New AD/CV Duties Requested on Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire Strand From 15 Countries

Three U.S. manufacturers seek the imposition of new antidumping duties on prestressed concrete steel wire strand from Argentina, Egypt, Colombia, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Ukraine, and new countervailing duties on PC strand from Turkey, they said in a petition filed with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission April 15. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations, which could result in the imposition of permanent AD/CV duty orders and the assessment of AD and CV duties on importers.

AD/CV duties sought by the petition, filed by Insteel Wire Products Company, Sumiden Wire Products Corporation and Wire Mesh Corporation, would add 15 countries to the seven already covered by existing AD/CV duty orders on PC strand. The Treasury Department issued an AD duty order on PC strand in 1978. Commerce followed in 2004 with AD duty orders on PC strand from Brazil, India, South Korea, Mexico and Thailand, as well as a CV duty order on India. Most recently, AD/CV duty orders on PC strand from China were issued in 2010.

Proposed Scope

The petition proposes the following scope for the investigations (which is identical to the scope of the AD/CV duty orders on China):

The merchandise covered by these petitions is prestressed concrete steel wire strand (“PC strand”), produced from wire of non-stainless, non-galvanized steel, which is suitable for use in prestressed concrete (both pretensioned and post-tensioned) applications. The product definition encompasses covered and uncovered strand and all types, grades, and diameters of PC strand. PC strand is normally sold in the United States in sizes ranging from 0.25 inches to 0.70 inches in diameter. PC strand made from galvanized wire is only excluded from the scope if the zinc and/or zinc oxide coating meets or exceeds the 0.40 oz./ft2 standard set forth in ASTM-A-475.

The PC strand subject to this order is currently classifiable under subheadings 7312.10.3010 and 7312.10.3012 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”). Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this order is dispositive.

Commerce Accepting Comments on Petition Support

The Commerce Department is accepting comments on domestic industry support for the petitions to determine whether the petitions meet the dual requirements of support by domestic producers or workers accounting for (1) at least 25% of the total production of the domestic-like product and (2) more than 50% of the production of the domestic-like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition. If the petitions meet these requirements, among others, Commerce will initiate antidumping and countervailing duty investigations. Comments are due on or about May 5.

Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the petition.