Import Administration
Stainless Steel Wire Rod from Sweden (A-401-806)

Scope Description:

For purposes of this order, stainless steel wire rod (SSWR) comprises products that are hot-rolled or hot-rolled annealed and/or pickled and/or descaled rounds, squares, octagons, hexagons or other shapes, in coils, that may also be coated with a lubricant containing copper, lime or oxalate. SSWR is made of alloy steels containing, by weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 percent or more of chromium, with or without other elements. These products are manufactured only by hot-rolling or hot-rolling annealing, and/or pickling and/or descaling, are normally sold in coiled form, and are of solid cross-section. The majority of SSWR sold in the United States is round in cross-sectional shape, annealed and pickled, and later cold-finished into stainless steel wire or small-diameter bar. The most common size for such products is 5.5 millimeters or 0.217 inches in diameter, which represents the smallest size that normally is produced
on a rolling mill and is the size that most wire-drawing machines are set up to draw. The range of SSWR sizes normally sold in the United States is between 0.20 inches and 1.312 inches in diameter.

Certain stainless steel grades are excluded from the scope of the order. SF20T and K-M35FL are excluded. The following proprietary grades of Kanthal AB are also excluded: Kanthal A-1, Kanthal AF, Kanthal A, Kanthal D, Kanthal DT, Alkrothal 14, Alkrothal 720, and Nikrothal 40.

The chemical makeup for the excluded grades is as follows:
SF20T
Carbon--0.05 max
Manganese--2.00 max
Phosphorous--0.05 max
Sulfur--0.15 max
Silicon--1.00 max
Chromium--19.00/21.00
Molybdenum--1.50/2.50
Lead--added (0.10/0.30)
Tellurium--added (0.03 min)
K-M35FL
Carbon--0.015 max
Silicon--0.70/1.00
Manganese--0.40 max
Phosphorous--0.04 max
Sulfur--0.03 max
Nickel--0.30 max
Chromium--12.50/14.00
Lead--0.10/0.30
Aluminum--0.20/0.35
Kanthal A-1
Carbon--0.08 max
Silicon--0.70 max
Manganese--0.40 max
Aluminum--5.30 min, 6.30 max
Iron--balance
Chromium--20.50 min, 23.50 max
Kanthal AF
Carbon--0.08 max
Silicon--0.70 max
Manganese--0.40 max
Chromium--20.50 min, 23.50 max
Aluminum--4.80 min, 5.80 max
Iron--balance
Kanthal A
Carbon--0.08 max
Silicon--0.70 max
Manganese--0.50 max
Chromium--20.50 min, 23.50 max
Aluminum--4.80 min, 5.80 max
Iron--balance
Kanthal D
Carbon--0.08 max
Silicon--0.70 max
Manganese--0.50 max
Chromium--20.50 min, 23.50 max
Aluminum--4.30 min, 5.30 max
Iron--balance
Kanthal DT
Carbon--0.08 max
Silicon--0.70 max
Manganese--0.50 max
Chromium--20.50 min, 23.50 max
Aluminum--4.60 min, 5.60 max
Iron--balance
Alkrothal 14
Carbon--0.08 max
Silicon--0.70 max
Manganese--0.50 max
Chromium--14.00 min, 16.00 max
Aluminum--3.80 min, 4.80 max
Iron--balance
Alkrothal 720
Carbon--0.08 max
Silicon--0.70 max
Manganese--0.70 max
Chromium--12.00 min, 14.00 max
Aluminum--3.50 min, 4.50 max
Iron--balance
Nikrothal 40
Carbon--0.10 max
Silicon--1.60 min, 2.50 max
Manganese--1.00 max
Chromium--18.00 min, 21.00 max
Nickel--34.00 min, 37.00 max
Iron--balance

The products investigated are currently classifiable under subheadings 7221.00.0005, 7221.00.0015, 7221.00.0030, 7221.00.0045, and 7221.00.0075 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (``HTSUS''). Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope
of this order is dispositive.