Regarding the antidumping (AD) duty investigation request made in the US against OCTG imports from nine countries including Turkey and the countervailing duty (CVD) investigation request in the US against OCTG imports from Turkey and India, Mehmet Zeren, secretary general of the Turkish Steel Pipe Manufacturers Association (CEBID), has stated that, even if the antidumping duty investigations result in favor of Turkey, Turkish exports to the US will be affected negatively during the investigation process.
"The Turkish steel pipe industry exports to over 140 countries with its quality product range. The most important export markets of the Turkish steel pipe industry includes Iraq, the US and EU countries. In recent years, as a result of efforts to enable production of unconventional energy resources in the US, demand for OCTG pipes has seen a substantial increase. The OCTG imports of the US reached 3.25 million mt in 2012, increasing from 1.5 million mt in 2005. Turkey accounts for four percent of US steel pipe imports. The increase in the OCTG imports of the US has had a considerable impact on domestic producers," said Mehmet Zeren.
Mehmet Zeren pointed out that the US accounts for 99 percent of Turkey's OCTG exports and that it is an extremely important market for the industry, adding that the Turkish steel pipe industry has been fighting antidumping duty investigation for years both in the US and EU. Importers are reluctant to conclude purchases in case the outcome of the investigation is against Turkey and this causes a loss of market share, he said.
The CEBID secretary general said that he expects Turkey to be excluded from the investigation since Turkey does not sell dumped goods to the US and its market share in US imports is much less compared to other countries. Mr. Zeren also stated that the countervailing duty investigation does not make sense since Turkish pipe producers do not benefit from any subsidies. He emphasized that it is very important that the investigation should not be opened at all, for the Turkish industry not to be impacted and for Turkish producers not to lose export volumes.
The Turkish steel pipe industry ranks first in Europe and fifth in the world in terms of welded pipe exports. Turkey's pipe exports stood at 1.83 million mt in 2012.