US DOC initiates circumvention inquiry on Chinese plate

摘要

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has started a circumvention inquiry to determine if certain suppliers of cutto-length (CTL) carbon steel plate from China are evading the anti-dumping duty order. The investigation followed an application made by Nucor Corporation and SSAB Enterprises LLC, the domesticproducers of steel products, stating that Chinese commodity producers are adding alloying elements, including chromium and titanium, “in order to change the tariff classification from non-alloy to alloy steel,” so they could circumventantidumping duties on non-alloy steel. According to the department’s publication, the final determination is expectedto be released within 300 days after the circumvention inquiry initiation.