February 16, 2018
News Release 18-023
Inv. No(s). 731-TA-1353 and 1356 (Final)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod from South Africa and Ukraine Injures U.S. Industry, Says USITC

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 carbon and alloy steel wire rod from South Africa and Ukraine that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

Chairman Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Vice Chairman David S. Johanson, and Commissioners Irving A. Williamson and Meredith M. Broadbent voted in the affirmative.

As a result of the USITC’s affirmative determinations, Commerce will issue antidumping duty orders on imports of this product from South Africa and Ukraine.

The Commission also made a negative finding concerning critical circumstances with regard to imports of this product from South Africa.  As a result, imports of carbon and alloy steel wire rod from South Africa will not be subject to retroactive antidumping duties.

The Commission’s public report Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod from South Africa and Ukraine (Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1353 and 1356 (Final), USITC Publication 4766, March 2018) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

The report will be available by March 22, 2018; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20436

FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod from South Africa and Ukraine
Investigation Nos: 731-TA-1353 and 1356 (Final)

Product Description: Certain hot-rolled products of carbon steel and alloy steel, in coils, of approximately round cross section, less than 19.00 mm in actual solid cross-sectional diameter. Wire rod is an intermediate good that is primarily used for subsequent drawing and finishing for wire drawers.

Status of Proceedings:

  1. Type of investigation: Final phase antidumping duty investigations.
  2. Petitioners: Charter Steel, Saukville, WI; Gerdau Ameristeel US Inc., Tampa, FL; Keystone Consolidated Industries, Inc., Peoria, IL; Nucor Corporation, Charlotte, NC.
  3. USITC Institution Date: March 28, 2017.
  4. USITC Hearing Date:  November 16, 2017.
  5. USITC Vote Date: February 16, 2018.
  6. USITC Notification to Commerce Date: March 1, 2018.

U.S. Industry in 2016:

  1. Number of U.S. producers: 8.
  2. Location of producers’ plants: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin.
  3. Production and related workers: 2,222.
  4. U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments: $1.8 billion. [1]
  5. Apparent U.S. consumption: $2.8 billion. 1
  6. Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption: 10.5 percent. 1

U.S. Imports in 2016:

  1. Subject imports: $298.2 million. [1]
  2. From South Africa and Ukraine: $67.5 million.
  3. From Belarus, Italy, Korea, Russia, Spain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom: $230.7 million.
  4. Nonsubject imports: $703.2 million.
  5. Leading import sources: Canada, Ukraine, Korea, Spain, and Turkey.

[1] Subject imports include South Africa and Ukraine as well as other subject countries (Belarus, Italy, Korea, Russia, Spain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom).

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