WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Commerce will impose countervailing duty orders and antidumping orders on imports of certain oil country tubular goods from six countries, including Korea, following a ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission.

The commission determined Friday that a U.S. industry was “materially injured or threatened with material injury” due to the OCTG imports from Korea, India, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam that Commerce determined were sold in the United States at less than fair market value, and that imports of the products are subsidized by India and Turkey.

The commission further ruled that the U.S. industry was not materially injured or threatened with material injury by imports of the products from the Philippines and Thailand, and that no orders would be issued on products from those countries.  

OCTG products are used for domestic oil exploration, particularly shale. Petitioning companies in Ohio included JMC Steel in Warren, Vallourec Star in Youngstown, TMK IPSKO in Brookfield and US Steel in Lorain. 

Reaction to the ruling was bipartisan praise for the ITC.

The six countries represent more than 90% of dumped imports into the United States last year, according to a news release issued jointly by U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio).

“The ruling is a victory for Ohio steel and for Ohio workers,” Brown  said. “The evidence is clear -- and we’ve seen that the Commerce Department and ITC agree -- that these companies are ignoring trade law and undermining American manufacturing. It’s past time to stand up for companies and give them the relief they need. The producers and workers in Youngstown, Warren, Lorain, Brookfield, and across Ohio can compete with anyone -- as long as it’s a level playing field.”

Portman also expressed his satisfaction.

“I’m pleased with today’s ruling reaffirming that American manufacturers deserve to compete on a level playing field,” he said. “Ohio pipe and tube companies are among the best in the world, but we must stand up to foreign competitors who break trade rules at the expense of Ohio workers.”  

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-13 Ohio, similarly hailed the ruling. 

“This decision makes it clear that a number of countries have been taking advantage of our American workers -- and gaining an unfair advantage provided not by competition and higher productivity, but by government subsidies and currency manipulations,” Ryan remarked. “As I have said before, we cannot allow good-paying jobs to be taken away from companies in my district like Warren’s Energex Tube, TMK IPSCO, and Vallourec Star.”

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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