95-17736. ALSCO Amerimark Building Products, Gnadenhutten, Ohio; Negative Determination on Remand  

  • [Federal Register Volume 60, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 19, 1995)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 37080-37081]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 95-17736]
    
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
    Employment and Training Administration
    [TA-W-29,504]
    
    
    ALSCO Amerimark Building Products, Gnadenhutten, Ohio; Negative 
    Determination on Remand
    
        On April 7, 1995 the United States Court of International Trade 
    (USCIT) granted the Secretary's motion for a voluntary remand in United 
    Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO-CLC, Local 4612 v. Secretary of Labor 
    No. 94-11-00698.
        The workers filing under petition TA-W-29,504 were initially denied 
    eligibility to apply for trade adjustment assitance (``TAA'') on June 
    20, 1994, 59 FR 33786 (1994) and denied on application for 
    reconsideration on September 16, 1994, 59 FR 49259 (1994).
        The investigation findings showed that the plant melted scrap 
    aluminum cans and rolled the aluminum into coils which were then 
    painted. The smelter and rolling mill closed in December 1993.
        The United Steelworkers of America (``USWA'') and its Local 4612 
    claim that imports of Russian aluminum ingots and coil affected the 
    pricing of aluminum coil.
        In its notice of negative determination regarding the USWA, Local 
    4612 application for reconsideration, the Department found that the 
    articles produced by workers at Alsco Amerimark Building Products 
    (``Amerimark'') are coated or painted aluminum coil, not aluminum 
    ingots or aluminum coil. Accordingly, the Department investigated 
    whether imports of coated aluminum coil contributed importantly to the 
    worker separations and Amerimark's decline in sales.
        The Department's denial was based on the fact that the 
    ``contributed importantly'' test of the Worker Group Eligibility 
    Requirements of the Trade Act was not met. The ``contributed 
    importantly'' test is generally demonstrated through a survey of the 
    workers' firm's customers. The Department surveyed Amerimark's major 
    customers for their purchases of painted aluminum coil for the years 
    1992, 1993, and the January-May time period of 1993 and 1994. None of 
    the respondents reported decreasing their purchases from the subject 
    firm while increasing their purchases of imports in the relevant 
    period.
        Other findings showed that Amerimark did not purchase ingots 
    (foreign or domestic) for use in its production process for coated 
    aluminum coil but purchased scrap aluminum cans.
        On remand, the Department broadened its investigation to determine 
    whether imports of aluminum coil met the ``contributed importantly'' 
    test.
        The new findings show that Amerimark's Gnadenhutten, Ohio aluminum 
    smelting and rolling mill operation supplied the source of coils 
    
    [[Page 37081]]
    for the final phase of production, coating or painting, until the 
    closure of the smelter and rolling mill in December 1993.
        Other findings show that once the smelting operations ceased, 
    Amerimark produced the painted coils from domestically sourced aluminum 
    sheet.\1\ The Department conducted a survey of Amerimark's major 
    suppliers to determine if the aluminum sheet sold to Amerimark in the 
    last three years was produced domestically or obtained from outside 
    sources. The respondents reported that they produced all aluminum sheet 
    sold to Amerimark themselves, and did not purchase any of this aluminum 
    sheet from other domestic sources.
    
        \1\ In accordance with industry practice, the term ``aluminum 
    sheet'' is used interchangeably with ``aluminum coil'' here.
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        The value of U.S. imports of aluminum plate, sheet and strip 
    increased from 1992 to 1993, and in the first five months of 1994 
    compared to the first five months of 1993. Statistical data on U.S. 
    imports as a whole, however, would not determine whether the Amerimark 
    workers lost their jobs as a result of increased imports. Instead, this 
    determination is made by surveying Amerimark's major customers to see 
    whether they reduced their purchases of Amerimark products while 
    increasing their imports of aluminum sheet during the period in 
    question.
        Customer survey findings show that the Amerimark customers that 
    purchased painted aluminum coils from Amerimark, purchased aluminum 
    sheet from other domestic sources. One customer indicated purchases of 
    aluminum sheet from doemstic sources and from brokers for foreign 
    firms. However, this same customer increased its purchases of painted 
    aluminum coil from Amerimark in 1993 compared to 1992, and in the first 
    five months of 1994 compared to the first five months of 1993. Business 
    Confidential Administrative Record at 105. Consequently, increased 
    imports could not have contributed importantly to the workers' 
    separations and Amerimark's deline in sales because Amerimark's major 
    customers either did not import articles like or directly competitive 
    with Amerimark's products, or increased their purchases of Amerimark's 
    products while importing foreign goods.
    
    Conclusion
    
        After review of the new investigative findings, I conclude that the 
    determination was correct. Accordingly, the Amerimark workers' petition 
    for trade adjustment assistance is denied.
    
        Signed at Washington, DC, this 7th day of July 1995.
    Victor J. Trunzo,
    Program Director, Policy and Reemployment Services, Office of Trade 
    Adjustment Assistance.
    [FR Doc. 95-17736 Filed 7-18-95; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4510-30-M
    
    

Document Information

Published:
07/19/1995
Department:
Employment and Training Administration
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
95-17736
Pages:
37080-37081 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
TA-W-29,504
PDF File:
95-17736.pdf