It is reported that the stainless steel importers and end users including plant & machinery manufacturers and stainless steel utensil and kitchen ware producers have urged the PM Dr Manmohan Singh and the commerce minister Mr Kamal Nath to immediately roll back the anti dumping investigation initiated against imports of cold rolled flat products of stainless steel originating from various countries including China, Europe, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and USA based on complaint filed by a stainless steel manufacturer in the country
Mr Ramachandran secretary of Process Plant & Machinery Association of India said that "More than 5000 stainless steel utensil and cutlery manufacturing and exporting units employing about 300,000 workers across the country are facing closure as they have been adversary hit by the recession and uncertainty over anti dumping duty investigation against stainless steel, the basic raw material initiated by ministry of commerce at behest of a couple of local manufacturers."
Mr Anil Aggarwal president of All India Stainless Steel Industries Association said that "Stainless steel importers including plant and machinery manufacturers and exporters and small scale manufacturing units of stainless steel utensils, cutlery, knives and other household and kitchen products are dependent on import of stainless steel. These units are exporting material worth INR 1800 crore."
Mr Paresh Mehta secretary of AISSIA said that "Due to uncertainty created by the anti dumping probe, we are not booking further orders and are also canceling orders. This anti dumping duty probe has no meaning as we import high end stainless steel not manufactured in India which includes width of 1250mm and higher, which are needed in some cases of specialized applications for fabrication jobs of hotel and catering equipment. This necessitates our members to import stainless steel as per customers' demand."
He added that "The Indian stainless steel industry has a poor range of products with near monopoly of one producer and so small scale firms need to import value added alloy to compete globally. Moreover, the import in stainless steel flat products take place in those grades and sizes, which the domestic industry does not manufacture .Most of the stainless steel product manufacturing units are situated in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi."
Mr Paresh said that "Manufacturers in India are also not producing, magnetic type of stainless steel sheets. Many sophisticated countries insist on cookware of this grade as it is suitable for use in induction cooking ranges. There is a big demand for a specialized grade of AISI 430 grade of stainless steel for the manufacture of cutlery suitable for commercial hotel dish washers. The buyers are very specific about their requirements."
He further added that "Industry has surged the ministry to immediately call off anti dumping probe or any proposal to hike duty on stainless steel products and not to impose any duty on high grade stainless steel which is currently not being manufactured in the country."
Source : Steel Guru