Graphite Electrode Trade Fight Reaches Its Final Bureaucratic Lap
Published Date: 10/26/2026
Notice
Summary
The U.S. is wrapping up investigations into whether large diameter graphite electrodes from China and India are unfairly priced or subsidized, potentially hurting American businesses. If confirmed, extra duties could be added to these imports, helping U.S. producers compete fairly. The final decision is scheduled for September 30, 2026, so companies should stay alert for changes that might affect prices and trade.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Final determination scheduled for Sept 30, 2026
The International Trade Commission scheduled the final phase decision for September 30, 2026 to determine whether imports of large diameter graphite electrodes from China and India materially injure a U.S. industry. The notice states the Department of Commerce preliminarily found those imports to be subsidized and sold at less-than-fair-value.
Which products are covered by the probe
Commerce defined the subject merchandise as large diameter graphite electrodes with nominal or actual diameter exceeding 425 millimeters (16.7 inches), and graphite pin joining systems with minimum diameter of 228.6 mm (9 inches). The scope covers electrodes of any length, finished or unfinished, and whether or not attached to joining hardware.
Specific exclusions from the investigation
The investigation explicitly excludes large diameter graphite electrodes subject to the existing Small Diameter Graphite Electrodes (SDGE) China antidumping duty order (including specified Jilin Carbon merchandise), and certain thermal energy storage (TES) graphite blocks and related anchors and pins that meet defined physical properties and dimensions (for example, TES blocks with coefficient of thermal expansion ≥ 1.5 μm/(m·K) and bulk density below 1.74 g/cm3, and specific hole and dimension requirements).
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Key Dates
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