USITC determines imports of common alloy aluminium sheet from China are detrimental to U.S. domestic producers

A Press release from Aluminum Association confirms that The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) determined that the unfairly-traded imports of common alloy aluminium sheet from China have harmed the business of U.S. producers. The U.S. Department of Commerce will impose antidumping duties ranging from 49.85 to 59.72 percent and countervailing duties ranging from 46.48 to 116.49 percent on their import.  The USITC’s determination has successfully completed the investigations initiated by the Department of Commerce in November 2017.

“Rules are essential to a functioning global trading system and businesses as well as workers must have confidence that rules are enforced fairly and consistently,” said Aluminum Association President & CEO Heidi Brock.

“Today’s unanimous decision reinforces that message and provides much-needed certainty and confidence to U.S. common alloy sheet producers, allowing them to invest, grow, and add jobs to the US economy,” she added. She also thanked the efforts of the DOC in this regard.

Common alloy aluminium sheet imports from China increased by 731 percent between 2007 and 2017 and by nearly 32% percent between 2015 and 2017. In 2017, it accounted for nearly 40 percent of total U.S. imports of that product. After Commerce Department initiated the investigation and preliminary determination against its import in April and June, imports of common alloy sheet from China receded by more than 90 percent in comparison to the period before the determinations.  

DOC also finalized antidumping/countervailing duties against the import of aluminium foil from China earlier this year, which helped drive several hundred million dollars of domestic investment in that sector, indicating the impact of targeted trade enforcement action. 

The unfair trade investigations were initiated against common alloy aluminium sheet, a flat-rolled aluminium product with a thickness of 6.3 mm or less, but greater than 0.2 mm. They are available in coils or cut-to-length, regardless of width, and are manufactured from a 1XXX-, 3XXX-, or 5XXX-series alloy.  The investigation includes both unclad aluminium sheet, as well as multi-alloy, clad aluminium sheet.

These common aluminium alloy sheets are used in gutters and downspouts, building facades, street signs and license plates, electrical boxes, kitchen appliances and tractor-trailers for trucks. Aluminium can stock that is suitable for use in the manufacture of aluminium beverage cans, lids, or tabs are excluded from this investigation.

Representatives from the Aluminum Association Trade Enforcement Working Group testified during the processing of these investigative actions.