wiredinUSA June 2014

Prestressed duties

Fiber optic for Guantánamo

It is reported that the US commerce department has approved a policy of anti-dumping duties on prestressed concrete steel rail tie wire imported from China and Mexico. The wire is used in commuter and high-speed rail line applications. The petitioners for the investigations were Insteel Wire Products Company and Davis Wire Corporation. The duties are said to be 9.99 percent for imports from Mexico, and between 31.4 percent and 35.3 percent for steel wire imports from China. There will be no duties imposed on wire from Thailand. A final decision will be made on 12 th June to determine the final dumping duties. China is said to have exported steel wire worth $31.1million to the US during 2013, and Mexico shipped wire to the value of $21.3million.

The US defense department has awarded a $31 million contract to Xtera Communications Inc to build Guantánamo’s underseafiber opticcable, connecting the US base in southeast Cuba with South Florida. The project is a major investment in upgrading services at the remote base for around 6,000 residents, including 2,200 soldiers and other temporary staff at the prison camp currently holding 154 captives. The work has an estimated completion date of December 2015.

wiredInUSA - June 2014

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