The Brazilian ministry of industry, foreign trade and services (MDIC) said it commenced on March 23 an anti-dumping (AD) investigation over the Chinese exports of both steel and iron rolling-mill rollers.
The probe follows a request in October 2017 from local producer Gerdau Summit, a joint venture between Brazilian integrated steelmaker Gerdau, Sumitomo and Japan Steel Works.
MDIC said the products subject to the probe fall under the Mercosur HTS codes 8455.30.10 and 8455.30.90. The Brazilian ministry said the period of analysis goes from July 2016 to June 2017. The damage analysis period dates from July 2012 to June 2017.
MDIC said since there are “too many” Chinese exporters of the product it will select “several” of them to investigate the case.
Gerdau Summit inaugurated a plant last year in the Brazilian city of Pindamonhangaba, in the state of Sao Paulo. The JV said at the time it would invest a combined BRL 280 million at the plant.
Gerdau Summit is expected to have a 50,000 mt/year capacity. It will produce parts for the wind power, sugar and ethanol and oleo and gas industries. It will also attend the mining segment. Production of parts for the wind sector is set to start early this year.
Gerdau Summit is already producing forged parts for the country’s sugar and ethanol sector as well as cylinders for the local steel and aluminum industries.
Gerdau owns a 59 percent stake in the JV, while Sumitomo and JSW own the remaining 39 and 2 percent stakes, respectively.