[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26041-26043]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6674]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-588-845]


Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From Japan; Final 
Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: On February 13, 2006, the Department of Commerce (the 
Department) published in the Federal Register a notice announcing the 
preliminary rescission of the administrative review of the antidumping 
duty order on stainless steel sheet and strip in coils (SSSSC) from 
Japan. See Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Japan: 
Preliminary Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 71 FR 
7522 (February 13, 2006) (Preliminary Rescission). The period of review 
(POR) is July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005. We are rescinding this review 
because there were no entries of SSSSC for consumption in the United 
States during the POR that are subject to review.

DATES: Effective Date: May 3, 2006.

[[Page 26042]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Trainor or Kate Johnson, AD/
CVD Operations, Office 2, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20230; telephone (202) 482-
4007 or (202) 482-4929, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    This review covers Kawasaki Steel Corporation (Kawasaki) and its 
alleged successor-in-interest, JFE Steel Corporation (JFE).\1\ On 
February 13, 2006, the Department published in the Federal Register the 
preliminary rescission of the administrative review of SSSSC from 
Japan. See Preliminary Rescission. We invited parties to comment on our 
preliminary rescission of this administrative review, however we 
received no such comments from interested parties.
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    \1\ While the Department initiated this administrative review 
with respect to merchandise manufactured and/or exported by Kawasaki 
as well as its alleged successor-in-interest, JFE, due to Kawasaki/
JFE's no-shipment claim, the Department did not have the opportunity 
to conduct a successor-in-interest analysis in order to confirm 
whether, for antidumping purposes, JFE is the successor-in-interest 
to Kawasaki with respect to the subject merchandise. However, both 
the petitioners and respondent have consistently referred to JFE as 
the successor-in-interest to Kawasaki in their submissions to the 
Department with respect to this and the previous review. See 
Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Japan: Preliminary 
Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 70 FR 18369 
(April 11, 2005).
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    After examining the information on the record, we continue to find 
that JFE did not have any entries of subject merchandise during this 
POR. Consequently, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3) and 
consistent with our practice, we are rescinding this administrative 
review. For further discussion, see the ``Rescission of Review'' 
section of this notice, below.

Scope of the Order

    For purposes of this order, the products covered are certain SSSSC. 
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 currently classifiable in 
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) at 
subheadings: 7219.13.00.31, 7219.13.00.51, 7219.13.00.71, 
7219.13.00.81, 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, 
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 review 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

[[Page 26043]]

electronic sensors and is currently available under proprietary trade 
names such as ``Arnokrome III.'' \2\
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    \2\ ``Arnokrome III'' is a trademark of the Arnold Engineering 
Company.
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    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.'' \3\
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    \3\ ``Gilphy 36'' is a trademark of Imphy, S.A.
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    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.'' \4\
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    \4\ ``Durphynox 17'' is a trademark of Imphy, S.A.
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    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).\5\ 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 
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.'' \6\
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    \5\ This list of uses is illustrative and provided for 
descriptive purposes only.
    \6\ ``GIN4 Mo,'' ``GIN5'' and ``GIN6'' are the proprietary 
grades of Hitachi Metals America, Ltd.
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Period of Review

    The POR is July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005.

Rescission of Review

    On October 5, 2005, JFE notified the Department that it did not 
have any shipments and/or entries of subject merchandise into the 
United States during the POR. As described in the preliminary results, 
we confirmed JFE's claim by examining U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) import data and documentation, and comments placed on 
the record by JFE. Accordingly, we determined that the record contains 
no evidence that JFE had knowledge of the U.S. destination of a 
particular JFE-produced shipment of SSSSC during the POR that we 
observed during our review of the CBP import data. See Preliminary 
Rescission, 71 FR at 7524. Therefore, in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.213(d)(3) and consistent with the Department's practice, we are 
rescinding our review of the antidumping duty order on stainless steel 
sheet and strip in coils from Japan for the period of July 1, 2004, 
through June 30, 2005. See, e.g., Certain Steel Concrete Reinforcing 
Bars From Turkey; Final Results, Rescission of Antidumping Duty 
Administrative Review in Part, and Determination To Revoke in Part, 70 
FR 67665, 67666 (Nov. 8, 2005). We will instruct CBP to liquidate the 
entry in question at the ``All-Others Rate,'' 40.18 percent, as it was 
made by an intermediary company (e.g., a reseller) not covered in this 
review, a prior review, or the less-than-fair-value investigation. See 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings: Assessment of 
Antidumping Duties, 68 FR 23954 (May 6, 2003). The cash deposit rate 
for Kawasaki and JFE will continue to be the rate established in the 
most recently completed segment of this proceeding.
    This notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to the 
administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility 
concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under 
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely notification of the 
return/destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial 
protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the 
regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.
    We are issuing and publishing this determination and notice in 
accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i) of the Act.

    Dated: April 26, 2006.
Stephen J. Claeys,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
 [FR Doc. E6-6674 Filed 5-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P