US authorities launched an investigation against supply of Kazakhstani and Japanese titanium sponge. About the beginning of the anti-dumping process, said the Ministry of Commerce of the country. The initiator of investigation is a national company Titanium Metals Corp. It is the only national producer of titanium sponge. Representatives of Timet estimated dumping margin for Japanese products from a to 30.62% to 68%. In the case of Ust-Kamenogorsk titanium-magnesium plant, the figure reaches approximately from 32.74%. It is the only supplier from Kazakhstan, delivering their goods in the United States. Among other things, Timet indicates the receipt of UKTMC illegal state subsidies.

Representatives of the American company pointed out that Japanese suppliers of titanium sponge actively Orient their production to the local market. On the collected company data for more than 93% of exports from Japan is deposited in the U.S. markets. Overall, of the quantity of the supplied sponge is about 90%. Thus already in the 1st quarter of this year saw an increase in deliveries of 38% relative to 2016. As for UDMC, up to a certain point, the company is not mastered foreign markets. However, since last year the sales volume has increased significantly. In the 1st quarter the share of Kazakhstan titanium sponge accounted for 5% of U.S. imports.

According to the company Timet, as a result of unfair foreign competition, the company Allegheny Technologies had to close its plant. Stop production of titanium sponge of this company took place in August last year. Timet sure that in the absence of measures by the government aimed at protecting the national market, it will have to stop their production. Anti-dumping duties against Japanese, Russian, Kazakh and Ukrainian titanium sponge acted in the 90-ies. However, in 1998, the tax was canceled.