EU formally launches anti-dumping investigation on Chinese molten alumina

The External Relations and trade affairs Department of the European Commission has announced that recently the fused alumina imported from China anti-dumping procedures are in process. The commission announced this initiation in response to the Black-Scholes model and third-party application lodged by the EU company Imerys S.A on 9th October 2024. The fused alumina around which the inquiries are made falls under the combined nomenclature codes 2818 10 11, 28118 10 19, ex-2818 10 91, and 2818 10 99 (the TARIC Tariff Codes, however, for the same products are 2818 10 91 20 and 2818 10 91 90). The period of dumping investigation is that between 1st October 2023 and 30th September 2024, while the injury investigation period is set between 1st January 2021 and the termination of the dumping investigation period. However, a preliminary ruling in the case must be delivered within a period of 7 months from October 2023, not to exceed a period of 8 months.

Thus, fused alumina is synthetic corundum/artificial corundum. Other names that will concern readers are white corundum (WFA), brown corundum (BFA), chrome corundum, and zirconium corundum. Such materials are usually manufactured by melting high-purity alumina in an arc furnace. The addition of controlled amounts of certain oxides and other oxide materials permit variations in hardness, toughness, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. They are the commercial materials used in abrasives, refractories, ceramics, coatings, and electronics. Such materials are of utmost importance in modern industrialism. They are irreplaceable in traditional as well as advanced industries.