March 17, 2021
News Release 21-038
Inv. No(s). 701-TA-653 (Final)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
Subsidized Standard Steel Welded Wire Mesh from Mexico Injures U.S. Industry, Says USITC

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of standard steel welded wire mesh that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are subsidized by the government of Mexico.

Chair Jason E. Kearns, Vice Chair Randolph J. Stayin, and Commissioners David S. Johanson, Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the affirmative. 

As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determination, Commerce will issue a countervailing duty order on imports of standard steel welded wire mesh from Mexico.

The Commission’s public report Standard Steel Welded Wire Mesh from Mexico (Inv. No. 701-TA-653 (Final), USITC Publication 5175, March 2021) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

The report will be available by April 13, 2021; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20436

FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Standard Steel Welded Wire Mesh from Mexico
Investigation No. 701-TA-653 (Final)

Product Description:  The scope of this investigation covers uncoated standard welded steel reinforcement wire mesh (standard wire mesh) produced from smooth or deformed wire. Standard wire mesh is produced in square and rectangular grids of uniformly spaced steel wires that are welded at all intersections. Sizes are specified by combining the spacing of the wires in inches or millimeters and the wire cross-sectional area in hundredths of square inch or millimeters squared. Standard wire mesh may be packaged and sold in rolls or in sheets.

Status of Proceedings:

1.   Type of investigations:  Final countervailing duty investigation.
2.   Petitioners:  Insteel Industries Inc., Mount Airy, NC; Mid-South Wire Co., Nashville, TN; National Wire LLC, Conroe, TX; Oklahoma Steel & Wire Co., Madill, OK; and Wire Mesh Corp., Houston, TX.
3.   USITC Institution Date:  Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
4.   USITC Hearing Date:  Friday, February 12, 2021.
5.   USITC Vote Date:  Wednesday, March 17, 2021.
6.   USITC Notification to Commerce Date:  Monday, April 5, 2021.

U.S. Industry in 2019:

1.   Number of U.S. producers:  11 responding firms.
2.   Locations of producers’ plants:  California, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
3.   Production and related workers:  515.
4.   U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments:  $269 million.
5.   Apparent U.S. consumption:  [1]
6.   Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption:  1

U.S. Imports in 2019:

1.   Subject imports:  1
2.   Nonsubject imports:  1
3.   Leading import source:  Mexico.

 

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

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