[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 27, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40565-40567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19128]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration
[A-588-845]


Notice of Amended Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair 
Value and Antidumping Duty Order; Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in 
Coils From Japan

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Amended Final Determination of Sales at Less Than 
Fair Value and Antidumping Duty Order.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 27, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karla Whalen, or Letitia Kress, 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Enforcement Group III, Import 
Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 
20230, at (202) 482-1391, or (202) 482-3362, respectively.

APPLICABLE STATUTE AND REGULATIONS: Unless otherwise indicated, all 
citations to the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Tariff Act), are 
to the provisions effective January 1, 1995, the effective date of the 
amendments made to the Tariff Act by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act 
(URAA). In addition, unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the 
Department of Commerce's (the Department's) regulations are to the 
regulations codified at 19 CFR Part 351 (April 1, 1998).

Amendment to the Final Determination

    On May 19, 1999, the Department determined that stainless steel 
sheet and strip in coils (stainless sheet in coil) from Japan are 
being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair 
value (LTFV), as provided in section 735(a) of the Tariff Act. See 
Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: 
Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From Japan, 64 FR 30574 (June 
8, 1999) (Final Determination). On June 2, 1999, Petitioners 
(Allegheney Ludlum Corp., Armco, Inc. J&L Specialty Steel, Inc., 
Washington Steel Division of Bethlehem Steel Corp., United Steelworkers 
of America, AFL-CIO/CLC, Butler Armco Independent Union, and Zanesville 
Armco Independent Organization) timely alleged three ministerial 
errors. Petitioners requested that we correct the errors. See 19 CFR 
351.224(e). Kawasaki Steel Corporation did not respond to the submitted 
ministerial error comments.
    Petitioner's submission alleges the following errors:

     the Department improperly excluded certain home market 
sales as a result of applying the Department's scope exclusion 
language that did not distinguish based upon thickness;
     the Department intended to, but did not apply partial 
facts available for certain U.S. sales with inland insurance rates 
less than the verified minimum inland insurance rate;
     the Department did not use the verified duty drawback 
amounts in the margin analysis due to inconsistent variable names 
used in the Margin Program;

    The Department agrees that the three errors alleged by petitioners 
represent ministerial errors and have corrected each for this amended 
final determination. For a detailed description of each of these 
allegations and, where applicable, our resultant corrections, see the 
Analysis of Clerical Errors Memorandum (Memo to Edward Yang, from Karla 
Whalen and Letitia Kress, dated July 9, 1999). Therefore, in accordance 
with 19 CFR 351.224(e), we are amending the final determination of the 
antidumping duty investigation of stainless steel sheet and strip in 
coils from Japan. The revised weighted-average dumping margins are in 
the ``Antidumping Duty Order'' section, below.

Scope of the Order

    For purposes of this order, the products covered are certain 
stainless steel sheet and strip in coils. Stainless steel is an alloy 
steel containing, by weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 
percent or more of chromium, with or without other elements. The 
subject sheet and strip is a flat-rolled product in coils that is 
greater than 9.5 mm in width and less than 4.75 mm in thickness, and 
that is annealed or otherwise heat treated and pickled or otherwise 
descaled. The subject sheet and strip may also be further processed 
(e.g., cold-rolled, polished, aluminized, coated, etc.) provided that 
it maintains the specific dimensions of sheet and strip following such 
processing.
    The merchandise subject to this order is classified in the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) at subheadings: 
7219.13.00.30, 7219.13.00.50, 7219.13.00.70, 7219.13.00.80, 
7219.14.00.30, 7219.14.00.65, 7219.14.00.90, 7219.32.00.05, 
7219.32.00.20, 7219.32.00.25, 7219.32.00.35, 7219.32.00.36, 
7219.32.00.38, 7219.32.00.42, 7219.32.00.44, 7219.33.00.05, 
7219.33.00.20, 7219.33.00.25, 7219.33.00.35, 7219.33.00.36, 
7219.33.00.38, 7219.33.00.42, 7219.33.00.44,

[[Page 40566]]

7219.34.00.05, 7219.34.00.20, 7219.34.00.25, 7219.34.00.30, 
7219.34.00.35, 7219.35.00.05, 7219.35.00.15, 7219.35.00.30, 
7219.35.00.35, 7219.90.00.10, 7219.90.00.20, 7219.90.00.25, 
7219.90.00.60, 7219.90.00.80, 7220.12.10.00, 7220.12.50.00, 
7220.20.10.10, 7220.20.10.15, 7220.20.10.60, 7220.20.10.80, 
7220.20.60.05, 7220.20.60.10, 7220.20.60.15, 7220.20.60.60, 
7220.20.60.80, 7220.20.70.05, 7220.20.70.10, 7220.20.70.15, 
7220.20.70.60, 7220.20.70.80, 7220.20.80.00, 7220.20.90.30, 
7220.20.90.60, 7220.90.00.10, 7220.90.00.15, 7220.90.00.60, and 
7220.90.00.80. Although the HTS subheadings are provided for 
convenience and Customs purposes, the Department's written description 
of the merchandise under investigation is dispositive.
    Excluded from the scope of this order are the following: (1) sheet 
and strip that is not annealed or otherwise heat treated and pickled or 
otherwise descaled, (2) sheet and strip that is cut to length, (3) 
plate (i.e., flat-rolled stainless steel products of a thickness of 
4.75 mm or more), (4) flat wire (i.e., cold-rolled sections, with a 
prepared edge, rectangular in shape, of a width of not more than 9.5 
mm), and (5) razor blade steel. Razor blade steel is a flat-rolled 
product of stainless steel, not further worked than cold-rolled (cold-
reduced), in coils, of a width of not more than 23 mm and a thickness 
of 0.266 mm or less, containing, by weight, 12.5 to 14.5 percent 
chromium, and certified at the time of entry to be used in the 
manufacture of razor blades. See Chapter 72 of the HTS, ``Additional 
U.S. Note'' 1(d).
    Flapper valve steel is also excluded from the scope of the order. 
This product is defined as stainless steel strip in coils containing, 
by weight, between 0.37 and 0.43 percent carbon, between 1.15 and 1.35 
percent molybdenum, and between 0.20 and 0.80 percent manganese. This 
steel also contains, by weight, phosphorus of 0.025 percent or less, 
silicon of between 0.20 and 0.50 percent, and sulfur of 0.020 percent 
or less. The product is manufactured by means of vacuum arc remelting, 
with inclusion controls for sulphide of no more than 0.04 percent and 
for oxide of no more than 0.05 percent. Flapper valve steel has a 
tensile strength of between 210 and 300 ksi, yield strength of between 
170 and 270 ksi, plus or minus 8 ksi, and a hardness (Hv) of between 
460 and 590. Flapper valve steel is most commonly used to produce 
specialty flapper valves in compressors.
    Also excluded is a product referred to as suspension foil, a 
specialty steel product used in the manufacture of suspension 
assemblies for computer disk drives. Suspension foil is described as 
302/304 grade or 202 grade stainless steel of a thickness between 14 
and 127 microns, with a thickness tolerance of plus-or-minus 2.01 
microns, and surface glossiness of 200 to 700 percent Gs. Suspension 
foil must be supplied in coil widths of not more than 407 mm, and with 
a mass of 225 kg or less. Roll marks may only be visible on one side, 
with no scratches of measurable depth. The material must exhibit 
residual stresses of 2 mm maximum deflection, and flatness of 1.6 mm 
over 685 mm length.
    Certain stainless steel foil for automotive catalytic converters is 
also excluded from the scope of this order. This stainless steel strip 
in coils is a specialty foil with a thickness of between 20 and 110 
microns used to produce a metallic substrate with a honeycomb structure 
for use in automotive catalytic converters. The steel contains, by 
weight, carbon of no more than 0.030 percent, silicon of no more than 
1.0 percent, manganese of no more than 1.0 percent, chromium of between 
19 and 22 percent, aluminum of no less than 5.0 percent, phosphorus of 
no more than 0.045 percent, sulfur of no more than 0.03 percent, 
lanthanum of less than 0.002 or greater than 0.05 percent, and total 
rare earth elements of more than 0.06 percent, with the balance iron.
    Permanent magnet iron-chromium-cobalt alloy stainless strip is also 
excluded from the scope of this order. This ductile stainless steel 
strip contains, by weight, 26 to 30 percent chromium, and 7 to 10 
percent cobalt, with the remainder of iron, in widths 228.6 mm or less, 
and a thickness between 0.127 and 1.270 mm. It exhibits magnetic 
remanence between 9,000 and 12,000 gauss, and a coercivity of between 
50 and 300 oersteds. This product is most commonly used in electronic 
sensors and is currently available under proprietary trade names such 
as ``Arnokrome III.'' 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ ``Arnokrome III'' is a trademark of the Arnold Engineering 
Company.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Certain electrical resistance alloy steel is also excluded from the 
scope of this order. This product is defined as a non-magnetic 
stainless steel manufactured to American Society of Testing and 
Materials (ASTM) specification B344 and containing, by weight, 36 
percent nickel, 18 percent chromium, and 46 percent iron, and is most 
notable for its resistance to high temperature corrosion. It has a 
melting point of 1390 degrees Celsius and displays a creep rupture 
limit of 4 kilograms per square millimeter at 1000 degrees Celsius. 
This steel is most commonly used in the production of heating ribbons 
for circuit breakers and industrial furnaces, and in rheostats for 
railway locomotives. The product is currently available under 
proprietary trade names such as ``Gilphy 36.'' 2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ ``Gilphy 36'' is a trademark of Imphy, S.A.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Certain martensitic precipitation-hardenable stainless steel is 
also excluded from the scope of this order. This high-strength, ductile 
stainless steel product is designated under the Unified Numbering 
System (UNS) as S45500-grade steel, and contains, by weight, 11 to 13 
percent chromium, and 7 to 10 percent nickel. Carbon, manganese, 
silicon and molybdenum each comprise, by weight, 0.05 percent or less, 
with phosphorus and sulfur each comprising, by weight, 0.03 percent or 
less. This steel has copper, niobium, and titanium added to achieve 
aging, and will exhibit yield strengths as high as 1700 Mpa and 
ultimate tensile strengths as high as 1750 Mpa after aging, with 
elongation percentages of 3 percent or less in 50 mm. It is generally 
provided in thicknesses between 0.635 and 0.787 mm, and in widths of 
25.4 mm. This product is most commonly used in the manufacture of 
television tubes and is currently available under proprietary trade 
names such as ``Durphynox 17.'' 3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ ``Durphynox 17'' is a trademark of Imphy, S.A.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Finally, three specialty stainless steels typically used in certain 
industrial blades and surgical and medical instruments are also 
excluded from the scope of this order. These include stainless steel 
strip in coils used in the production of textile cutting tools (e.g., 
carpet knives).4 This steel is similar to AISI grade 420 but 
containing, by weight, 0.5 to 0.7 percent of molybdenum. The steel also 
contains, by weight, carbon of between 1.0 and 1.1 percent, sulfur of 
0.020 percent or less, and includes between 0.20 and 0.30 percent 
copper and between 0.20 and 0.50 percent cobalt. This steel is sold 
under proprietary names such as ``GIN4 Mo.'' The second excluded 
stainless steel strip in coils is similar to AISI 420-J2 and contains, 
by weight, carbon of between 0.62 and 0.70 percent, silicon of between 
0.20 and 0.50 percent, manganese of between 0.45 and 0.80 percent, 
phosphorus of no more than 0.025 percent and sulfur of no more than 
0.020 percent. This steel has a carbide density on average of 100

[[Page 40567]]

carbide particles per 100 square microns. An example of this product is 
``GIN5'' steel. The third specialty steel has a chemical composition 
similar to AISI 420 F, with carbon of between 0.37 and 0.43 percent, 
molybdenum of between 1.15 and 1.35 percent, but lower manganese of 
between 0.20 and 0.80 percent, phosphorus of no more than 0.025 
percent, silicon of between 0.20 and 0.50 percent, and sulfur of no 
more than 0.020 percent. This product is supplied with a hardness of 
more than Hv 500 guaranteed after customer processing, and is supplied 
as, for example, ``GIN6''.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ This list of uses is illustrative and provided for 
descriptive purposes only.
    \5\ ``GIN4 Mo,'' ``GIN5'' and ``GIN6'' are the proprietary 
grades of Hitachi Metals America, Ltd.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Antidumping Duty Orders

    On July 19, 1999, the International Trade Commission (the 
Commission) notified the Department of its final determination pursuant 
to section 735(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Tariff Act that an industry in the 
United States is materially injured by reason of less-than-fair-value 
imports of subject merchandise from Japan. Therefore, in accordance 
with section 736(a)(1) of the Tariff Act, the Department will direct 
Customs officers to assess, upon further advice by the Department, 
antidumping duties equal to the amount by which the normal value of the 
merchandise exceeds the export price (or constructed export price) of 
the merchandise for all relevant entries of stainless steel sheet and 
strip in coils from Japan. These antidumping duties will be assessed on 
all unliquidated entries of stainless steel sheet and strip in coils 
from Japan entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or 
after January 4, 1999, the date on which the Department published its 
notice of preliminary determination in the Federal Register (64 FR 
108). On or after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, Customs officers must require, at the same time as importers 
would normally deposit estimated duties, cash deposits for the subject 
merchandise equal to the estimated weighted-average antidumping duty 
margins as noted below. The ``All Others'' rate applies to all 
exporters of subject stainless steel sheet and strip in coils not 
specifically listed. The revised weighted-average dumping margins are 
as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Weighted-
                                                               average
                   Exporter/manufacturer                        margin
                                                              (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kawasaki Steel Corporation.................................        40.18
Nippon Steel Corporation...................................        57.87
Nisshin Steel Co., Ltd.....................................        57.87
Nippon Yakin Kogyo.........................................        57.87
Nippon Metal Industries....................................        57.87
All Others.................................................        40.18
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This notice constitutes the antidumping duty order with respect to 
stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Japan. Interested parties 
may contact the Department's Central Records Unit, room B-099 of the 
main Commerce building, for copies of an updated list of antidumping 
duty orders currently in effect.
    This order is published in accordance with section 736(a) of the 
Tariff Act of 1930, as amended.

    Dated: July 21, 1999.
Bernard Carreau,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-19128 Filed 7-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P