July 11, 2014
News Release 14-071
Inv. Nos. 701-TA-515-521 and 731-TA-1251-1257 (P)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today made its determinations in the preliminary phase of its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations concerning certain steel nails from India, Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Taiwan, Turkey, and Vietnam.

The Commission determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of certain steel nails from Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Taiwan, and Vietnam that are allegedly subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value.

The Commission further determined that imports of these products from India and Turkey are negligible. Imports are generally deemed "negligible" if they amounted to less than 3 percent (4 percent in the case of imports from India, a developing country) of all such merchandise imported into the United States within the most recent 12-month period for which data are available preceding the filing of the petition.

Chairman Meredith M. Broadbent, Vice Chairman Dean A. Pinkert, and Commissioners Irving A. Williamson, David S. Johanson, and Rhonda K. Schmidtlein voted in the affirmative with respect to Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Taiwan, and Vietnam, and they found that imports from India and Turkey were negligible. Commissioner F. Scott Kieff did not participate in these investigations.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue to conduct its investigations on imports of these products from Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Taiwan, and Vietnam, with its preliminary countervailing duty determinations due on or about August 22, 2014, and its antidumping duty determinations due on or about November 5, 2014. As a result of the Commission's findings of negligibility, the investigations on imports of these products from India and Turkey will be terminated.

The Commission's public report Certain Steel Nails from India, Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Taiwan, Turkey, and Vietnam (Investigation Nos. 701-TA-515-521 and 731-TA-1251-1257 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 4480, July 2014) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

The report will be available after August 11, 2014. After that date, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.

Product Description: Certain steel nails covered by these investigations have a nominal shaft length not exceeding 12 inches. Certain steel nails include, but are not limited to, nails made from round wire and nails cut from flat-rolled steel. Certain steel nails may be of one piece construction or of two or more pieces. Certain steel nails may be of any type of steel, and may have any type of surface finish, head, shank, point, and shaft diameter. Certain steel nails may be in bulk or they may be collated for use in pneumatic nailing tools in any manner using any material. Excluded from the scope of these investigations are steel roofing nails that meet the specifications of Type I, Style 20 nails as identified in Tables 29 through 33 of ASTM Standard F1667 (2013 revision); nails suitable for use in powder-actuated hand tools, whether or not threaded, currently classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings 7317.00.20.00 and 7317.00.30.00; and nails packaged in combination with one or more non-subject articles, if the total number of nails is fewer than 25. Also excluded are certain case-hardened nails, corrugated nails, and thumb tacks.

Status of Proceedings:

1.   Type of investigations:  Preliminary antidumping and countervailing duty.
2.   Petitioner:  Mid Continent Nail Corporation, Poplar Bluff, MO.
3.   Preliminary investigations instituted by the USITC:  May 29, 2014.
4.   Commission's conference:  June 19, 2014.
5.   USITC vote:  July 11, 2014.
6.   USITC determinations to the U.S. Department of Commerce:  July 14, 2014.
7.   USITC views to the U.S. Department of Commerce:  July 21, 2014.

U.S. Industry:

1.   Number of producers in 2013:  Nine.
2.   Location of producers' plants:  California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana,
          Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Texas.
3.   Employment of production and related workers in 2013:  837.
4.   Apparent U.S. consumption in 2013:  $904.1 million. 
5.   Ratio of the value of total U.S. imports to total U.S. consumption in 2013:  76.0 percent.

U.S. Imports:

1.   From the subject countries during 2013:  $334.3 million.
2.   From other countries during 2013:  $352.8 million.
3.   Leading sources during 2013:  China, Taiwan, Korea, Oman (in terms of total value).