The British government has decided to exclude wide heavy plate with a width of 2,500 mm or more—which accounts for most of the heavy plate exported from Korea with a thickness of 6 mm or more—from those surveyed for an antidumping probe. As a result, the domestic steel industry, which has struggled with steel tariffs imposed by the United States and the European Union (EU), can breathe a sigh of relief.
According to the steel industry on the 12th, the U.K. Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) decided earlier this month to exclude wide heavy plate with a width of 2,500 mm or more from the antidumping investigation into heavy plate targeting POSCO, Hyundai Steel, and Dongkuk Steel Mill.
During the comment period, the views of companies supplying wide heavy plate to local end users were accepted. Domestic exporting corporations such as Samsung C&T, as well as U.K. importers including Duferco and Stemco, have opposed the imposition of tariffs.
They argued that British steel makers lack the capability to produce heavy plate wider than 2,100 mm, so imports would not harm domestic industry even if they come in. They emphasized that if tariffs are imposed on imported heavy plate, it could hurt upstream industries in the U.K. that need to use heavy plate.
Wide heavy plate is mainly used for large structures such as bridges, as well as ships, substructures for offshore wind turbines, and energy plant construction. By minimizing welded joints, it can enhance structural stability, and its use has been expanding recently.
With this decision by the U.K. TRA, the domestic steel industry has eased its burden from the antidumping probe. Most of the heavy plate shipped from Korea to the U.K. is wide heavy plate.
An official at the Korea Iron & Steel Association explained in an opinion submitted to the U.K. TRA last year, "Domestic corporations have focused on supplying items that are difficult to produce in the U.K., such as products 2,100 mm or wider."
Stemco also said in an opinion letter, "About 66.44% of our heavy plate imports are wide heavy plate that cannot be produced in the U.K.," and noted, "Because Korean imports are beyond the production capacity of the U.K. steel industry, the potential for harm is small."
The U.K. TRA investigated facts related to sales of Korean heavy plate from Apr. 2021 to the end of Mar. last year and is set to issue a preliminary determination this month. The U.K. TRA plans to complete on-site inspections by next month and issue a final determination in Aug.
Heavy plate exports from Korea to the U.K. have surged in recent years. According to the Korea Iron & Steel Association, exports that were just 16,288 tons (t) in 2021 rose 219% to 51,891 t in 2023. They then eased somewhat, recording 41,340 t last year.