Alcoa, the world’s largest aluminium maker, is asking federal authorities to stop alleged dumping of aluminium by a South African company.
Pittsburgh-based Alcoa petitioned the Commerce Department and the US International Trade Commission seeking intervention to stop alleged dumping of 6 000 series aluminium alloy rolled plate by Hulett Aluminum Ltd.
Alcoa said the aluminium, mainly used in the automotive and aerospace industries, is being sold in US markets at costs dramatically below production costs and market price.
”Alcoa has generally not filed trade remedy cases, however, Hulett’s dumping in the US market has been so blatantly unfair it demands a response,” said Paul Thomas, president of Alcoa’s North American Fabricated Products.
According to Alcoa, Hulett began dumping the cheap aluminium in the US market three years ago. Over the past year, the price of aluminium alloy rolled plate has tumbled from about $4 000 a ton to about $3 000 a ton, Alcoa spokesperson Kevin Lowery said.
Alcoa, which called for antidumping duties, declined to say how much the alleged dumping has affected its business.
Houston-based Kaiser Aluminum, which also produces the aluminium in Trentwood, Washington, supports Alcoa’s efforts to stop the dumping, said company spokesperson Scott Lamb.
About 4 000 people work at the primary US plants making the metal -Alcoa’s plant in Davenport, Iowa, the Kaiser plant and a Pechiney plant in Ravenswood, West Virginia. – Sapa-AP