Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod from China, Inv. No.701-TA-512 (Final)

INSTRUCTION BOOKLET
GENERAL INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND
DEFINITIONS FOR COMMISSION QUESTIONNAIRES

CARBON AND CERTAIN ALLOY STEEL WIRE ROD FROM CHINA
Investigation No. 701-TA-512 and 731-TA-1248 (Final)

Further information.--If you have any questions concerning the enclosed
questionnaire(s) or other matters related to this proceeding, you may contact
the following members of the Commission’s staff (Fax 202-205-3205):
Carolyn Esko, investigator (202-205-3002; Email Carolyn.Esko@USITC.GOV)
regarding general questions and trade and related information;
Charles Yost, auditor (202-205-3432; Email Charles.Yost@USITC.GOV)
regarding financial information; and
Samantha Day, economist (202-205-2088; Email Samantha.Day@USITC.GOV)
regarding pricing, market, and related information.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.-- This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on January 31, 2014 by
ArcelorMittal USA LLC, Chicago, IL; Charter Steel, Saukville, WI; Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel,
Pueblo, CO; Gerdau Ameristeel US Inc., Tampa, FL; Keystone Consolidated Industries, Inc., Dallas,
TX; and Nucor Corporation, Charlotte, NC. Countervailing and/or antidumping duties may be
assessed on the subject imports as a result of this proceeding if the Commission makes an affirmative
determination of injury, threat, or material retardation, and if the U.S. Department of Commerce
makes an affirmative determination of subsidization and/or dumping.
Questionnaires and other information pertinent to this proceeding are available at COPY AND
PASTE LINK TO INVESTIGATION FROM ACTIVE INVESTIGATIONS PAGE
(PENDING). Please direct questions regarding the questionnaire and correspondence to Carolyn
Esko (Carolyn.Esko@usitc.gov., 202-205-3002) at the U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E
Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20436. Correspondence may be sent to the above address or via FAX
to 202-205-3205.Hearing-impaired individuals can obtain information regarding this proceeding via
the Commission’s TDD terminal (202-205-1810).
Due date of questionnaire(s).--Please submit the completed questionnaire(s) to the United States
International Trade Commission so as to be received by no later than October 2, 2014. Because
Commission staff might contact you with questions during the course of the proceeding, save the
final version of the document(s) and retain all files and worksheets associated with the completed
questionnaire(s). Please also retain a copy of the final document that you submit.
Service of questionnaire response(s).--In the event that your firm is a party to this proceeding, you
are required to serve a copy of the questionnaire(s), once completed, on parties to the proceeding that
are subject to administrative protective order (see 19 CFR § 207.7). A list of such parties is
maintained by the Commission’s Secretary and may be obtained by calling 202-205-1803. A
certificate of service must accompany the copy of the completed questionnaire(s) you submit (see 19
CFR § 207.7).
Confidentiality.--The commercial and financial data furnished in response to the enclosed
questionnaire(s) that reveal the individual operations of your firm will be treated as confidential by
the Commission to the extent that such data are not otherwise available to the public and will not be
disclosed except as may be required by law (see 19 U.S.C. § 1677f). Such confidential information
will not be published in a manner that will reveal the individual operations of your firm; however,
general characterizations of numerical business proprietary information (such as discussion of trends)
will be treated as confidential business information only at the request of the submitter for good
cause shown.
Verification.--The information submitted in the enclosed questionnaire(s) is subject to audit
and verification by the Commission. To facilitate possible verification of data, please keep all
of your files, worksheets, and supporting documents used in the preparation of the
questionnaire response(s).

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GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
Release of information.--The information provided by your firm in response to the questionnaire(s),
as well as any other business proprietary information submitted by your firm to the Commission in
connection with this proceeding, may become subject to, and released under, the administrative
protective order provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. § 1677f) and section 207.7 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR § 207.7). This means that certain lawyers
and other authorized individuals may temporarily be given access to the information for use in
connection with this proceeding or other import-injury proceedings conducted by the Commission
on the same or similar merchandise; those individuals would be subject to severe penalties if the
information were divulged to unauthorized individuals.
INSTRUCTIONS
Answer all questions.--Do not leave any question or section blank unless a questionnaire expressly
directs you to skip over certain questions or sections. If the answer to any question is zero or “none”,
enter the number zero or “none”. If information is not readily available from your records in
exactly the form requested, furnish carefully prepared estimates. Answers to questions and any
necessary comments or explanations should be entered in the space provided or in a separate MS
Word document submitted along with the questionnaire(s). If your firm is completing more than one
questionnaire in connection with this proceeding (i.e., a producer, importer, and/or purchaser
questionnaire), you need not respond to duplicated questions in the questionnaires.
Consolidate all U.S. establishments.--Report the requested data for your establishment(s) located in
the United States. Firms operating more than one establishment should combine the data for
all establishments into a single report.
Electronic completion.—Please electronically enter your responses into the Commission
provided MS Word document. The MS Word versions of all the questionnaires in this proceeding
are available online at the ITC web page or may be obtained directly from the Commission’s
Investigator, Carolyn Esko (Carolyn.Esko@usitc.gov, or 202-205-3002).
Electronic submission.-- Responding firms should submit their questionnaire responses
electronically in MS Word format. The submission of questionnaire responses in the MS Word
format allows the Commission to electronically extract data from questionnaires and thus, compile,
assess, and analyze submitted data more efficiently and promptly. Furthermore, the electronic
submission of questionnaires completed in MS Word facilitates the Commission’s ability to produce
documents that comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. There are three
electronic submissions options detailed below.

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OPTIONS FOR FILING
This questionnaire is available as a “fillable” form in MS Word format on the
Commission’s website at COPY AND PASTE LINK TO INVESTIGATION
FROM ACTIVE INVESTIGATIONS PAGE (PENDING). Please do not attempt
to modify the format or permissions of the questionnaire document. Please
complete the questionnaire and submit it electronically using one of the methods
noted below. If your firm is unable to complete the MS Word questionnaire or cannot
use one of the electronic methods of submission, please contact the Commission for
further instructions.
• Upload via Secure Drop Box.—Upload the completed questionnaire in MS Word format along
with a scanned copy of the signed certification page (page 1) through the Commission’s secure
upload facility:
Web address: https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/

Pin: WRODF

• E-mail.—E-mail your questionnaire to the investigator identified on page 1 of the Instruction
Booklet; include a scanned copy of the signed certification page (page 1). Type the following in the
e-mail subject line: BPI Questionnaire, Inv. No. 701-TA-512. Please note that submitting your
questionnaire by e-mail may subject your firm’s business proprietary information to transmission
over an unsecure environment and to possible disclosure. If you choose this option, the Commission
warns you that any risk involving possible disclosure of such information is assumed by the
submitter and not by the Commission.
• Compact disc (CD).—Copy your MS Word questionnaire onto a CD. Also please include a signed
certification page (page 1), and mail to the U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E. Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20024. It is strongly recommended that you use an overnight mail service. U.S.
mail sent to government offices undergoes additional processing which not only results in
substantial delays in delivery but may also damage CDs.
Note: If you are a party to the proceeding, and service of the questionnaire is required, such
service should be made in paper form

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DEFINITIONS
Carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod (“wire rod”).--certain hot-rolled products of carbon steel
and alloy steel, in coils, of approximately round cross section, less than 19.00 mm, in solid
cross-sectional diameter. Specifically excluded are steel products possessing the above-noted
physical characteristics and meeting the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (“HTS”) of the United States
definitions for (a) stainless steel; (b) tool steel; (c) high nickel steel; (d) ball bearing steel; and (e)
concrete reinforcing bars and rods. Also excluded are free cutting steel (also known as free
machining steel) products (i.e., products that contain by weight one or more of the following
elements: 0.01 percent or more of lead, 0.05 percent or more of bismuth, 0.08 percent or more of
sulfur, more than 0.04 percent of phosphorus, more than 0.05 percent of selenium, or more than 0.01
percent of tellurium). All products meeting the physical description of subject merchandise that are
not specifically excluded are included in this subject product definition.
Wire rod is currently covered by statistical reporting numbers 7213.91.3011, 7213.91.3015,
7213.91.3020, 7213.91.3093, 7213.91.4500, 7213.91.6000, 7213.99.0030, 7227.20.0030,
7227.20.0080, 7227.90.6010, 7227.90.6020, 7227.90.6030, and 7227.90.6035 of the HTS.1
Although the HTS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written
description of the scope of this order is dispositive.
Carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod includes (but is not limited to) the products listed below.
(1) Low and medium-low carbon industrial and standard quality rods.–Rods manufactured from
low or medium-low carbon steel and primarily intended for drawing into industrial or standard
quality wire. This category also includes special quality rods. For the purpose of these
questionnaires, data for chain quality rods, cold finishing rods, fine wire quality rods, and
nondeformed concrete reinforcement rods should be reported in this category.
(2) High and medium-high carbon industrial and standard quality rods.–Rods manufactured
from high or medium-high carbon steel and primarily intended for drawing into wire for such
products as strand, hose, upholstery spring, mechanical spring, oil tempering, cold rolling, bearing,
rope, screens, aluminum conductor steel reinforcement (“ACSR”) core, pipe wrap, prestressed
concrete wire, utility strand, and music wire.
(3) Tire cord and tire bead quality rods.--high-carbon wire rods that downstream purchasers, either
specialized wire drawers or producers of steel-reinforced pneumatic tires, draw into bead or cord
wire. Tire bead reinforces the bead (inner edge) of a tire and seals the tire against the wheel whereas
tire cord is adhered to the inside of the tread for steel-reinforced pneumatic tires.
(4) Welding quality rods.–Rods intended for producing wire for gas welding, electric arc welding,
submerged arc welding, and metal insert gas welding.
(5) Cold heading quality (“CHQ”) rods.–Rods used in the manufacture of heading, forging, or cold
extrusion quality wire.
1

From 2011 through 2013, certain subject alloy wire rod products were classified with nonsubject hot-rolled bar products
in HTS basket category 7227.90.6085.

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DEFINITIONS—Continued
(6) Other specialty carbon and alloy quality rods.–For the purpose of these questionnaires, data for
scrapless nut, aircraft, cold heading bearing, and valve spring quality rods should be reported in this
category.
Firm.--An individual proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation (including
any subsidiary corporation), business trust, cooperative, trustee in bankruptcy, or receiver under
decree of any court.
Related firm.--A firm that your firm solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled; a
firm that solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled your firm; and/or a firm that was
solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled by a firm that also solely or jointly owned,
managed, or otherwise controlled your firm.
Establishment.--Each facility of a firm involved in the production, importation, and/or purchase of
wire rod (as defined above), including auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or
not physically separate from) such facilities.
United States.--For purposes of this proceeding, the 50 States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
and the District of Columbia.
Importer.--Any person or firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary, in
importing wire rod (as defined above) into the United States from a foreign manufacturer or through
its selling agent.
Imports.--Those products identified for Customs purposes as imports for consumption for which
your firm was the importer of record (i.e., was responsible for paying any import duty) or consignee
(i.e., to which the merchandise was first delivered).
Import quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Import values.--Values reported should be landed, duty-paid values at the U.S. port of entry,
including ocean freight and insurance costs, brokerage charges, and import duties (i.e., all
charges except inland freight in the United States).
Purchaser.--Any person or firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary,
in purchasing wire rod (as defined above) from another firm that produces, imports, or otherwise
distributes wire rod.

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DEFINITIONS--Continued
Purchases.--Purchases from all sources, NOT including direct imports from foreign sources located
outside of the United States (which should be reported in an importer questionnaire).
Purchase quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Purchase values.--Values reported should be net values (i.e., gross purchase values less all
discounts, allowances, rebates, and the value of returned goods), delivered to your U.S.
receiving point.
Shipments.--Shipments of products produced in or imported by your establishment(s). Include
shipments to the contracting firm of product produced by your firm under a toll agreement.
Shipment quantities.—Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Shipment values.—Values reported should be net values (i.e., gross sales values less all
discounts, allowances, rebates, prepaid freight, and the value of returned goods) in U.S.
dollars, f.o.b. your point of shipment in the United States.
Types of shipments:
U.S. shipments.--Commercial shipments, internal consumption, and transfers to related
firms within the United States.
Commercial shipments.--Shipments, other than internal consumption and transfers
to related firms, within the United States.
Internal consumption.--For purposes of this investigation, wire rod drawn or
otherwise processed into another good (e.g., wire or threaded rod) by your firm.
Transfers to related firms.--Shipments made to related domestic firms.
Export shipments.--Shipments to destinations outside the United States, including
shipments to related firms.
Inventories.--Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work-in-progress. Inventories of wire
rod are considered to be finished goods.

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DEFINITIONS--Continued
The following definitions apply only to the PRODUCER QUESTIONNAIRE.
Average production capacity.--The level of production that your establishment(s) could reasonably
have expected to attain during the specified periods. Assume normal operating conditions (i.e.,
using equipment and machinery in place and ready to operate; normal operating levels (hours per
week/weeks per year) and time for downtime, maintenance, repair, and cleanup; and a typical or
representative product mix).
Toll agreement.--Agreement between two firms whereby the first firm furnishes the raw materials
and the second firm uses the raw materials to produce a product that it then returns to the first firm
with a charge for processing costs, overhead, etc.
Production.--All production in your U.S. establishment(s), including production consumed
internally within your firm and production for another firm under a toll agreement.
PRWs.--Production and related workers, including working supervisors and all nonsupervisory
workers (including group leaders and trainees) engaged in fabricating, processing, assembling,
inspecting, receiving, storage, handling, packing, warehousing, shipping, trucking, hauling,
maintenance, repair, janitorial and guard services, product development, auxiliary production for
plant’s own use (e.g., power plant), recordkeeping, and other services closely associated with the
above production operations.
Average number employed.--Add the number of employees, both full-time and part-time, for the 12
pay periods ending closest to the 15th of the month and divide that total by 12. For the
January-June periods, calculate similarly and divide by 6.
Hours worked.--Include time paid for sick leave, holidays, and vacation time. Include overtime
hours actually worked; do not convert overtime pay to its equivalent in straight-time hours.
Wages paid.--Total wages paid before deductions of any kind (e.g., withholding taxes, old-age and
unemployment insurance, group insurance, union dues, bonds, etc.). Include wages paid directly by
your firm for overtime, holidays, vacations, and sick leave.
Fiscal year.--The 12-month period between settlement of your firm’s financial accounts.
Purchases other than direct imports.--Purchases from U.S. producers, U.S. importers, and other
U.S. sources.

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