The United Steelworkers union says a key trade ruling is the first step in slowing down unfairly priced imports, especially from China. It's one of several cases officials in the Metro East have been closely monitoring as they wait for U.S. Steel to decide when it might resume operations at its Granite City plant.

A preliminary determination by the U.S. Department of Commerce indicates cold-rolled flat steel from seven countries has been sold in the U.S. at unfairly low prices. The steel is used in appliances, automotive products, containers and industrial equipment.
The United Steelworkers office in Granite City, Ill.
Credit Wayne Pratt | St. Louis Public Radio

The decision places tariffs on the imports, including a duty of more than 260-percent on Chinese products.

The fees will be imposed in the next week, even though a final ruling by the International Trade Commission is expected later this year.

The next trade ruling involving the domestic steel industry is expected sometime this month. The steelworkers union says seven countries are being investigated for the potential dumping of hot-rolled steel, which is used for items like railroad tracks and I-beams in the construction industry.

A preliminary ruling in is due March 14.

Another case involves corrosion-resistant steel  from five countries. A final determination from the U.S. Department of Commerce is expected in late May.

Favorable decisions in those cases could help get U.S. Steel's Granite City plant back on track.

Madison County Chairman Alan Dunstan told St. Louis Public Radio last week that those investigations could prevent any additional dumping. He also pointed out that unfairly priced foreign steel already in the U.S. is causing a glut in the market and still has to work its way through the system.

"Once you get rid of that surplus, I think you'll steel plants like Granite City that have been idled coming back in full force."

Here are the countries and some of the companies affected by the preliminary ruling:

Brazil

•    Companhia Siderurgica Nacional - 38.93%
•    Usiminas Siderugicas de Minas Gerais - 38.93%

China

•    Countywide Rate - 265.79%

India

•    JSW Steel Limited/JSW Coated Products Limited - 6.78 %

Japan

•    JFE Steel Corporation - 71.35%
•    Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation - 71.35%

Korea

•    POSCO/Daewoo International Corporation - 6.85%
•    Hyundai Steel Corporation - 2.17%

Russia

•    Russia Joint Stock Company Severstal - 12.62%
•    Novolipetsk Steel OJSC - 16.89%

United Kingdom

•    Caparo Precision Strip, Ltd. - 5.79%
•    Tata Steel UK Ltd. - 31.39%

 

Source : stlpublicradio.org

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