The U.S. Department of Commerce has concluded its investigation into the pricing of carbon and alloy steel threaded rod from India, revealing significant disparities in market values. During the review period from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, the Department determined that these steel products were sold in the U.S. at prices below what is considered normal value. This finding highlights ongoing concerns regarding fair trade practices in the global steel market.
The administrative review involved 29 companies, with Mangal Steel Enterprises Limited and Shree Luxmi Fasteners/The Emerging Impex selected for individual examination. The process began with preliminary results published on May 6, 2024, which prompted various stakeholders to comment on the findings. Sigma Piping Products, a U.S. importer, submitted a brief, while Vulcan Threaded Products, the petitioner in this case, filed a rebuttal.
Following a thorough examination of the submitted comments and the data, the Department of Commerce determined that Mangal Steel Enterprises had a dumping margin of zero, while Shree Luxmi Fasteners was found to have a dumping margin of 10.94%. This margin reflects the extent to which the prices of their products were deemed unfairly low compared to standard market prices.
Interestingly, the review also rescinded proceedings for 83 companies, indicating that they had no reviewable entries of the subject merchandise during the review period. This decision was made in accordance with regulatory guidelines, which stipulate that an administrative review requires reviewable entries for it to proceed. The absence of such entries for these companies meant that the Department could not impose any penalties or duties on them.
The implications of these findings are significant for both U.S. and Indian manufacturers. Companies facing anti-dumping duties may experience reduced competitiveness in the U.S. market, while those like Shree Luxmi could find themselves under increased scrutiny moving forward. The determined margins will influence how these companies price their products in the future to comply with U.S. trade laws.
