WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) sent a letter to International Trade Commission (ITC) Chairman Meredith Broadbent urging the ITC to stand up for domestic manufacturers and maintain antidumping duties on unfairly traded Chinese and South African imports of ferrovanadium. Ferrovanadium is an alloy used in the production of steels and other alloys. Brown’s efforts come on behalf of AMG Vanadium located in Cambridge which employs 125 workers and provides products to the metals, manufacturing, refinery, and petrochemical industries.

“Manufacturing is the backbone of the American economy and Ohio manufacturers can compete with any in the world,” Brown said. “But they deserve to compete on a level playing field. That means standing up to countries that violate trade law by illegally dumping their products into our markets. When we do, we help ensure that American companies like AMG Vanadium in Cambridge can continue providing quality American-made materials used in the manufacturing of steel and cast iron.”

Brown’s letter to the ITC points to a March 2014 determination by the U.S. Department of Commerce that found the revoking of antidumping orders would lead to unfair competition by Chinese and South African producers. Currently, North America is the world’s fourth largest consumer of ferrovanadium with a domestic industry employing 330 workers in four states.

The full text of the letter is below:

The Honorable Meredith M. Broadbent

Chairman

U.S. International Trade Commission

500 E Street, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20436           

Dear Chairman Broadbent:

I am writing to express my support for the domestic ferrovanadium industry and their efforts to maintain antidumping duties on ferrovanadium imports from China and South Africa.   Ferrovanadium is used in the production of high-strength, low alloy steel and many other steel products critical to U.S. infrastructure, and the industry has facilities in four states that employ 330 workers.

Since 2003, ferrovanadium imports from China and South Africa have been subject to antidumping orders.  Before these orders were in place, the U.S. industry faced a flood of unfairly traded ferrovanadium that caused material injury to the industry and its workforce.  Without the continuation of the orders, domestic producers would face a dramatic increase in imports at below market prices. 

China and South Africa represent approximately 70 percent of global vanadium production, and both countries have active, export-oriented ferrovanadium sectors.  Between 2009 and 2013, Chinese ferrovanadium exports doubled despite an increase in China’s demand.  South Africa’s exports of ferrovanadium increased each year from 2011 to 2013 and, based on data available, will increase again in 2014.  North America is the fourth largest consumer of ferrovanadium in the world, and Chinese and South African producers would have significant incentives to resume exporting unfairly trade products into our market.  Resumed dumping would threaten the ferrovanadium producers in Ohio and throughout the country and put hundreds of jobs across the country at risk.

In March of this year, the Department of Commerce determined that revoking the antidumping orders would lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping and would likely lead to a range of dumping margins between 12.67 percent and 116 percent.  In light of the Department’s finding, I urge the ITC to maintain the existing antidumping duty orders on imports of ferrovanadium from China and South Africa.   The U.S. ferrovanadium industry deserves to compete on a level playing field, and the antidumping orders are imperative to ensuring they are able to do so.

 

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