February 5, 2009
News Release 09-009
Inv. No. 731-TA-1143 (Final)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of small diameter graphite electrodes from China that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determination, the Department of Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order on imports of these products from China.

The Commerce Department previously made an affirmative critical circumstances determination with regard to imports of this product from China. Therefore, the Commissioners who made an affirmative injury determination today are required to determine whether these imports are likely to undermine seriously the remedial effect of the antidumping duty order Commerce will issue. All six Commissioners made negative determinations with regard to critical circumstances in this investigation. As a result, the antidumping duty order concerning these imports will not apply to goods that entered the United States from China prior to August 21, 2008, the date of the Department of Commerce's affirmative preliminary determination.

The Commission's public report Small Diameter Graphite Electrodes from China (Investigation No. 731-TA-1143 (Final), USITC Publication 4062, February 2009) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

Copies may be obtained after March 11, 2009, by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202- 205-2000, or by writing the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202-205-2104.

Product Description:

The merchandise covered by this investigation includes all small diameter graphite electrodes of any length, whether or not finished, of a kind used in furnaces, with a nominal or actual diameter of 400 millimeters (16 inches) or less, and whether or not attached to a graphite pin joining system or any other type of joining system or hardware. The merchandise covered by this investigation also includes graphite pin joining systems for small diameter graphite electrodes, of any length, whether or not finished, of a kind used in furnaces, and whether or not the graphite pin joining system is attached to, sold with, or sold separately from, the small diameter graphite electrode. Small diameter graphite electrodes and graphite pin joining systems for small diameter graphite electrodes are most commonly used in primary melting, ladle metallurgy, and specialty furnace applications in industries including foundries, smelters, and steel refining operations. The merchandise subject to this investigation is provided for in subheading 8545.11.00 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).

Status of Proceedings:

1. Type of investigation:  Final antidumping.
2. Petitioners:  SGL Carbon LLC, Charlotte, NC and Superior Graphite Co., Chicago, IL.
3. Investigation instituted by USITC:  January 17, 2008.
4. Hearing:  January 6, 2009.
5. USITC vote:  February 5, 2009.
6. USITC notification of Department of Commerce:  February 18, 2009.  

U.S. Industry:

1. Number of U.S. firms involved in production of small diameter graphite electrodes: Two.
2. Production volume is concentrated in North Carolina and Arkansas.
3. Employment of production and related workers: (1)
4. U.S. producers' shipments in 2007: (1)
5. U.S. apparent consumption in 2007: (1)
6. Ratio of quantity of total imports to U.S. apparent consumption in 2007: (1)

U.S. Imports:
1. Quantity of subject imports in 2007:  13,784 metric tons.
2. Value of subject imports in 2007:  $24.0 million.

(1) Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.