U.S. steelmakers and the United Steelworkers of America have filed hot-band and plate cases during the last several months. They also have participated in the Stand Up for Steel campaign to make people aware of unfairly traded imported steel. The more supply of hot band you have, the lower the price is going to be. But for Bethlehem Steel chairman Curtis H. Barnette, who has become the industry's point man for the trade cases, the key question is whether the product is fairly traded. While the rate of imported slabs has held constant, imports of finished steel recently have increased greatly, Barnette points out.
Any producer has an opportunity to file a trade case against unfairly traded slabs.
Richard Riederer, Weirton Steel's president and CEO, has said his company would consider buying from Brazil, an initial defendent in the hot-rolled trade case. WCI Steel recently placed an order for slabs from a domestic producer. Other U.S. steelmakers stress that to compete effectively, they must search the marketplace for opportunities. That often means buying foreign slabs. AK looks worldwide, a spokesman there says.