The U.S. International Trade Commission on Monday dismissed a petition by a U.S. steel industry group that claimed concrete-reinforcing steel bars were dumped on the U.S. market by Japan.
In a preliminary ruling, the independent federal agency found that imports of the steel products, known as "rebar" in the U.S. market, from Japan and three other countries have not damaged the U.S. industry.
The ruling , which put an end to the dumping investigation of rebar imports, came in response to a petition filed with the Commerce Department and the ITC on June 29 by the Rebar Trade Action Coalition. , which comprises Birmingham Steel Corp. and seven other makers of the products. In the petition, the coalition claimed that imports from Japan and 11 other countries "are being sold at less than fair market value and are causing or threatening to cause material injury" in the United States.
The group demanded antidumping duties ranging from 43 percent to 188 percent against rebar imported from the 12 countries. The ITC ruled that imports of the products from Japan, Russia, Venezuela and Australia have not damaged the U.S. industry, while those from Belarus, China, Indonesia, South Korea, Latvia, Moldova, Poland and Ukraine have caused damage.