New Zealand rebar producer files AD case against Malaysian& Thai imports

New Zealand rebar producer files AD case against Malaysian& Thai imports

Pacific Steel, one of the subsidiaries of Fletcher Building, the New Zealand based building materials manufacturer and distributor with operations in concrete, steel and panel products, has made a request for an anti-dumping investigation of reinforcing bar imports from Malaysia and Thailand, claiming that imports of this material from these countries cause serious injury to the New Zealand industry. Pacific Steel's request has been filed to the Trade Remedies Group of the Ministry of Economic Development. Company officials expressed that they had no objection against competition as long as the pricing is fair, however the current reinforcing bar prices imported into their country are being dumped. Actions against Unfair Trade are enabled by the New Zealand Dumping and Countervailing Duties Act 1988 which mirrors New Zealand's obligations to the international community and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). In case he Ministry's investigation upholds the complaint of reinforcing bar dumping, implementation of an anti dumping duty or setting of an acceptable price on Malaysian and Thai imports are the possible remedies to be introduced. Pacific Steel has requested a provisional duty be imposed during the period of the investigation. Pacific Steel employs 172 people and is New Zealand's only producer of reinforcing bar having operated from its Otahuhu, Auckland site since 1962. In 2002 Pacific Steel's sister company Pacific Wire similarly complained to the Ministry regarding galvanized wire dumping from South Africa. That complaint was upheld by the Ministry and anti-dumping duties were applied effective from 21January 2003.