Analysis
February 27, 2026
New trade case filed against large-diameter graphite electrodes
Written by Laura Miller
US graphite electrode producers have requested a trade investigation into imports of large-diameter graphite electrodes (LDGE) from China and India.
The LDGE Fair Trade Coalition and its individual members filed anti-dumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) petitions with the US Department of Commerce and US International Trade Commission on Feb. 24.
LDGEs for the purpose of these investigations are those exceeding 425 millimeters (16.7 inches) in diameter in finished or unfinished form, according to case documents reviewed by SMU. Electrodes are critical to electric-arc furnace steelmaking and the production of other non-ferrous metals.
The LDGE Fair Trade Coalition is made up of Resonac Graphite America Inc. of South Carolina and Tokai Carbon GE LLC of North Carolina. GrafTech International is listed as another domestic LDGE producer who supports the coalition’s petitions.
“We stand firmly behind the Petition as part of our commitment to protecting the integrity of the US graphite electrode industry,” GrafTech President and CEO Timothy Flanagan said in a statement. “Ensuring fair competition is vital for the sustainability of American manufacturing and the steel industry. We are confident that the US Department of Commerce and the ITC will conduct a thorough investigation and take the necessary actions to address these unfair trade practices.”
The petitions allege a surge of dumped and subsidized LDGEs from China and India has depressed prices in the US market and caused declines in domestic shipments.
“Petitioners have suffered material injury by reason of the subject imports, as manifested in market share lost to the unfair imports, depressed US prices, and resulting deterioration in key trade and financial variables,” the petition states.
Indeed, GrafTech has been struggling with aggressive competitor pricing, as evidenced by its most recent earnings report, which showed it remained in the red.
The petitions allege dumping margins up to 74% for India and 147% for China. They also allege that producers and exporters in both nations received countervailable government subsidies.
The Commerce Department has 20 days from receipt of the petitions to decide whether to initiate the case. If initiated, the ITC will make its initial injury determination by April 10.
There is currently an AD order on imports of small-diameter graphite electrodes from China. It’s been in place since 2009 and covers electrodes with diameters of 400 mm (16 inches) or less. The duties were continued last summer after a sunset review in which Commerce found that allowing the duties to expire would lead to renewed dumping at margins of up to 159.64%.
