Steel Products Prices North America
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/media/k2/items/src/4dd49f543acc8ace84597190e2fd4dcf.jpg)
DOC Closes Loophole on OCTG Imports from China
Written by Sandy Williams
February 13, 2014
The US Department of Commerce said it will maintain anti-dumping and countervailing duties on oil country tubular goods (OCTG) imported from China, in announcement made earlier this week.
The recent decision closed loopholes in the 2009 AD/CV duties imposed by the International Trade Commission, which allowed pipe made in China but finished in other countries to slip through trade enforcement rules.
Commenting on the decision, The American Iron and Steel Institute said, “We are very pleased that the Department of Commerce has taken this significant step in working to prevent foreign companies from circumventing U.S. trade laws pertaining to steel imports. The U.S. laws against unfair trade exist to counter market-distorting practices and restore conditions of fair trade. U.S. companies and their workers deserve to have a fair shake, and we applaud this decision in addressing the problem of unfairly traded OCTG imports.”
In 2012, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) led a group of senators in encouraging the Department of Commerce to maintain the AD/CV duties to protect steel companies, such US Steel and Vallorec Star in Ohio, from illegal Chinese trade practices concerning steel pipe imports. The two senators sent a letter to the DOC in May 2013 and, most recently, in November 2013 urging the DOC to close the loopholes that changed “country of origin” from China to the country where the pipes received finishing treatment and threading or coupling.
“The Commerce Department’s ruling is excellent news for Ohio’s workers and manufacturers like those at U. S. Steel and Vallourec Star,” said Brown. “This decision makes it clear that countries like China can’t use loopholes to circumvent international law and evade anti-dumping and countervailing duties. Our steelmakers can compete with anyone in the world, and now we’ve taken a step towards leveling the playing field and protecting domestic jobs.”
“This ruling is an important step forward in ensuring that American manufactured goods can compete with their global competitors on a level playing field,” said Portman. “This is good news to the thousands of American workers who were threatened from the risk of watered-down protections which would have allowed cheap Chinese products to flood our domestic markets.”
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/sandy-williams.jpeg)
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Products Prices North America
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/CRU-Logo-2023-07-21-at-4.35.41-PM.png)
CRU: Longs pricing trends diverge in North, South America
Most longs prices in the US were unchanged this month, except for rebar, which declined by $1.50/cwt ($30/short ton) m/m. While end-use demand is stable, inventories are well-stocked, keeping purchases limited. Domestic availability is sufficient to meet current demand, hindering the appetite for imported material. Meanwhile, prices for scrap remained under pressure in June, with […]
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/Nucor.png)
Nucor cuts plate prices by $125/ton, cites ongoing competition
Nucor Corp. announced that its plate mill group would cut prices for as-rolled, discrete, and normalized plate with the opening of its August order book.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/Nucor.png)
Nucor cuts HR price for fourth straight week
Nucor lowered its consumer spot price (CSP) for hot-rolled (HR) coil by another $10 per short ton (st) for the first week of July. The steelmaker said in a letter to customers on Monday that its CSP base price for the week will be $670/st for all of its sheet mills with the exception of California Steel Industries (CSI).
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/Cliffs_logo2.2.png)
Cliffs sets $720/ton HR price with opening of August books
Cleveland-Cliffs on Tuesday announced its monthly hot-rolled (HR) coil price of $720 per short ton (st) with the official opening of its August order book. The rate is down from last month’s price of $800/st.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/CRU-Logo-2023-07-21-at-4.35.41-PM.png)
CRU: Demand weakness continues to weigh on global sheet markets
Demand has remained persistently weak across the globe for sheet steel, weighing on prices. US HR coil prices fell the furthest this week as high-volume, low-priced deals were transacted as mills looked to fill order books and competed with one another amid relative demand weakness. Meanwhile, European prices were also down due to low demand […]