Commerce Department Finds Chinese Steel Grating Dumped and Subsidized; Domestic Industry Praises Final Determination Margins

June 1, 2010

Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced affirmative final antidumping and countervailing duty determinations in its investigations of steel grating from China.  The affirmative determinations result in antidumping margins of 136.76% to 145.18%, and countervailing duty margins of 62.46% against all companies.

“We are very pleased with these final results, and commend the Commerce Department for its work in these investigations,” said Alan H. Price, head of Wiley Rein LLP’s International Trade Practice and counsel to the domestic industry petitioners Alabama Metal Industries Corp. (AMICO) and Fisher & Ludlow.  “These determinations are an important step toward obtaining much-needed relief for this U.S. industry and its workers.”

In the antidumping investigation, respondent Ningbo Jiulong was assigned a final margin of 145.18% due to its “failure to report certain information” and “for submission of certain false information,” according to the Commerce Department.  Further details will become available when the final determination is published in the Federal Register.

The investigations began in May 2009.  The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is concurrently investigating whether the U.S. industry is materially injured or threatened with injury by reason of the dumped and subsidized imports of Chinese steel grating.  The ITC held its hearing on May 25, 2010, and is scheduled to vote on June 24, 2010.  If the vote is affirmative, then Commerce will order U.S. Customs and Border Protection to impose antidumping and countervailing duties in the amounts calculated by Commerce.

“Chinese steel grating imports have surged into the United States and flooded the market,” Price said.  “These dumped and subsidized Chinese imports are harming the U.S. industry and its workers.”  

Chinese imports of steel grating skyrocketed more than 500 percent, increasing from 9.3 million kilograms in 2006 to 59.6 million kilograms in 2008.  During the same time, China’s share of the total U.S. market reached almost 30 percent.  As a result, AMICO and Fisher & Ludlow have suffered substantial lost sales and production, significant declines in profits and revenue, and have been forced to lay off workers and scale back their operations.

Steel grating is a steel product that is used in a wide range of load-bearing applications such as manufacturing and factory flooring and walkways, subway and pedestrian walkways, catwalks, and fire escape platforms.  AMICO and Fisher & Ludlow have manufacturing operations across the United States and Canada, including in Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah.