Quote:
Originally Posted by Taf
EU tariff rules have allowed the flooding of markets with cheaper, inferior quality, Chinese steel. In fact not just allowed, but positively welcomed.
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I keep on hearing this, but if Chinese Steel was so much worse, wouldn't customers value the higher quality enough to pay for it? After all, if this steel is so rubbish that it would have a higher TCO than the alternatives, only a fool would buy it.
I suspect that it's all too easy to demonise a competitor by calling them rubbish, while at the same time actual customers of the stuff don't seem to be saying the same thing.
Again, blame China for causing the crash ignores the fact that steel production, iron ore mining etc spiked in the last decade thanks to higher demand and thus prices. The higher demand came from China. So, blame them for the crash sure, thank them for giving the industries 10 years of profits first. Also, this isn't a new thing. Basically Iron/Steel went mad up until 2009, cratered and hasn't recovered since. PT has been losing money for a good while, and the last year has only caused more pain. While Anti-Dumping tariffs would make a dent, it would not make this plant profitable.