The U.S. Confirms Duties on Steel Wire from China, Mexico

The US Commerce Department on Apr. 29, 2014 announced its affirmative final determination in the antidumping duty probes against prestressed concrete steel rail tie wire (PC tie wire) from China and Mexico, which increases the possibility of imposing punitive duties on the products.

The Commerce Department claimed that Chinese and Mexican producers and exporters sold PC tie wire in the US market at dumping margins ranging from 31.40 percent to 35.31 percent and 9. 99 percent respectively.

Punitive duties would be imposed after both the Commerce Department and the US International Trade Commission (ITC) make affirmative final rulings. The ITC is scheduled to make its final ruling in June. If the ITC makes a negative determination, the investigation will be terminated.

The Commerce Department launched the investigation on May 14, in response to the petition filed by the Insteel Wire Products Company based in North Carolina and Davis Wire Corporation based in Washington, which alleged that exporters and producers in China, Mexico and Thailand sold these products in the US market at lower prices.

In 2013, the United States imported an estimated 31.1 million U. S. dollar worth of PC tie wire from China, 21.3 million from Mexico, according to the Commerce Department.

Beijing has repeatedly urged Washington to abide by its commitment against protectionism and work with China and other countries to maintain a free, open and just trade environment.