22 thousand jobs were in danger. Rights will be established anti-dumping provisional 24.9% for steel bars and 33.5% for steel balls used in grinding. “Thanks to the work of the unions, the company and the Government and the resolution taken by the Anti-Price Distortion Commission, today we are in this situation that is satisfactory for everyone,” he declared. the president of Union No. 1 of the Huachipato Steel Company, Héctor Medina. The Minister of Economy, Nicolás Grau, indicated that “with this we are going to advance strongly in a pro-industry agenda, which strengthens the industry in the Biobío Region.” Julio Bertrand, president of the Board of Directors of Siderúrgica Huachipato, stated that “we value the decision, since it allows us to eliminate distortions, balance the market and allow national actors to demonstrate their capabilities in providing the best steel for Chile.”
“The century”. Conception. 4/22/2024. Good news reached the workers of the Huachipato Steel Company, which would continue its operations, rejecting the closure that endangered some 22 thousand jobs.
A positive door would have been opened with the decision of the Anti-Distortion Commission to increase surcharges on imports of Chinese steel. The Huachipato steel mill, the main affected initially, had proposed increases of 25% for steel bars and 33% for steel balls used in grinding. It was reported over the weekend that rights will be established anti-dumping provisional 24.9% for steel bars and 33.5% for steel balls used in grinding.
The Minister of Economy, Nicolás Grau, supported the resolution of the Anti-Distortion Commission and noted that “the commission has recommended the values that were in line with what was requested by the Huachipato company.” He maintained that what was resolved is in line with Free Trade Agreements and with standards of the World Trade Organization, which establish that States have the right to establish surcharges in case of evidence of dumping to protect employment. “We believe that with this we will be able to advance more strongly in a pro-industry agenda, which strengthens the industry in the Biobío Region, which is an example of industrialization of our country and that we want to support as a Government,” declared the head of Economy.
The president of Union No. 1 of the Huachipato Steel Company, Héctor Medina, stated that “we are very happy with the result” and asked the company to “resume activities, otherwise they would be lying to the workers,” because the increases were achieved at the steel bars and steel balls. He indicated that “thanks to the work of the unions, the company and the Government and, obviously, the resolution taken by the Anti-Price Distortions Commission, which was both technical and political, today we are in this situation that is satisfactory for everyone.”
Meanwhile, the Board of Directors of Compañía Siderúrgica Huachipato announced “the decision to reverse the indefinite suspension process that was communicated to the market” on March 20. The company reported that it will give “continuity” to its activities “as long as surcharges remain in force” that allow it to “operate in a competitive environment.”
“We hope that this provisional measure is confirmed with definitive measures that allow us to continue competing on an even playing field,” the company stated.
The governor of the Biobío Region, Rodrigo Díaz, indicated that it was ultimately recognized that there was unfair competition and stressed: “We want to ask your executives, the CAP group, to keep their word” regarding restarting work, “ that maintain the jobs of the people of the Biobío Region. “That they stop the suspension of their operations and that we all continue working together so that later in September we can have this protection for a period of one year.”
The problems of Siderurgia Huachipato increased some time ago with the avalanche of Chinese imports that threatened almost 23 direct and indirect jobs, since Chinese steel was sold 40% cheaper than the local product. Now trade retaliation may come from China, a country with which Chile signed a Free Trade Agreement in 2006. In fact, Chilean business sectors did not want surcharge measures to be taken on steel because China could get upset and affect other commercial and economic sectors.
In any case, it has been commented that the decision on surcharges is provisional, for a few months, and that the definitive measures still remain to be known.
Julio Bertrand, president of the Board of Directors of Siderúrgica Huachipato, quoted by Televisión Universidad de Concepción, said that “it is good news for a strategic national industry for the sustainable development of Chile. We value the decision, since it allows us to eliminate distortions, balance the market and allow national actors to demonstrate their capabilities in providing the best steel for Chile. However, we hope that this provisional measure is confirmed with definitive measures that allow us to compete on an even playing field. Only in this way is Siderúrgica Huachipato’s contribution to the development of the mining and industrial sector of the Biobío Region and the entire country possible.”
2024-05-06 05:22:03
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