On March 12, 2015, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced the initiation of an antidumping duty (AD) investigation of imports of the compound silicomanganese from Australia.  Silicomanganese, also referred to as ferrosilicon manganese, is a ferroalloy used in the manufacturing of steel and cast iron.

The scope of the investigation covers all forms, sizes and compositions of silicomanganese except low-carbon silicomanganese, including silicomanganese briquettes, fines and slag.  The low-carbon silicomanganese excluded from this investigation is a ferroalloy with the following chemical specifications by weight: minimum 55 percent manganese, minimum 27 percent silicon, minimum 4 percent iron, maximum 0.10 percent phosphorus, maximum 0.10 percent carbon, and maximum 0.05 percent sulfur. Silicomanganese and the excluded low-carbon silicomanganese are both properly classifiable under subheading 7202.30.0000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS).

The petitioner for the investigation is Felman Production, LLC (FL).  The alleged dumping margin for silicomanganese from Australia is 77.97 percent.  In 2014, imports of silicomanganese from Australia were valued at an estimated $76.9 million.

The petition for this investigation was filed February 19, 2015 and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to make its preliminary injury determination on or before April 6, 2015.  If the ITC determines that there is a reasonable indication that imports of silicomanganese from Australia materially injure, or threaten material injury to, domestic industry, the investigation will continue and Commerce will be scheduled to make its preliminary AD determination in July 2015.  If the ITC’s preliminary determination is negative, the investigation will be terminated.  For more information on the AD investigation process, visit the AD/CVD Fundamentals page.

If you have questions about AD investigation or antidumping duties, please contact Frohsin & Barger at (205)-933-4006.