Companhia Paulista De Ferro-Ligas v. United States

20 Ct. Int'l Trade 473
CourtUnited States Court of International Trade
DecidedApril 15, 1996
DocketCourt No. 95-01-00068
StatusPublished

This text of 20 Ct. Int'l Trade 473 (Companhia Paulista De Ferro-Ligas v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of International Trade primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Companhia Paulista De Ferro-Ligas v. United States, 20 Ct. Int'l Trade 473 (cit 1996).

Opinion

Opinion

Restani, Judge:

This matter is before the court on a motion for judgment upon the agency record pursuant to USCIT Rule 56.2 by plaintiffs Companhia Paulista De Ferro-Ligas and Sibra Eletro Siderurgica Brasileira S/A (collectively “Paulista” or “Paulista Group”). Plaintiffs contest the affirmative material injury determination by the United States International Trade Commission (the “Commission”) in the antidump-ing investigation of silicomanganese from Brazil, the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), Ukraine, and Venezuela. See Silicomanganese from Brazil, the People’s Republic of China, Ukraine, and Venezuela, USITC Pub. 2836, Inv. Nos. 731-TA-671-674 (Dec. 1994) (affirmative final [474]*474determ.) (“Final Det.”). The Commission’s affirmative material injury determination consists of a present material injury determination by Commissioners Rohr and Newquist and an affirmative threat of material injury determination by Chairman Watson. See id. at 1-3. Plaintiffs contest only the affirmative material injury determination regarding imports from Brazil as unsupported by substantial evidence on the record or otherwise not in accordance with law.

Background

Silicomanganese is a metallic, silvery ferroalloy used primarily as an additive in the production of steel. It provides a source of both manganese and silicon for advanced products in iron and steelmaking. Id. at 1-6. On November 9, 1993, Elkem Metals Co. (“Elkem”), and the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers, Local 3-639, filed a petition with the International Trade Administration of the United States Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) and the Commission alleging material injury or threat of material injury by reason of less than fair value (“LTFV”) imports of silicomanganese from Brazil, the PRC, Ukraine, and Venezuela. Commerce published affirmative final determinations on November 7, 1994, finding that imports of silicomanganese from Brazil, the PRC, and Venezuela were being sold in the United States at less than fair value. See Silicomanganese From Brazil, 59 Fed. Reg. 55,432 (Dep’t Comm. 1994) (final det.); Silicomanganese From the People’s Republic of China, 59 Fed. Reg. 55,435 (Dep’t Comm. 1994) (final det.); Silicomanganese From Venezuela, 59 Fed. Reg. 55,436 (Dep’t Comm. 1994) (final det.). On December 6, 1994, Commerce published a final affirmative determination of LTFV sales for Ukraine. Silicomanganese From Ukraine, 59 Fed. Reg. 62,711 (Dep’t Comm. 1994) (final det.). The Commission made affirmative determinations with respect to LTFV imports from Brazil, the PRC, and Ukraine, and a negative determination with respect to imports from Venezuela. Final Det. at 1-3; see also Silicomanganese From Brazil, the People’s Republic of China, Ukraine, and Venezuela, 59 Fed. Reg. 65,788 (USITC 1994). On December 22, 1994, Commerce issued its antidumping duty order with respect to silicoman-ganese from Brazil. See Silicomanganese From Brazil, 59 Fed. Reg. 66,003 (Dep’t Comm. 1994).

Standard of Review

The court will hold unlawful those determinations of the Commission found to be unsupported by substantial evidence on the record, or otherwise not in accordance with law. 19 U.S.C. § 1516a(b)(1)(B)(i) (1994).

Discussion

I. Commissioners Rohr and Newquist’s Determination:

Commissioners Rohr and Newquist found one like product consisting of all silicomanganese and a domestic industry consisting of a single domestic producer, defendant-intervenor Elkem. Final Det. at 1-7. They further determined that subject imports from the four countries should [475]*475be cumulated for purposes of their material injury analysis.1 Id. at 1-15. Plaintiffs do not contest these findings.

In assessing whether the domestic industry was materially injured by reason of LTFV imports, the Commissioners considered relevant economic factors that had a bearing on the condition of the domestic industry. Id. at 1-9. They found that competition in the domestic market was an important factor in their determination. Id. Specifically, the Commissioners found that a large number of importers participate in the U.S. silicomanganese market; more than a dozien non-subject countries export silicomanganese to the United States; demand for advanced types of steel increased over the period of investigation (“POI”), thereby resulting in an increase in the amount of silicomanganese required;2 the combination of inelastic demand in response to price changes and a high level of competition in the market results in buyers switching purchases among suppliers rather than increasing the overall amount of silico-manganese sold; and finally, because of the increasing derivative demand for the product, the principal effect of the large number of suppliers is likely to be found in the overall price level. Id.

The Commissioners reasoned that the nature of competition in the market “forced Elkem to adopt a strategy of lowering price to meet the competition from the subject imports.” Id. at I — 11. They found that Elkem’s financial performance deteriorated over the POI specifically, while Elkem earned a net profit in 1991, it suffered an operating loss in 1992 and in 1993 suffered losses at all levels. Id. Although these trends began to reverse in interim 1994, Elkem’s silicomanganese operation remained unprofitable. Id. Accordingly, the Commissioners found that “the domestic industry is currently experiencing material injury.” Id.

Paulista challenges Commissioners Rohr and Newquist’s determination that the domestic industry was injured by reason of the cumulated LTFV imports. Specifically, plaintiffs dispute the Commissioners’ findings that 1) the increase in the volume of subject imports caused injury to the domestic industry’s market share; 2) despite a finding of a mixed pattern of overselling and underselling, there was “significant” price underselling; and 3) lost sales and revenues demonstrated a shift in sales from the domestic product to subject imports.

Defendant and defendant-intervenor Elkem counter that plaintiff’s objections go the weight the Commissioners accorded the evidence supporting their analyses and the Commission has the discretion to weigh the relevant factors. They contend that Commissioners Rohr and New-quist’s material injury determination is supported by substantial evidence and otherwise in accordance with law.

[476]*476In determining whether a domestic industry is materially injured by reason of the imports under consideration, the Commission must consider:

(I) the volume of imports of the merchandise which is the subject of the investigation,
(II) the effect of imports of that merchandise on prices in the United States for like products, and
(III) the impact of imports of such merchandise on domestic producers of like products, but only in the context of production operations within the United States.

19 U.S.C. § 1677(7)(B)(i) (1988). Pursuant to 19 U.S.C.

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20 Ct. Int'l Trade 473, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/companhia-paulista-de-ferro-ligas-v-united-states-cit-1996.