang Daming Metal Product Co. Ltd. at a margin of 75.6 percent. It assessed the same amount for all other Chinese producers and exporters of this product.
   Commerce also calculated a final subsidy rate of 75.6 percent for the two firms, but for their numerous subsidiaries that did not cooperate with the department’s countervailing duty investigation, they received a subsidy rate of 190.71 percent. All other Chinese producers and exporters of this product received a subsidy rate of 75.6 percent.
   The U.S, International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to make its final determination for these investigations by March 20. If the ITC makes an affirmative final determination that imports of stainless steel sheet and strip from China harm domestic industry, then Commerce will issue antidumping and countervailing orders. If the ITC makes a negative determination of injury, the investigations will be terminated.
   The petitioners for the investigations include AK Steel Corp. of Ohio, Allegheny Ludlum (ATI Flat Rolled Products) of Pennsylvania, North American Stainless in Kentucky, and Outokumpu Stainless USA of Illinois.
   According to Commerce, imports of stainless steel sheet and strip from China in 2015 were valued at $302 million.