May 2, 2014
News Release 14-039
Inv. No. 731-TA-1206 (Final)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of diffusion-annealed, nickel-plated flat-rolled steel products from Japan that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

Chairman Irving A. Williamson and Commissioners Dean A. Pinkert, David S. Johanson, Meredith M. Broadbent, and F. Scott Kieff voted in the affirmative. Commissioner Rhonda K. Schmidtlein did not participate in this investigation.

As a result of the USITC's affirmative determination, an antidumping duty order will be issued on imports of this product from Japan.

The Commission's public report Diffusion-Annealed, Nickel-Plated Flat-Rolled Steel Products from Japan (Investigation No. 731-TA-1206 (Final), USITC Publication 4466, May 2014) will contain the views of the Commissioners and information developed during the investigation.

The report will be available after June 6, 2014. After that date, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp. Copies also may be requested after that date by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or writing to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by fax at 202-205-2104.

Product Description: Diffusion-annealed, nickel-plated steel is a flat-rolled steel product, plated or coated with nickel or with a nickel-based alloy and subsequently annealed. Annealing after nickel-plating causes the formation of a thin layer of iron-nickel alloy between the steel substrate and the nickel coating, which prevents the nickel coating from flaking or separating from the substrate during fabrication operations. The principal application for diffusion-annealed, nickel-plated steel is for the fabrication of cans and end caps of alkaline and lithium batteries. Diffusion-annealed, nickel-plated steel is also used for the manufacture of fuel, power-steering, and other automotive fluid lines.

Status of Proceeding:

1. Type of investigation:  Final antidumping.
2. Petitioner:  Thomas Steel Strip Corporation, Warren, Ohio. 
3. Investigation instituted by the USITC:  March 27, 2013.
4. USITC hearing:  April 1, 2014.
5. USITC vote:  May 2, 2014.
6. Scheduled date for USITC views:  May 16, 2014.


U.S. Industry:

1. Number of producers in 2013:  One.
2. Location of producer's plant:  Ohio.
3. Employment of production and related workers in 2013: (1)
4. Apparent U.S. consumption in 2013: (1)
5. Ratio of the value of total U.S. imports to total U.S. consumption in 2013: (1)

U.S. Imports:

1. From the subject country during 2013: (1)
2. From other countries during 2013: (1)
3. Sources during 2013:  Japan, Germany, and Korea. 

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