October 19, 2009
News Release 09-084
Inv. No. 701-TA-460 (Final)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC or Commission) today determined that a U.S. industry is neither materially injured nor threatened with material injury by reason of imports of ni-resist piston inserts from Argentina that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are subsidized.

All six Commissioners voted in the negative.

As a result of the Commission's negative determination, no countervailing duty order on imports of these products from Argentina will be issued.

The Commission's public report Ni-Resist Piston Inserts from Argentina (Investigation No. 701- TA-460 (Final), USITC Publication 4104, October 2009) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

Copies may be obtained after November 19, 2009, by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or by writing the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202-205-2104.

Product Description: Nickel-resist (Ni-resist) piston inserts are alloyed cast iron rings, with or without a sheet metal cooling channel pressed and welded into the interior of the insert, used in aluminum pistons for diesel engines to improve the wear resistance and working life of the piston. Ni-resist piston inserts are also commonly referred to as "ring carriers" or "Alfin inserts." Ni-resist piston inserts are composed of the material known as Ni-resist, of the following chemical composition: 13.5 percent to 17.5 percent nickel, 5.5 percent to 8.0 percent copper, 0.8 percent to 2.5 percent chromium, 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent manganese, 1.0 percent to 3.0 percent silicon, and 2.4 percent to 3.0 percent carbon. The cast iron composition is produced primarily to the material specifications of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), ASTM A 436 grade 1.

Status of Proceedings:

1. Type of investigations: Final countervailing duty.
2. Petitioner:  Korff Holdings LLC dba Quaker City Castings, Salem, Ohio.
3. Final investigation instituted by the USITC: July 6, 2009.
4. Commission's hearing: September 17, 2009.
5. USITC vote: October 19, 2009.
6. USITC determinations to the U.S. Department of Commerce: October 29, 2009.
7. USITC views to the U.S. Department of Commerce: October 29, 2009.

U.S. Industry:

1. Number of producers in 2008:  One.
2. Location of producer's plant:  Ohio.
3. Employment of production and related workers in 2008: (2)
4. Apparent U.S. consumption in 2008: (2)
5. Ratio of the value of total U.S. imports to total U.S. consumption in 2008: (2)

U.S. Imports:

1. From the subject countries during 2008: (2)
2. From other countries during 2008: (2)
3. Leading sources during 2008: (2)

(1) Commerce made a final determination that countervailable subsidies were not being provided to producers and exporters of Ni-resist piston inserts from Korea, and therefore terminated the investigation concerning Korea. The Commission also terminated its investigation on Ni-resist piston inserts from Korea. 74 FR 51319, October 6, 2009.

(2) Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.