[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 194 (Thursday, October 7, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62104-62106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25299]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-428-825, A-588-845, A-580-834, A-583-831]


Certain Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From Germany, 
Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan: Final Results of the 
Expedited Second Sunset Reviews of the Antidumping Duty Orders

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

SUMMARY: On June 2, 2010, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
initiated second sunset reviews of the antidumping duty orders on 
certain stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Germany, Italy, 
Japan, the Republic of Korea (Korea), Mexico, and Taiwan, pursuant to 
section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). The 
Department has conducted expedited (120-day) sunset reviews for the 
Germany, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan antidumping duty orders pursuant to 
19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(C)(2).\1\ As a result of these sunset reviews, 
the Department finds that revocation of the antidumping duty orders 
would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping.
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    \1\ With respect to the antidumping duty orders on certain 
stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Mexico and Italy, the 
Department is conducting full sunset reviews.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Cordell or Angelica Mendoza, AD/
CVD Operations, Office 7, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
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0408, or (202) 482-3019, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Background

    On June 2, 2010, the Department published the notice of initiation 
of the second sunset reviews of the antidumping duty orders on certain 
stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Japan, Germany, Italy, 
Korea, Taiwan, and Mexico, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act. See 
Initiation of Five-Year (``Sunset'') Review, 75 FR

[[Page 62105]]

30777 (June 2, 2010) (Notice of Initiation).
    The Department received a notice of intent to participate from the 
AK Steel Corporation; Allegheny Ludlum Corporation; North American 
Stainless; the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, 
Energy, Allied Industrial Service Workers International Union; United 
Auto Workers Local 3303; and United Auto Workers Local 4104 
(collectively, ``petitioners'' or ``domestic interested parties'') 
within the deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). The 
petitioners claimed domestic interested party status under sections 
771(9)(C) and (D) of the Act stating that they are either producers in 
the United States of a domestic like product or certified unions which 
are representative of an industry engaged in the manufacture, 
production, or wholesale in the United States of a domestic like 
product.
    The Department received adequate substantive responses to the 
Notice of Initiation from the domestic interested parties within the 
30-day deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i). We received no 
substantive responses from respondent interested parties with respect 
to the antidumping duty orders on certain stainless steel sheet and 
strip in coils from Germany, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. As a result, 
pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.218(e)(1)(ii)(C)(2), the Department conducted expedited (120-day) 
sunset reviews of the antidumping duty orders on certain stainless 
steel sheet and strip in coils from Germany, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

Scope of the Orders

    For purposes of the orders, 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 the orders is currently 
classified 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, 
7220.90.00.80.
    Although the HTS subheadings are provided for convenience and 
customs purposes, the Department's written description of the 
merchandise subject to the orders is dispositive. Excluded from the 
scope of the orders 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 the orders. 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 the orders. 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.'' \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 the orders. This product is defined as a non-magnetic 
stainless steel manufactured to

[[Page 62106]]

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 the orders. 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 the orders. 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\ Also excluded from the orders is a 
permanent magnet iron-chromium-cobalt stainless steel strip containing, 
by weight, 13 percent chromium, 6 percent cobalt, 71 percent iron, 6 
percent nickel and 4 percent molybdenum. The product is supplied in 
widths up to 1.27 cm (12.7 mm), inclusive, with a thickness between 45 
and 75 microns, inclusive. This product exhibits magnetic remanence 
between 400 and 780 nWb, and coercivity of between 60 and 100 oersteds. 
This product is currently supplied under the trade name ``SemiVac 90.''
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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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Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised in these sunset reviews are addressed in the 
``Issues and Decision Memorandum for the Final Results of Expedited 
Second Sunset Reviews of the Antidumping Duty Orders on Certain 
Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Germany, Japan, the 
Republic of Korea, and Taiwan'' from Susan H. Kuhbach, Acting Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations, 
to Ronald K. Lorentzen, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import 
Administration (Decision Memo), which is hereby adopted by, and issued 
concurrently with, this notice. The issues discussed in the Decision 
Memo are the likelihood of continuation or recurrence of dumping and 
the magnitude of the margins likely to prevail if the orders were 
revoked. Parties can find a complete discussion of all issues raised in 
these reviews and the corresponding recommendations in this public 
memorandum which is on file in the Central Records Unit, room 7046 of 
the main Department building. In addition, a complete version of the 
Decision Memo can be accessed directly on the Web at http://ia.ita.doc.gov/frn. The paper copy and electronic version of the 
Decision Memo are identical in content.

Final Results of Reviews

    We determine that revocation of the antidumping duty orders on 
certain stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Germany, Japan, 
Korea, and Taiwan would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence 
of dumping at the following weighted-average percentage margins:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Weighted-average margin
     Manufacturers/exporters/ producers               (percent)
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Germany:
  TKN......................................  13.48.
  All-Others Rate..........................  13.48.
Japan:
  Kawasaki Steel Corporation/JFE Steel       40.18.
   Corporation.
  Nippon Steel Corporation.................  57.87.
  Nisshin Steel Co., Ltd...................  57.87.
  Nippon Yakin Kogyo.......................  57.87.
  Nippon Metal Industries..................  57.87.
  All-Others Rate..........................  40.18.
Korea:
  POSCO....................................  2.49.
  Taihan...................................  58.79.
  Daiyang (DMC)............................  5.44.
  All-Others Rate..........................  2.49.
Taiwan:
  Tung Mung/Ta Chen........................  15.40.
  Tung Mung................................  Excluded.
  YUSCO/Ta Chen............................  36.44.
  YUSCO....................................  21.10.
  All-Others Rate..........................  12.61.
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Notification to Interested Parties

    This notice also serves as the only reminder to parties subject to 
administrative protective orders (APO) of their responsibility 
concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information 
disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Timely 
notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or 
conversion to judicial protective orders is hereby requested. Failure 
to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a violation which 
is subject to sanction.
    We are issuing and publishing the results and notice in accordance 
with sections 751(c), 752(c), and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: September 30, 2010.
Ronald K. Lorentzen,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-25299 Filed 10-6-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P