The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of silicomanganese from Australia that are allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determination, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue to conduct its investigation on imports of this product from Australia, with its preliminary antidumping duty determination due on or about July 29, 2015.

The Commission’s public report Silicomanganese from Australia (Investigation No. 731-TA-1269 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 4528, April 2015) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

The report will be available after May 4, 2015.  After that date, it may be accessed on the USITC website at:  http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Office of Industries
Washington, DC 20436

FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Silicomanganese from Australia
Investigation No. 731-TA-1269 (Preliminary)

Product Description: The scope of this investigation covers all forms, sizes and compositions of silicomanganese, except low‐carbon silicomanganese, including silicomanganese briquettes, fines, and slag. Silicomanganese is a ferroalloy composed principally of manganese, silicon, and iron, and normally contains much smaller proportions of minor elements, such as carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur. Silicomanganese is sometimes referred to as ferrosilicon manganese.

The low‐carbon silicomanganese excluded from this investigation is a ferroalloy with the following chemical specifications by weight: minimum 55 percent manganese, minimum 27 percent silicon, minimum 4 percent iron, maximum 0.10 percent phosphorus, maximum 0.10 percent carbon, and maximum 0.05 percent sulfur. Low‐carbon silicomanganese is sometimes referred to as ferromanganese‐silicon.

Status of Proceeding:
1. Type of investigation: Preliminary antidumping.
2. Petitioner: Felman Production LLC, Letart, West Virginia.
3. Preliminary investigation instituted by the USITC: February 19, 2015.
4. Commission’s conference: March 12, 2015.
5. USITC vote: April 3, 2015.
6. USITC determinations to the U.S. Department of Commerce: April 6, 2015.
7. USITC views to the U.S. Department of Commerce: April 13, 2015.

U.S. Industry:
1. Number of producers in 2014: Two.
2. Location of producers’ plants: Ohio and West Virginia.
3. Employment of production and related workers in 2014: [1]
4. Apparent U.S. consumption in 2014: ¹
5. Ratio of the value of total U.S. imports to total U.S. consumption in 2014: ¹

U.S. Imports:
1. From the subject country during 2014: $78.6 million.
2. From other countries during 2014: $368.8 million.
3. Leading sources during 2014: Georgia, South Africa and Australia (in terms of total value).

[1] Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.