OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 05-2-2250; Expiration Date: 6/30/05

(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

Return completed questionnaire to:

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

Office of Investigations, Room 615

500 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20436

So as to be received by the Commission by no later than January 10, 2005

The information called for in this questionnaire is for use by the United States International Trade Commission in connection with its five-year reviews concerning hot-rolled steel from Brazil, Japan, and Russia (invs. Nos. 701-TA-384 and 731-TA-806-
808 (Review). The information requested in the questionnaire is requested under the authority of the Tariff Act of 1930, title VII. This report is mandatory and failure to reply as directed can result in a subpoena or other order to compel the submission of records or information in your possession (19 U.S.C. § 1333(a)).

CERTIFICATION

I certify that the information herein supplied in response to this questionnaire is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief and understand that the information submitted is subject to audit and verification by the Commission.

By signing this certification I also grant consent for the Commission, and its employees and contract personnel, to use the information provided in this questionnaire and throughout these reviews in any other import-injury investigations or reviews conducted by the Commission on the same or similar merchandise. (If you do not consent to such use, please note the certification accordingly.)

I acknowledge that information submitted in this questionnaire response and throughout these reviews may be used by the Commission, its employees, and contract personnel who are acting in the capacity of Commission employees, for developing or maintaining the records of these reviews or related proceedings for which this information is submitted, or in internal audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the Commission pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3. I understand that all contract personnel will sign non-disclosure agreements.

Name and Title of Authorized Official	Date

( )	( )

Signature of Authorized Official	Phone	Fax

PART I.--GENERAL QUESTIONS

The questions in this questionnaire have been reviewed with market participants to ensure that issues of concern are adequately addressed and that data requests are sufficient, meaningful, and as limited as possible. Public reporting burden for this questionnaire is estimated to average 30 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering the data needed, and completing and reviewing the questionnaire. Send comments regarding the accuracy of this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Office of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20436.

I-1a.	Please report below the actual number of hours required and the cost to your firm of preparing the reply to this questionnaire and completing the form.

hours dollars

I-1b.	We are interested in any comments you may have for improving this questionnaire in general or the clarity of specific questions. Please attach such comments to your response or send them to the above address.

I-2.	Provide the name and address of establishment(s) covered by this questionnaire (see the instruction booklet for reporting guidelines). If your firm is publicly traded, please specify the stock exchange and trading symbol.

I-3.	Is your firm owned, in whole or in part, by any other firm?

No	Yes--List the following information.

Extent of

Firm name	Address	ownership

I-4.	Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in importing hot-rolled steel from Brazil, Japan, and/or Russia into the United States or which are engaged in exporting hot-rolled steel from Brazil, Japan, and/or Russia to the United States?

No	Yes--List the following information.

Firm name	Address	Affiliation

PART I.--GENERAL QUESTIONS--Continued

I-5.	Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in importing hot-rolled steel from countries other than Brazil, Japan, and/or Russia into the United States or which are engaged in exporting hot-rolled steel from countries other than Brazil, Japan, and/or Russia to the United States?

No	Yes--List the following information.

Country/firm name	Address	Affiliation

I-6.	Does your firm have any related firms in the United States that receive, inventory, hold, ship or process hot-rolled steel?

No	Yes--List the following information.

Firm name	Address	Affiliation

I-7.	Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in the production of hot-rolled steel?

No	Yes--List the following information.

Firm name	Address	Affiliation

I-8.	Please indicate the nature of your firm's importing operations on hot-rolled steel. More than one answer may be applicable.

Importer of record	Takes title to the imported product(s)

Consignee of the imported product(s)	Customs broker or freight forwarder

I-9.	If your firm is an importer of record of hot-rolled steel but is not the consignee, please list the consignees below (company name, address, telephone, and individual to contact).

PART I.--GENERAL QUESTIONS--Continued

I-10.	Please indicate whether your firm enters hot-rolled steel into, or withdraws such merchandise from, foreign trade zones or bonded warehouses.

Foreign trade zones	No	Yes--list location(s):

Bonded warehouses	No	Yes–list location(s):

I-11.	Please indicate whether your firm imports hot-rolled steel under the TIB (temporary importation under bond) program.

No	Yes

I-12.	In Parts II and III of this questionnaire we request a copy of your company's business plan. Does your company or any related firm have a business plan or any internal documents that describe, discuss, or analyze expected future market conditions for hot-rolled steel( including by way of example, reports or studies relating to contemplated investments, plant closings or shutdowns for maintenance or any other reasons; budgets or forecasts of economic activity)?

No	Yes--Please provide the requested documents. If you are not providing the

requested documents, please explain why not.

I-13.	To your knowledge, have the products subject to these reviews been the subject of any other import relief investigations in the United States or in any other countries?

No	Yes--Please specify (see also question III-B-27).

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION

Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Dana Lofgren, Investigator (202-205-3185 or dana.lofgren@usitc.gov). Supply all data requested on a calendar-year basis.

II-1.	Who should be contacted regarding the requested trade and related information?

Company contact:

Name and title

Phone No.	E-mail address

II-2.	Has your firm experienced any facility openings, relocations, expansions, acquisitions, consolidations, closures, or prolonged shutdowns because of strikes or equipment failure, or any other change in the character of your operations or organization relating to the importation of hot-rolled steel since 1999?

No	Yes--Supply details as to the time, nature, and significance of such changes.

II-3.	Does your firm anticipate any changes in the character of your operations or organization (as noted above) relating to the importation of hot-rolled steel in the future?

No	Yes--Supply details as to the time, nature, and significance of such changes

and provide underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of business plans or other supporting documentation, that address this issue.

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued

II-4.	Would your firm anticipate any changes in the character of your operations or organization (as noted above) relating to the importation of hot-rolled steel in the future if the subject countervailing duty order (Brazil), antidumping duty orders (Brazil and Japan), and suspension agreement (Russia) on hot-rolled steel were to be revoked?

No	Yes--Supply details as to the time, nature, and significance of such changes

and provide underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of business plans or other supporting documentation, that address this issue.

II-5.	Has your firm imported or arranged for the importation of hot-rolled steel from Brazil, Japan, and/or Russia for delivery after December 31, 2004?

No	Yes--Indicate when such orders are to be delivered and the quantities (in short	tons) involved.

Source	Jan. 1 - Mar. 31, 2005	Apr. 1- Jun. 30, 2005	After June 30, 2005
Brazil
Japan
Russia

II-6.	If your firm also produces hot-rolled steel in the United States, please indicate your reasons for importing this product. If your reasons differ by source, please elaborate.

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued

II-7.	IMPORTS BY SOURCE.--Report your firm's imports and your firm's shipments and inventories of hot-rolled steel imported by your firm during 1999-2004. (See definitions in the instruction booklet.) Report separately for each country listed below and for all other sources combined. Photocopy as many pages as you need and identify the country for which you are reporting.

Brazil	Japan	Russia

All other sources combined (identify)
(Quantity in short tons, value in $1,000)
Item	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
BEGINNING-OF-PERIOD INVENTORIES (quantity)
IMPORTS:1
Quantity of imports
Value of imports
U.S. SHIPMENTS:
Commercial shipments:
Quantity of commercial shipments
Value of commercial shipments
Internal consumption/company transfers:
Quantity of internal consumption/ transfers
Value2 of internal consumption/ transfers
Transfers to related firms:
Quantity of transfers to related firms
Value2 of transfers to related firms
EXPORT SHIPMENTS:3
Quantity of export shipments
Value of export shipments
END-OF-PERIOD INVENTORIES4 (quantity)
U.S. SHIPMENTS TO DISTRIBUTORS, PROCESSORS & SERVICE CENTERS (quantity)
U.S. SHIPMENTS TO MANUFACTURERS OF TUBULAR PRODUCTS (quantity)
U.S. SHIPMENTS TO OTHER END USERS (quantity)
1 Please identify the foreign producers, if known:

2 Sales to related firms (including internal consumption) must be valued at fair market value. In the event that you use a different basis for valuing these sales within your company, please specify that basis (e.g., cost, cost plus, etc.) and provide value data using that basis for 1999-2004 below:

3 Identify your principal export markets:

4 Reconciliation of data.--Please note that the quantities reported above should reconcile as follows: beginning-of-period inventories, plus imports, less total shipments, equals end-of-period inventories. Do the data reported reconcile?

Yes	No--Please explain:

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued

II-8.	Report and classify your firm's 2004 imports of hot-rolled steel products by grade, pickling/oiling, temper rolling, and edge trim. Report separately for each individual country specified and for all other sources combined. Photocopy as many pages as you need and identify the country for which you are reporting in the space provided.

Brazil	Japan	Russia

All other sources combined (identify)

(Share in percent)
Grade	≤0.080"	>0.080" but

≤0.187"	>0.187"
ASTM A-1011 CS, A-1018 CS (or A-569) 1
ASTM A-1011 SS, A-1018 SS (or A-570) 1
ASTM A-1011 HSLA, A-1018 HSLA (or A-607) 1
All other grades 2
Total (sum of all 12 grade cells should = 100)
Pickling & Oiling	≤0.080"	>0.080" but

≤0.187"	>0.187"
Neither pickled nor oiled
Pickled and/or oiled
Total (sum of all 6 pickling & oiling cells should = 100)
Temper Rolling	≤0.080"	>0.080" but

≤0.187"	>0.187"
Not temper rolled or skin passed
Temper rolled or skin passed
Total (sum of all 6 temper rolling cells should = 100)
Edge Trim	≤0.080"	>0.080" but

≤0.187"	>0.187"
Mill edge (as rolled)
Trimmed
Total (sum of all 6 edge trim cells should = 100)
1 Or equivalent.

2 Please identify your firm's five most common grades constituting "all other grades":

II-9.	(a) Report below your firm's imports of hot-rolled steel products with the following chemistry during the specified periods. Certain hot-rolled steel products as defined on pages 4-6 of the instruction booklet, in which one or more of the elements listed below is present in the quantity, by weight, respectively indicated:

1.65 - 1.80 percent of manganese, or 0.60 - 1.50 percent of silicon, or

0.40 - 1.00 percent of copper, or 0.30 - 0.50 percent of aluminum, or

0.30 - 1.25 percent of chromium, or 0.30 - 1.25 percent of nickel, or

0.0008 - 0.012 percent of boron, or 0.08 - 0.10 percent of molybdenum, or

0.06 - 0.10 percent of niobium, or 0.05 - 0.41 percent of titanium, or

0.10 - 0.15 percent of vanadium, or 0.05 - 015 percent of zirconium

You should include imports of vacuum degassed, fully stabilized ("interstitial free") steel, high strength low alloy steel, and the substrate for motor lamination steel with one or more elements present in the ranges noted above.

You should not include alloy steel products in which at least one of the chemical elements exceeds those listed above; SAE/AISI grades of series 2300 and higher; ball bearing steels; tool steels; silicomanganese steels; silicon electrical steel with a silicon level exceeding 1.50%; ASTM Specifications A710 & A736; or USS abrasion-resistant steels (USS AR400 & AR500).

Item	Calendar Years
1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Imports of product 1 from Brazil:
Quantity of imports
Value of imports
Imports of product 1 from Japan:
Quantity of imports
Value of imports
Imports of product 1 from Russia:
Quantity of imports
Value of imports
Imports of product 1 from all other countries 2:
Quantity of imports
Value of imports
1 Please identify the products, their applications, and the elements present in the specified quantities:

2 Please identify the "other" countries from which your company imports the specified products:

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued

II-9.	(b) In addition, please report below the quantity and value of your firm's imports of "Group B" excluded products that would otherwise be included within the scope of these reviews. "Group B" exclusions are product-specific exclusions defined on pages 5-6 of the instruction booklet.

(Quantity in short tons, value in $1,000)
Calendar Years
Item	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
:
Quantity
Value
:
Quantity
Value
:
Quantity
Value
Quantity
Value
1 Please identify the "other" countries from which your company imports the specified products:

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued

II-10.	Describe the significance of the existing subject countervailing duty order (Brazil), antidumping duty orders (Brazil and Japan), and suspension agreement (Russia) on hot-rolled steel in terms of their effect on your firm's imports, U.S. shipments of imports, and inventories. You may wish to compare your firm's operations before and after the imposition of the orders.

II-11.	Would your firm anticipate any changes in its imports, U.S. shipments of imports, or inventories of hot-rolled steel in the future if the subject countervailing duty order (Brazil), antidumping duty orders (Brazil and Japan), and suspension agreement (Russia) on hot-rolled steel were to be revoked?

No	Yes--Supply details as to the time, nature, and significance of such changes

and provide underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of business plans or other supporting documentation, for any trends or projections you may provide.

Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Alfred Dennis, Economist (202-205-3316 or alfred.dennis@usitc.gov).

III-1.	Who should be contacted regarding the requested pricing and related information?

Company contact:

Name and title

Phone No.	E-mail address

This section requests quarterly quantity and value data on your firm's U.S. shipments of the following products during January 1999-December 2004. Values should be for arms-length sales to unrelated U.S. customers, f.o.b. U.S. point of shipment, net of returns, refunds, discounts, and credits. Values should include all applicable surcharges.

Hot-rolled carbon steel plate in coils, as-rolled unprocessed, not pickled or temper rolled, not high strength, produced to AISI-1006-1025 grade (including, but not limited to, ASTM A36), 0.187" through 0.625" in nominal or actual thickness, 40" through 72" in width.

Hot rolled carbon sheet in coils, commercial quality, SAE 1006-1015, ASTM 569, or ASTM A1011-CS, not high strength, not pickled and oiled, not temper rolled, 0.090" through 0.171" in nominal or actual thickness, 40" through 60" in width.

Hot rolled carbon sheet in coils, commercial quality, SAE 1006-1015, ASTM 569, or ASTM 1011-CS, pickled and oiled, temper rolled, not high strength, 0.090" through 0.171" in nominal or actual thickness, 40" through 60" in width.

Hot rolled carbon sheet in coils, commercial quality, SAE 1006-1015, ASTM 569, or ASTM 1011-CS, not pickled and oiled, temper rolled, not high strength, less than 0.090" in nominal or actual thickness, 40" through 84" in width.

Product 5.–Hot rolled carbon sheet in coils, high strength low alloy, SAE 1006-1015 , ASTM 569, or ASTM 1011 equivalent, not pickled and oiled, not temper rolled, 0.090" through 0.171 in nominal or actual thickness, 40" through 60" in width.

. Complete a separate page for each of the specified products imported and sold by your firm. Indicate in the space provided the product for which pricing is reported.

Product 1	Product 2	Product 3	Product 4	Product 5

Brazil Japan Russia

(Quantity in short tons, value in U.S. dollars)
Period of shipment	Quantity	Value1
January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December
January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December
January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December
January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December
January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December
January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December
1 Net values (i.e., gross sales values less all discounts, allowances, rebates, prepaid freight, and the value of returned goods), f.o.b. your U.S. point of shipment.

Note.--If your product does not exactly meet the product specifications but is competitive with the specified product, provide a description of your product:

III-B-1.	a) Please describe how your firm determines the prices (including any surcharges) that it charges for sales of hot-rolled steel (transaction by transaction negotiation, contracts for multiple shipments, set price lists, etc.). If your firm issues price lists, please include a copy of a recent price list with your submission. If your price list is large, please submit sample pages.

b) Please submit copies of all price announcements effective after December 31, 2004, that include a proposed change in price for hot-rolled steel products.

III-B-2.	Please describe your firm's discount policy (quantity discounts, annual total volume discounts, etc.).

III-B-3.	What are your firm's typical sales terms for hot-rolled steel imported from Brazil, Japan, and/or Russia (e.g., 2/10 net 30 days)? On what basis are your prices of such product usually quoted (e.g., f.o.b. port of entry, or delivered)?

III-B-4.	Approximately what share of your firm's sales of its hot-rolled steel imported from Brazil, Japan, and/or Russia in 2004 were on a (1) long-term contract basis (multiple deliveries for more than 12 months), (2) short-term contract basis (multiple deliveries up to 12 months), and (3) spot sales basis (for a single delivery)?

Type of sale	Share of sales (percent)
Long-term contracts
Short-term contracts
Spot sales

Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued

III-B-4.	b) Has the percentage of contract vs. spot sales increased, decreased, or stayed the same since 1999? If the percentage of contract vs. spot sales differed during the period (e.g., increased in 2002 but decreased in 2003), please identify all periods in which the percentage of contract vs. spot sales changed, indicating whether this percentage increased, decreased, or stayed the same.

□ Increased	□ Unchanged	□ Decreased

III-B-5.	If you sell on a long-term contract basis, please answer the following questions with respect to provisions of a typical long-term contract.

(a) What percentage of your long-term contracts is of each of the following durations?

1 year	Over 1 year

(b) Can prices be renegotiated during the contract period?

(c) Since 1999, approximately what percent of your firm's contracts involved requests for price renegotiation?

(d) Does the contract fix quantity, price, or both?

(e) Does the contract have a meet or release provision?

(f) If contracts have a meet-or-release clause, has your firm actually changed prices during the period in which the contract was in place? Yes No . If yes, please estimate the percentage of your firm's contract sales since 1999 in which a price change took place while the contract was still in place. Please note in your response the time period when this price change occurred and what caused the change. Attach additional pages if necessary.

Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued

III-B-6.	If you sell on a short-term contract basis, please answer the following questions with respect to provisions of a typical short-term contract.

(a) What percentage of your short-term contracts is of each of the following durations?

3 months	6 months	9 months

(b) Can prices be renegotiated during the contract period?

(c) Since 1999, approximately what percent of your firm's contracts involved requests for price renegotiation?

(d) Does the contract fix quantity, price, or both?

(e) Does the contract have a meet or release provision?

(f) If contracts have a meet-or-release clause, has your firm actually changed prices during the period in which the contract was in place? Yes No . If yes, please estimate the percentage of your firm's contract sales since 1999 in which a price change took place while the contract was still in place. Please note in your response the time period when this price change occurred and what caused the change. Attach additional pages if necessary.

III-B-7.	a) What is the average lead time between a customer's order and the date of delivery for your firm's sales of hot-rolled steel?

Source	Share of 2004 sales	Lead time
From inventory
Produced to order
Total	100%

b) Has the average lead time increased, decreased, or stayed the same since 1999? If changes in lead times differed during the period (e.g., increased in 2002 but decreased in 2003), please identify all periods in which lead times changed, indicating whether lead times increased, decreased, or stayed the same.

□ Increased	□ Unchanged	□ Decreased

Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued

III-B-8.	(a) What is the approximate percentage of the total delivered cost of hot-rolled steel that is accounted for by U.S. inland transportation costs? percent.

(b) Who generally arranges the transportation to your customers' locations? (check one)

Your firm

Purchaser

(c) What proportion of your sales occur:

within 100 miles of your storage or production facility?	percent

within 101 to 1,000 miles of your storage or production facility? percent

over 1,000 miles from your storage or production facility?	percent

III-B-9.	a) Generally, which of the following major geographic market areas in the United States are served by your firm's hot-rolled steel?

□ National (all regions)

□ East	□Gulf Coast	□Great Lakes	□West

b) What are the specific geographic market areas in the United States served by your firm's hot-rolled steel?

□ Mid-Atlantic	□ Northeast	□ Rocky Mountains	□Southwest

□ Midwest	□ Northwest	□ Southeast	□West Coast

□ Other (describe)

III-B-10.	Describe the three most common end uses and end users of the hot-rolled steel that you import from Brazil, Japan, and/or Russia. For each end-use product, what percentage of the total cost is accounted for by hot-rolled steel?

End use	Share of total cost accounted for by hot-rolled steel (percent)

End users: _________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

III-B-11.	Have there been any changes in the end uses of hot-rolled steel since 1999?

No	Yes--Please describe.

Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued

III-B-12.	Do you anticipate any changes in terms of the end uses of hot-rolled steel in the future?

No	Yes--Please describe and identify the time period. Provide any

underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of business plans or other supporting documentation, that address this issue.

III-B-13.	(a) Please list in order of importance any products that may be substituted for hot-rolled steel.

(1) (2) (3)

(b) For each possible substitute product, please give examples of applications and end uses for which they are substitutes.

(c) Have changes in the prices of these products affected the price for hot-rolled steel?

No	Yes–To what degree do changes in their prices affect the price for hot- rolled steel? Does this effect have a time lag? If so, how long is the time lag for each substitute product? Does this vary by type of product or final end use?

III-B-14.	Have there been any changes in the number or types of products that can be substituted for hot-rolled steel since 1999?

No	Yes--Please explain.

Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued

III-B-15.	Do you anticipate any changes in terms of the substitutability of other products for hot-rolled steel in the future?

No	Yes--Please describe. Provide any underlying assumptions, along with

relevant portions of business plans or other supporting documentation, that address this issue.

III-B-16.	To what extent have changes in the availability and prices of basic raw materials (e.g., coke, iron, steel scrap, or slab) affected your firm's selling prices for hot-rolled steel since 1999? Also discuss any anticipated changes in raw material costs in the future, identifying the time period(s) involved and the factor(s) that you believe would be responsible for such changes. Provide any underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of business plans or other supporting documentation, that address this issue.

III-B-17.	Have any changes occurred in any other factors affecting supply (e.g., safeguard or other trade actions; changes in availability or prices of energy or labor; transportation conditions; production capacity and/or methods of production; technology; export markets; or alternative production opportunities) that affected the availability of U.S.-produced and/or imported hot-
rolled steel in the U.S. market since 1999?

No	Yes--Please note the time period(s) of any such changes, the factors(s)

involved, and the impact such changes had on your shipment volumes, prices and overall operations.

Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued

III-B-18.	(a) Do you anticipate any changes in terms of the availability of hot-rolled steel imported from Brazil, Japan, and/or Russia in the U.S. market in the future?

Increase	No Change	Decrease

(b) If you anticipate changes in availability, please identify the changes including the time period and the impact of such changes on shipment volumes and prices. Provide any underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of business plans or other supporting documentation, that address this issue.

III-B-19.	Has the availability of hot-rolled steel imported from NONSUBJECT countries changed since 1999?

No	Yes--Please explain.

III-B-20.	Describe how easily your firm can shift its sales of hot-rolled steel between the U.S. market and alternative country markets. In your discussion, please describe any contracts, other sales arrangements, or other constraints that would prevent or retard your firm from shifting hot-
rolled steel between the U.S. and alternative country markets within a 12-month period. Provide any underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of business plans or other supporting documentation, that address this issue.

III-B-21.	Have there been any significant changes in the product range, product mix, or marketing (including sales over the internet) of hot-rolled steel since 1999?

No	Yes--Please describe and quantify if possible.

PART III.--PRICING AND MARKET FACTORS--Continued

III-B-22.	Do you anticipate any changes in terms of the product range, product mix, or marketing (including sales over the internet) of hot-rolled steel in the future? Provide any underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of business plans or other supporting documentation, that address this issue.

No	Yes--Please identify, including the time period.

III-B-23.	(a) How has demand within the United States for hot-rolled steel changed since 1999?

Increased	Unchanged	Decreased

Other (describe)

What were the principal factors affecting changes in demand?

(b) How has demand outside the United States, if known, for hot-rolled steel changed since 1999?

Increased	Unchanged	Decreased

Other (describe)

What were the principal factors affecting changes in demand?

III-B-24.	Do you anticipate any future changes in hot-rolled steel demand in the United States and, if known, the rest of the world?

No	Yes--Please describe and identify the time period. Provide any

underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of business plans or other supporting documentation, that address this issue.

PART III.--PRICING AND MARKET FACTORS--Continued

III-B-25.	Please compare market prices of hot-rolled steel in U.S. and non-U.S. markets, if known. Provide specific information as to time periods and regions for any price comparisons.

III-B-26.	Please provide as a separate attachment to this request any studies, surveys, etc. that you are aware of that quantify and/or otherwise discuss hot-rolled steel supply (including production capacity and capacity utilization) and demand in (1) the United States, (2) each of the other major producing/consuming countries, including Brazil, Japan, and/or Russia, and (3) the world as a whole. Of particular interest is such data from 1999 to the present and forecasts for the future.

III-B-27.	Are exports of hot-rolled steel subject to any tariff or non-tariff barriers to trade in other countries?

No	Yes--Please list the countries and describe any such barriers and any

significant changes in such barriers that have occurred since 1999, or that are expected to occur in the future. Please include a discussion of safeguard actions enacted between 1999 and 2004.

III-B-28.	Does your firm sell hot-rolled steel over the internet?

No	Yes--Please describe, noting the estimated percentage of your firm's total

sales of hot-rolled steel in 2004 accounted for by internet sales.

PART III.--PRICING AND MARKET FACTORS--Continued

III-B-29	Has your firm refused, declined, or been unable to supply hot-rolled steel since 1999? (Examples include placing customers on allocation or "controlled order entry," declining to accept new customers or renew existing customers, delivering less than the quantity promised, unable to meet timely shipment commitments, etc.)

No	Yes--Please note and document the time period(s) (i.e., month and year), country of origin, and the customer involved; and the amount and type of product involved.

III-B-30. Is hot-rolled steel produced in the United States and in other countries interchangeable (i.e., can they physically be used in the same applications)? Please indicate below, using "A" to indicate that the products from a specified country-pair are always interchangeable, "F" to indicate that the products are frequently interchangeable,"S" to indicate that the products are sometimes interchangeable,"N" to indicate that the products are never interchangeable, and "0" to indicate no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair.1
Country-pair	United States	Japan	Brazil	Russia	Other countries
United States
Japan
Brazil
Russia
1 For any country-pair producing hot-rolled steel which is sometimes or never interchangeable, please explain, in detail, the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:

PART III.--PRICING AND MARKET FACTORS--Continued

III-B-31. Are differences other than price (i.e., quality, availability, transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between hot-rolled steel produced in the United States and in other countries, a significant factor in your firm's sales of the products? Please indicate below, using "A" to indicate that such differences are always significant, "F" to indicate that such differences are frequently significant,"S" to indicate that such differences are sometimes significant,"N" to indicate that such differences are never significant, and "0" to indicate no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair.1
Country-pair	United States	Japan	Brazil	Russia	Other countries
United States
Japan
Brazil
Russia
1 For any country-pair for which factors other than price always or frequently are a significant factor in your firm's sales of hot-rolled steel, identify the country-pair and report the advantages or disadvantages imparted by such factors, providing specific examples where possible: