MESSAGE NO: 8211111 DATE: 07 30 1998
CATEGORY: ADA TYPE: PRE
REFERENCE: REFERENCE DATE:
CASES: A - 588 - 843 - -
- - - -
- - - -

PERIOD COVERED: 03 05 1998 TO

LIQ SUSPENSION DATE:

TO: CMC DIRECTORS,
PORT DIRECTORS

FROM: DIRECTOR, IMPORT OPERATIONS

RE: NOTICE OF PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION & AMENDED PRELIMINARY
DETERMINATION OF SALES AT LESS THAN FAIR VALUE: STAINLESS
STEEL WIRE ROD FROM JAPAN (A-588-843)

ON MARCH 05, 1998, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PUBLISHED IN THE
FEDERAL REGISTER ITS PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF SALES AT LESS
THAN FAIR VALUE IN THE ANTIDUMPING DUTY INVESTIGATION OF STEEL
WIRE ROD FROM JAPAN. ON MARCH 24, 1998, THE DEPARTMENT OF
COMMERCE PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER ITS AMENDED
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION.

2. SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION

THE PRODUCTS COVERED BY THIS INVESTIGATION ARE HOT-ROLLED OR
HOT-ROLLED ANNEALED AND/OR PICKLED AND/OR DESCALED ROUNDS,
SQUARES, OCTAGONS, HEXAGONS OR OTHER SHAPES, IN COILS, THAT MAY
ALSO BE COATED WITH A LUBRICANT CONTAINING COPPER, LIME, OR
OXALATE. SSWR IS MADE OF ALLOY STEELS CONTAINING, BY WEIGHT
1.2 PERCENT OR LESS OF CARBON AND 10.5 PERCENT OR MORE OF
CHROMIUM, WITH OR WITHOUT OTHER ELEMENTS. THESE PRODUCTS ARE
MANUFACTURED ONLY BY HOT-ROLLING OR HOT-ROLLING, ANNEALING,
AND/OR PICKLING AND/OR DESCALING, ARE NORMALLY SOLD IN COILED
FORM, AND ARE OF SOLID CROSS-SECTION. THE MAJORITY OF SSWR SOLD
IN THE UNITED STATES IS ROUND IN CROSS-SECTIONAL SHAPE, ANNEALED
AND PICKLED, AND LATER COLD-FINISHED INTO STAINLESS STEEL WIRE
OR SMALL-DIAMETER BAR.

THE MOST COMMON SIZE FOR SUCH PRODUCTS IS 5.5 MILLIMETERS OR
0.217 INCHES IN DIAMETER, WHICH REPRESENTS THE SMALLEST SIZE
THAT NORMALLY IS PRODUCED ON A ROLLING MILL AND IS THE SIZE THAT
MOST WIRE DRAWING MACHINES ARE SET UP TO DRAW. THE RANGE OF
SSWR SIZES NORMALLY SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES IS BETWEN 0.20
INCHES AND 1.312 INCHES DIAMETER. TWO STAINLESS STEEL GRADES
SF20T AND K-M35FL ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE SCOPE OF THE
INVESTIGATION. THE CHEMICAL MAKEUP FOR THE EXCLUDED GRADES IS
AS FOLLOWS:

SF20T

CARBON 0.05 MAX CHROMIUM 19.00/21.00
MANGANESE 2.00 MAX MOLYBDENUM 1.50/2.50
PHOSPHOROUS 0.05 MAX LEAD ADDED(0.10/0.30)
SULFUR 0.15 MAX TELLURIUM ADDED(0.03 MIN)
SILICON 1.00 MAX
K-M35FL

CARBON 0.015 MAX NICKEL 0.30 MAX
SILICON 0.70/1.00 CHROMIUM 12.50/14.00
MANGANESE 0.40 MAX LEAD 0.10/0.30
PHOSPHORUS 0.04 MAX ALUMINUM 0.20/0.35
SULFUR 0.03 MAX

THE PRODUCTS UNDER INVESTIGATION ARE CURRENTLY CLASSIFIABLE
UNDER SUBHEADINGS 7221.00.0005, 7221.00.0015, 7221.00.0030,
7221.00.0045, AND 7221.00.0075 OF THE HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE
OF THE UNITED STATES (HTSUS). ALTHOUGH THE HTSUS SUBHEADINGS
ARE PROVIDED FOR CONVENIENCE AND CUSTOMS PURPOSES, THE WRITTEN
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCOPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION IS DISPOSITIVE

3. FOR FURTHER REPORTING PURPOSES THIS CASE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED
INVESTIGATION NUMBER A-588-843.

4. FOR IMPORTS OF SSWR FROM JAPAN THE CUSTOMS SERVICE SHALL
SUSPEND LIQUIDATION OF SUCH SHIPMENTS THAT ARE ENTERED OR
WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE, FOR CONSUMPTION ON OR AFTER MARCH 05,
1998, EXCEPT THOSE PRODUCED AND EXPORTED BY HITACHI METALS, LTD.
EFFECTIVE MARCH 05, 1998, CUSTOMS SHALL REQUIRE OF SUCH ENTRY
SUMMARIES, A CASH DEPOSIT OR THE POSTING OF A BOND EQUAL TO THE
MARGIN SHOWN BELOW:

MFR/PRODUCER CUSTOMS ID MARGIN/EXPORTER
NUMBER PERCENTAGE

HITACHI METALS, LTD. A-588-843-001 0.00%
DAIDO STEEL CO., LTD. A-588-843-002 31.38%
NIPPON STEEL CORP. A-588-843-003 24.41%
SANYO SPECIAL STEEL CO., LTD. A-588-843-004 31.38%
SUMITOMO ELECTRONIC
INDUSTRIES, LTD. A-588-843-005 31.38%

ALL OTHERS RATE A-588-843-000 26.59%

6. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS MATTER BY CUSTOMS
OFFICERS, PLEASE CONTACT, VIA E-MAIL THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE
SUPERVISORY CHANNELS, OTHER GOVERMNET AGENCY LIAISON USING
ATTRIBUTE "HQ OAB." THE IMPORTING PUBLIC AND OTHER INTERESTED
PARTIES SHOULD CONTACT DAVID GENOVESE OF IMPORT ADMINISTRATION,
INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMININISTRATION, OFFICE OF AD/CVD
ENFORCEMENT, AT 202-482-0498.

PAUL SCHWARZ