Japanese production of stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings declined by 18 percent, from 12.0 million pounds in 1984 to 9.8 million pounds in 1986, and from 6.4 million pounds during January-September 1986 to 5.3 million pounds in the corresponding period of 1987 (table 8). During the same period, reported capacity fell from 14.1 million pounds in 1984 to 12.2 million pounds in 1986, or by 14 percent. Capacity continued to decline in the interim periods, from 6.8 million pounds during January-September 1986 to 5.7 million pounds in the corresponding period of 1987. Capacity utilization increased from 85.5 percent in 1984 to 89.2 percent in 1985, then declined to 80.9 percent in 1986. Capacity utilization decreased to 92.5 percent during JanuarySeptember 1987 from 95.2 percent in the corresponding period of 1986. Table 8 Stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings: Japan's production, capacity, home market sales, and exports, 1984-86, January-September 1986, and January-September 1987 1/ 1/ Data for the interim periods are understated because Mie Horo did not provide data. Mie Horo accounted for *** percent, *** percent, and *** percent of total exports to the United States in 1984-86, respectively. 2/ Finished fittings accounted for 54.1 percent of the total exports to the United States in 1984, 52.2 percent in 1985, 50.3 percent in 1986, 44.3 percent during January-September 1986, and 58.4 percent in the corresponding period of 1987. Source: Compiled from data submitted to the Commission by counsel for Nippon Benkan Kogyo Co., Ltd.; Nippon Bulge Industries, Ltd.; and Kuze Bellows Kogyosho Co., Ltd. Home-market sales increased by 3 percent from 8.7 million pounds in 1984 to 9.0 million pounds in 1985, but then fell by 23 percent to 6.9 million pounds in 1986. Home-market shipments declined by 12 percent in the interim periods, from 5.4 million pounds during January-September 1986 to 4.8 million pounds in the corresponding period of 1987. Exports to the United States increased by 8 percent, from 2.1 million pounds in 1984 to 2.2 million pounds in 1985, then decreased by less than 1 percent in 1986. Exports to the United States decreased by 63 percent in the interim periods, from 1.7 million pounds during January-September 1986 to 611,000 pounds in the corresponding period of 1987. Às a share of production, exports to the United States increased from 17.1 percent in 1984 to 22.4 percent in 1986. This share decreased in the interim periods, from 25.9 percent during January-September 1986 to 11.5 percent in the corresponding period of 1987. As a share of total exports, shipments to the United States amounted to 61.9 percent in 1984, 58.8 percent in 1985, 61.2 percent in 1986, 62.5 percent during January-September 1986, and 41.2 percent in the corresponding period of 1987. U.S. imports Consideration of the Causal Relationship Between the U.S. imports of stainless steel butt-weld pipe and tube fittings increased by 152 percent from 2.4 million pounds in 1984 to 6.0 million pounds in 1985. Imports continued to rise in 1986, reaching 6.1 million pounds, or 1 percent above imports in 1985. During January-September 1987, imports totaled 3.5 million pounds, compared with 5.0 million pounds in the corresponding period of 1986. Japan was by far the principal source, supplying 48 percent of the total quantity of imports in 1984, 71 percent in 1985, 65 percent in 1986, and 54 percent during January-September 1987. Other sources of imports included Taiwan, Canada, Israel, and West Germany (table 9). Imports by questionnaire respondents Imports of stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings from Japan reported to the Commission by questionnaire respondents increased annually from * * * pounds in 1984 to *** pounds in 1986, or by 270 percent. Such imports by the responding firms declined slightly during January-September 1987, by almost 2 percent compared with those in the corresponding period of 1986. As shown in table 10, U.S. producers imported principally unfinished fittings, whereas the other firms principally imported finished fittings. Imports from Japan reported by questionnaire respondents totaled * * * than the quantity reported in official statistics for 1984 and 1986. Questionnaire responses accounted for * * percent of the total imports from Japan as reported in official statistics for 1985. Reported imports in the interim periods were during January-September 1986 but * * * in the corresponding period of 1987 than the quantities reported in the official statistics. Table 9 Stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings: U.S. imports for consumption, by principal sources, 1984-86, January-September 1986, and January-September 1987 1/ Includes imports entered under TSUSA item 610.8048 during January-March 1984. Stainless steel butt-weld pipe and tube fittings were reclassified, effective Apr. 1, 1984, and presently enter under TSUSA item 610.8948. 2/ Fuji accounted for *** percent in 1984, percent in 1986, * * percent in 1985, percent during January-September 1986, and *** percent during January-September 1987, of total exports to the United States, as reported in table 8. 3/ C.i.f., duty paid. Source: Compiled from official statistics of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Table 10 Stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings: U.S. imports from Japan, by types of importers and types of fittings, 1984-86, January-September 1986, and JanuarySeptember 1987 1/ Does not include *** pounds of unfinished fittings, valued at approximately * * * dollars, that were imported by 1 firm that was * * *. 2/ Includes insignificant imports from countries other than Japan; such imports amounted to *** pounds, valued at *** dollars, in 1985 and * valued at *** dollars, during January-September 1987. 3/ Landed duty-paid value at the U.S. port of entry, including ocean freight and insurance, brokerage charges, and import duties. pounds, the cost of Source: Compiled from data submitted in response to questionnaires of the U.S. International Trade Commission. Monthly imports imports from Japan in 1986 and January-September 1987 are presented in table 11. Imports from Japan fluctuated throughout 1986, reaching a high of 989,000 pounds in March, followed by a drop to 89,000 pounds in April. Imports from Japan during January-September 1987 reached a high of 633,000 pounds in June before falling to 62,000 pounds in July and 44,000 pounds in September. Table 11 Stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings: U.S. imports Source: Compiled from official statistics of the U.S. Department of Commerce. tube At the Commission's conference in the preliminary investigation, representatives of the petitioner stated that imports of stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings compete compete throughout the United States. 1/ In 1986, principal ports of entry for U.S. imports of stainless steel butt-weld pipe and fittings included New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Houston. imports from Japan and all other countries in 1986, by customs districts, are presented in table 12. 1/ Transcript of the conference, p. 21. U.S. |
