On Sept. 10, the U.S. Department of Commerce released its final results in the 12th administrative review of the antidumping order on gray portland cement and clinker from Mexico. Commerce calculated a dumping margin of 79.81% on imports of cement during August 2001 to July 2002 from Cemex, S.A. de C.V. and its affiliate GCC Cemento, S.A. de C.V. In addition, it ruled that importers of cement from Cemex must pay $61.60 per metric ton in cash deposits of estimated antidumping duties on future imports of Mexican cement.

According to Joe Dorn, counsel for the Southern Tier Cement Committee, “That new rate is more than double what has been required in the recent past. It should go a long way toward eliminating the unfair price advantage that Cemex has continued to enjoy since the antidumping order was first imposed in 1990.”

Commerce issued the antidumping order on gray portland cement and clinker from Mexico in August 1990 and has conducted an administrative review every year since. Cemex's average dumping margin of 64% over the 12 reviews is believed to be the highest margin ever determined over such a long period of time for any one foreign exporter.