US: Texas Industries (TXI) has requested that the US Department of Commerce and the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center investigate and counteract 'unfairly' priced portland cement imports from Greece and the Republic of Korea.
In a letter to the organisations, TXI, the largest producer of cement in Texas and a major cement producer in California, stated that it believes that imports from Greece and Korea are being sold at less than a 'fair' value and are benefiting from government subsidies. In addition it alleged that these imports have materially injured Texas cement producers and their employees.
Imports from Greece and Korea to Texas increased by almost 40% from 2009 to 2011, and increased another 14% from the first half of 2011 to the first half of 2012. Allegedly these imports have taken substantial sales volumes from Texan producers resulting in underutilisation of local production capacity and reduced profits.