[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 10, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49450-49452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20315]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-428-825, A-475-824, A-201-822]


Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From Germany, Italy, and 
Mexico: Revocation of Antidumping Duty Orders

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: On June 2, 2010, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
initiated its second sunset reviews of the antidumping duty orders on 
stainless steel sheet and strip (SSSS) in coils from Germany, Italy, 
and Mexico. Pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as 
amended (the Act), the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) 
determined that revocation of the existing antidumping duty orders on 
SSSS in coils from Germany, Italy, and Mexico would not be likely to 
lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to an industry in 
the United States within a reasonably foreseeable time. Therefore, 
pursuant to section 751(d)(2) of the Act, and 19 CFR 
351.222(i)(1)(iii), the Department is revoking the antidumping duty 
orders on SSSS in coils from Germany, Italy, and Mexico.

DATES: Effective Date: July 25, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Cordell or Angelica Mendoza, AD/
CVD Operations Office 7, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
0408 and (202) 482-3019, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 8, 1999, the Department published its final results of 
sales at less than fair value on SSSS in coils from Germany,\1\ 
Italy,\2\ and Mexico.\3\ On June 2, 2010, the Department initiated its 
second five-year sunset reviews of the antidumping duty orders on SSSS 
in coils from Germany, Italy, and Mexico. See Initiation of Five-Year 
(``Sunset'') Review, 75 FR 30777 (June 2, 2010).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value; 
Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From Germany, 64 FR 30710 
(June 8, 1999).
    \2\ See Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair 
Value: Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From Italy, 64 FR 
30750 (June 8, 1999).
    \3\ See Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair 
Value: Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From Mexico, 64 FR 
30790 (June 8, 1999).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As a result of these sunset reviews, the Department determined that 
revocation of the antidumping duty orders on SSSS in coils from 
Germany, Italy, and Mexico would be likely to lead to the continuation 
or recurrence of dumping. See Certain Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip 
in Coils From Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan: Final 
Results of the Expedited Second Sunset Reviews of the Antidumping Duty 
Orders, 75 FR 62104 (October 7, 2010); Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip 
in Coils From Mexico: Final Results of the Five-Year (``Sunset'') 
Review of the Antidumping Duty Order, 76 FR 25668 (May 5, 2011) and 
Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From Italy: Final Results of 
the Full Five-Year (``Sunset'') Review of the Antidumping Duty Order, 
76 FR 25670 (May 5, 2011). The Department notified the ITC of the 
magnitude of the margins likely to prevail should the antidumping duty 
orders be revoked.
    On August 2, 2011, the ITC published its determination that, 
pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act, revocation of the antidumping 
duty orders on SSSS in coils from Germany, Italy, and Mexico would not 
be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to 
an industry in the United States within a reasonably foreseeable time. 
See Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea,

[[Page 49451]]

Mexico, and Taiwan, 76 FR 46323 (August 2, 2011), and USITC Publication 
4244 (July 2011), titled Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip from Germany, 
Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan (Investigation Nos. 701-TA-382 
and 731-TA-798-803 (Second Review)).

Scope of the Orders

    For purposes of the orders, the products covered are certain 
stainless steel sheet and strip in coils. Stainless steel is an alloy 
steel containing, by weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 
percent or more of chromium, with or without other elements. The 
subject sheet and strip is a flat-rolled product in coils that is 
greater than 9.5 mm in width and less than 4.75 mm in thickness, and 
that is annealed or otherwise heat treated and pickled or otherwise 
descaled. The subject sheet and strip may also be further processed 
(e.g., cold-rolled, polished, aluminized, coated, etc.) provided that 
it maintains the specific dimensions of sheet and strip following such 
processing. The merchandise subject to the orders is currently 
classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) 
at subheadings: 7219.13.00.31, 7219.13.00.51, 7219.13.00.71, 
7219.13.00.81, 7219.14.00.30, 7219.14.00.65, 7219.14.00.90, 
7219.32.00.05, 7219.32.00.20, 7219.32.00.25, 7219.32.00.35, 
7219.32.00.36, 7219.32.00.38, 7219.32.00.42, 7219.32.00.44, 
7219.33.00.05, 7219.33.00.20, 7219.33.00.25, 7219.33.00.35, 
7219.33.00.36, 7219.33.00.38, 7219.33.00.42, 7219.33.00.44, 
7219.34.00.05, 7219.34.00.20, 7219.34.00.25, 7219.34.00.30, 
7219.34.00.35, 7219.35.00.05, 7219.35.00.15, 7219.35.00.30, 
7219.35.00.35, 7219.90.00.10, 7219.90.00.20, 7219.90.00.25, 
7219.90.00.60, 7219.90.00.80, 7220.12.10.00, 7220.12.50.00, 
7220.20.10.10, 7220.20.10.15, 7220.20.10.60, 7220.20.10.80, 
7220.20.60.05, 7220.20.60.10, 7220.20.60.15, 7220.20.60.60, 
7220.20.60.80, 7220.20.70.05, 7220.20.70.10, 7220.20.70.15, 
7220.20.70.60, 7220.20.70.80, 7220.20.80.00, 7220.20.90.30, 
7220.20.90.60, 7220.90.00.10, 7220.90.00.15, 7220.90.00.60, 
7220.90.00.80.
    Although the HTS subheadings are provided for convenience and 
customs purposes, the Department's written description of the 
merchandise subject to the orders is dispositive.
    Excluded from the scope of the orders are the following: (1) Sheet 
and strip that is not annealed or otherwise heat treated and pickled or 
otherwise descaled; (2) sheet and strip that is cut to length, (3) 
plate (i.e., flat-rolled stainless steel products of a thickness of 
4.75 mm or more), (4) flat wire (i.e., cold-rolled sections, with a 
prepared edge, rectangular in shape, of a width of not more than 9.5 
mm, and (5) razor blade steel. Razor blade steel is a flat-rolled 
product of stainless steel, not further worked than cold-rolled (cold-
reduced), in coils, of a width of not more than 23 mm and a thickness 
of 0.266 mm or less, containing, by weight, 12.5 to 14.5 percent 
chromium, and certified at the time of entry to be used in the 
manufacture of razor blades. See Chapter 72 of the HTS, ``Additional 
U.S. Note'' 1(d). Flapper valve steel is also excluded from the scope 
of the order. This product is defined as stainless steel strip in coils 
containing, by weight, between 0.37 and 0.43 percent carbon, between 
1.15 and 1.35 percent molybdenum, and between 0.20 and 0.80 percent 
manganese. This steel also contains, by weight, phosphorus of 0.025 
percent or less, silicon of between 0.20 and 0.50 percent, and sulfur 
of 0.020 percent or less. The product is manufactured by means of 
vacuum arc remelting, with inclusion controls for sulphide of no more 
than 0.04 percent and for oxide of no more than 0.05 percent. Flapper 
valve steel has a tensile strength of between 210 and 300 ksi, yield 
strength of between 170 and 270 ksi, plus or minus 8 ksi, and a 
hardness (Hv) of between 460 and 590. Flapper valve steel is most 
commonly used to produce specialty flapper valves in compressors. Also 
excluded is a product referred to as suspension foil, a specialty steel 
product used in the manufacture of suspension assemblies for computer 
disk drives. Suspension foil is described as 302/304 grade or 202 grade 
stainless steel of a thickness between 14 and 127 microns, with a 
thickness tolerance of plus-or-minus 2.01 microns, and surface 
glossiness of 200 to 700 percent Gs. Suspension foil must be supplied 
in coil widths of not more than 407 mm, and with a mass of 225 kg or 
less. Roll marks may only be visible on one side, with no scratches of 
measurable depth. The material must exhibit residual stresses of 2 mm 
maximum deflection, and flatness of 1.6 mm over 685 mm length. Certain 
stainless steel foil for automotive catalytic converters is also 
excluded from the scope of the orders. This stainless steel strip in 
coils is a specialty foil with a thickness of between 20 and 110 
microns used to produce a metallic substrate with a honeycomb structure 
for use in automotive catalytic converters. The steel contains, by 
weight, carbon of no more than 0.030 percent, silicon of no more than 
1.0 percent, manganese of no more than 1.0 percent, chromium of between 
19 and 22 percent, aluminum of no less than 5.0 percent, phosphorus of 
no more than 0.045 percent, sulfur of no more than 0.03 percent, 
lanthanum of less than 0.002 or greater than 0.05 percent, and total 
rare earth elements of more than 0.06 percent, with the balance iron. 
Permanent magnet iron-chromium-cobalt alloy stainless strip is also 
excluded from the scope of the orders. This ductile stainless steel 
strip contains, by weight, 26 to 30 percent chromium, and 7 to 10 
percent cobalt, with the remainder of iron, in widths 228.6 mm or less, 
and a thickness between 0.127 and 1.270 mm. It exhibits magnetic 
remanence between 9,000 and 12,000 gauss, and a coercivity of between 
50 and 300 oersteds. This product is most commonly used in electronic 
sensors and is currently available under proprietary trade names such 
as ``Arnokrome III.'' \4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ ``Arnokrome III'' is a trademark of the Arnold Engineering 
Company.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Certain electrical resistance alloy steel is also excluded from the 
scope of the orders. This product is defined as a non-magnetic 
stainless steel manufactured to American Society of Testing and 
Materials (ASTM) specification B344 and containing, by weight, 36 
percent nickel, 18 percent chromium, and 46 percent iron, and is most 
notable for its resistance to high temperature corrosion. It has a 
melting point of 1390 degrees Celsius and displays a creep rupture 
limit of 4 kilograms per square millimeter at 1000 degrees Celsius. 
This steel is most commonly used in the production of heating ribbons 
for circuit breakers and industrial furnaces, and in rheostats for 
railway locomotives. The product is currently available under 
proprietary trade names such as ``Gilphy 36.'' \5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ ``Gilphy 36'' is a trademark of Imphy, S.A.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Certain martensitic precipitation-hardenable stainless steel is 
also excluded from the scope of the orders. This high-strength, ductile 
stainless steel product is designated under the Unified Numbering 
System (UNS) as S45500-grade steel, and contains, by weight, 11 to 13 
percent chromium, and 7 to 10 percent nickel. Carbon, manganese, 
silicon and molybdenum each comprise, by weight, 0.05 percent or less, 
with phosphorus and sulfur each comprising, by weight, 0.03 percent or 
less. This steel has copper, niobium, and titanium added to achieve

[[Page 49452]]

aging, and will exhibit yield strengths as high as 1700 Mpa and 
ultimate tensile strengths as high as 1750 Mpa after aging, with 
elongation percentages of 3 percent or less in 50 mm. It is generally 
provided in thicknesses between 0.635 and 0.787 mm, and in widths of 
25.4 mm. This product is most commonly used in the manufacture of 
television tubes and is currently available under proprietary trade 
names such as ``Durphynox 17''.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ ``Durphynox 17'' is a trademark of Imphy, S.A.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Finally, three specialty stainless steels typically used in certain 
industrial blades and surgical and medical instruments are also 
excluded from the scope of the orders. These include stainless steel 
strip in coils used in the production of textile cutting tools (e.g., 
carpet knives).\7\ This steel is similar to AISI grade 420 but 
containing, by weight, 0.5 to 0.7 percent of molybdenum. The steel also 
contains, by weight, carbon of between 1.0 and 1.1 percent, sulfur of 
0.020 percent or less, and includes between 0.20 and 0.30 percent 
copper and between 0.20 and 0.50 percent cobalt. This steel is sold 
under proprietary names such as ``GIN4 Mo.'' The second excluded 
stainless steel strip in coils is similar to AISI 420-J2 and contains, 
by weight, carbon of between 0.62 and 0.70 percent, silicon of between 
0.20 and 0.50 percent, manganese of between 0.45 and 0.80 percent, 
phosphorus of no more than 0.025 percent and sulfur of no more than 
0.020 percent. This steel has a carbide density on average of 100 
carbide particles per 100 square microns. An example of this product is 
``GIN5'' steel. The third specialty steel has a chemical composition 
similar to AISI 420 F, with carbon of between 0.37 and 0.43 percent, 
molybdenum of between 1.15 and 1.35 percent, but lower manganese of 
between 0.20 and 0.80 percent, phosphorus of no more than 0.025 
percent, silicon of between 0.20 and 0.50 percent, and sulfur of no 
more than 0.020 percent. This product is supplied with a hardness of 
more than Hv 500 guaranteed after customer processing, and is supplied 
as, for example, ``GIN6.'' \8\ Also excluded from the orders is a 
permanent magnet iron-chromium-cobalt stainless steel strip containing, 
by weight, 13 percent chromium, 6 percent cobalt, 71 percent iron, 6 
percent nickel and 4 percent molybdenum. The product is supplied in 
widths up to 1.27 cm (12.7 mm), inclusive, with a thickness between 45 
and 75 microns, inclusive. This product exhibits magnetic remanence 
between 400 and 780 nWb, and coercivity of between 60 and 100 oersteds. 
This product is currently supplied under the trade name ``SemiVac 90.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ This list of uses is illustrative and provided for 
descriptive purposes only.
    \8\ ``GIN4 Mo,'' ``GIN5'' and ``GIN6'' are the proprietary 
grades of Hitachi Metals America, Ltd.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Determination

    As a result of the determination by the ITC that revocation of the 
antidumping duty orders is not likely to lead to the continuation or 
recurrence of material injury to an industry in the United States, the 
Department, pursuant to section 751(d) of the Act, is revoking the 
antidumping duty orders on SSSS in coils from Germany, Italy, and 
Mexico. Pursuant to section 751(d)(2) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.222(i)(2)(i), the effective date of revocation is July 25, 2010 
(i.e., the fifth anniversary of the effective date of publication in 
the Federal Register of the previous continuation notice of these 
orders).\9\ The Department will notify U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection to terminate suspension of liquidation and collection of 
cash deposits on entries of the subject merchandise entered or 
withdrawn from warehouse on or after July 25, 2010. Entries of subject 
merchandise prior to the effective date of revocation will continue to 
be subject to suspension of liquidation and antidumping duty deposit 
requirements. The Department will complete any pending administrative 
reviews of these orders.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ See Continuation of Antidumping Duty Orders on Stainless 
Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Germany, Italy, Japan, the 
Republic of Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan, and Countervailing Duty 
Orders on Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Italy and 
the Republic of Korea, 70 FR 44886 (August 4, 2005).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    These five-year sunset reviews and notice are in accordance with 
section 751(d)(2) of the Act and published pursuant to section 
777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: August 3, 2011.
Ronald K. Lorentzen,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-20315 Filed 8-9-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P