Uses: In the most general sense, wire is used to bear mechanical loads, electricity, telecommunications signals.

Formation: Wire is formed by drawing metal through a hole in a draw plate or die of cast iron or steel. (Very fine wires may be drawn through ruby or diamond plates.)

Measurement: Wire gauge measures the size (diameter or cross-section) and indicates the amount or weight, electric current, and/or electrical resistance per unit of length it can safely carry.

Variations: The term “wire” can refer to a single metal strand as well as a bundle of strands (aka wire rope or cable).

Forms: Wire comes in solid-core, stranded, and braided forms. Most are circular in cross-section, but it can also be made in flattened rectangular, square, or hexagonal cross-sections.

• Solid-core or single-strand wire consists of one piece of metal wire. It provides more mechanical ruggedness than it does flexibility, and it’s cheaper to manufacture than are other forms.
• Stranded wire is composed of multiple strands of small-gauge wire bundled together to form a larger conductor. It is more flexible than solid wire and is a better conductor due to the collective surface area of the individual wires.
• Braided wire consists of a number of small wire strands braided together. Braided wires are strong. The more individual strands in the wire bundle, the more flexible, break-resistant, and kink-resistant the wire is. (And the more expensive it is to produce.)

Uses: There is not enough room here to list all of the uses for wire.

• Wire is a primary raw material of important manufacturing industries, including wire netting, engineered springs, wire rope and wire cloth (i.e. wire mesh).
• Wire is used in vast quantities for telephone and data cables, for heating, and for conducting electrical power. It is in tremendous demand for use in fences, cages, suspension bridges, and engineered springs.
• Wire can be found in stringed musical instruments, as well as scientific instruments. It is used to make hairpins, fish hooks, rivets, nails, and jewelry. There are, in fact, few industries that do not use wire in some capacity.

Composition: The best metals for wire making are ductile and strong in tension and include platinum, silver, iron, aluminum, copper, gold, brass, and bronze. Special-purpose wire (e.g. for light bulbs), may be made from other metals, such as tungsten.

Metal wire and wire mesh are common imports from China. These imports can be customized to suit the specific needs of a U.S. business and can be found in ordinary items everywhere: shopping carts, property fences, and home décor, to name just a few.

Working with an experienced importer enables American companies to ensure that they acquire quality wire products. Walker has been working with a first-rate metal wire and wire mesh manufacturer/exporter in China for nearly 20 years. Walker’s partner is ISO certified and produces more than 20,000 metric tons of steel rod annually.

Beyond Walker’s partnership with a quality manufacturer is our expertise in the logistics of getting metal wire and wire mesh from China to the U.S. Walker manages the cross-cultural communications, the overseas transit, and the journey through customs to make sure quality products arrives in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Contact Walker for your metal wire and wire mesh needs.

ArcelorMittal

ArcelorMittal is the result of the 2006 merger of Arcelor and Mittal Steel. The company boasts nearly a quarter of a million employees and produces 10 percent of the world’s steel. While its headquarters are located in Luxembourg, ArcelorMittal has operations in more than 60 countries.

NSSMC

In 2012, Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal merged to create NSSMC (Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation. NSSMC produces steel for a wide span of industries, including construction, energy, and automobile. The company employs more than 80,000 employees across 15 countries.

Hebei Iron and Steel Group

Founded in 2008, Hebei Iron and Steel Group Company (HBIS) is a state-owned business. HBIS is headquartered in the Shijiazhuang, Hebei region of China. The company’s 125,000 employees produce 30 million tons of steel every year. HBIS specializes in bar, welded pipe, galvanized plate, wire rod, hot-rolled plate, and cold-rolled steel.

Baosteel

Headquartered in Pudong, Shanghai, China, Baosteel employees more than 130,000 and exports to more than 40 countries. The company is primarily focused on stainless steel, carbon steel, and special steel for use in industries such as energy, machine manufacture, automobile, transportation, astronautics, and electronic instruments.

Wuhan Iron and Steel Group

Founded in 1958, Wuhan Iron and Steel Group Corporation was China’s first major steel producer. The company is located in Wuhan, Hubei, China, and produces plate products, wire rod products, profile products and hot- and cold-rolled products.

Pohang Iron and Steel Company

Better known as POSCO, Pohang Iron and Steel Company was founded in 1968. POSCO is headquartered in Pohang, South Korea, and produces about 40 million tons of crude steel annually. POSCO’s major output is flat steel, long steel, plates and wires.

Jiangsu Shagang

Jiangsu Shagang is a privately owned company in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, China. Formed in 1975, Jiangsu Shagang produces an annual 18 million tons of wire rods, rebar, slabs and hot-rolled coils.

Domestic importers can choose from an endless list of suppliers for their metal needs. Finding the steel manufacturer that best suits their needs is the challenging part. Fortunately, Walker World Trade knows how it should be done.

Walker helps importers identify and touch base with the right global sources. Companies can focus on doing business and leave the logistics to WWT. With almost 80 years of experience, Walker fully understands the obstacles facing international traders: language barriers, customs and duties concerns, prototyping, freight, and all of the complexities of getting products across an ocean.

If your business is ready to tap in to the world’s tremendous metals market, then a call to Walker World Trade is a logical first step. Contact Walker today to get started. 

Plastic injection manufacturers may produce flexible and/or rigid materials. Specialty processes include insert molding, micro-molding, complex molding, single-injection molding, and double-injection molding, among others.

With the help of an experienced trade manager, U.S. businesses can identify and locate appropriate sources from all over the world, particularly China. Quality companies that specialize in plastic injection molding, other plastic products, and plastic assemblies are out there and ready to do business with you, but you may need a bit of help to get started.

With decades of experience in the international arena, Walker World Trade is equipped to provide the help American businesses need. WWT’s expertise covers all facets of the global plastics trade, including prototypes, manufacturing costs, and freight, customs, and duties.

You need plastics to do your business. China has what you need. Walker knows how to get it to you in the most timely and cost-effective manner.

Ready to get started? Contact Walker World Trade to source your China plastics materials supplier.

The best way to avoid a holdup at the border is to provide Customs with a clear, well-defined description of the articles that are cited in the import documents. Easier said than done, of course, particularly when your imports are parts or components of an assembly that will be completed in the U.S.

As your international trade manager, Walker can help. We can work with you and your shipper for detailed definitions of the articles to be imported, including the end purpose of the item in question:

• How will your article be used?
• What is its function or part in assembly?
• In what industry will the final assembly be used?

It is helpful to provide JPEGS of the articles as well. Researching descriptions, definitions, and images on the internet is a great way to get started. The import manager essentially “goes to school” to learn about the items being imported and their journey to becoming an end product.

All of this upfront research requires all parties involved to use clear, accurate, and appropriate words to describe and define the imported articles. Sloppy or incomplete descriptions in the documents should be avoided. “Haste makes waste,” so to speak, and cutting corners upfront may result in lengthy, costly, and ultimately unnecessary Customs exams.

“Get it right the first time,” as we say at Walker International, Inc. The extra effort you let us put in now will save you time, money, and headaches later.

Contact Walker today to get started on those article descriptions. 

The poll revealed that, across the country, Democrats are significantly more supportive than Republicans of international trade. This is likely a result of ongoing trends: Republican support has been trending downward since 2005; Democratic support has risen significantly since 2008.

House Democrats Reject President Obama’s Trade Appeal

The ongoing drama on Capitol Hill seems to be in contrast to these nationwide trends. While House Democrats have consistently backed President Obama on other issues, they recently rejected his personal appeal to expand trade negotiating power.

The party voted to end assistance to workers displaced by global trade, a program created and supported by Democrats for more than 40 years. “We want a better deal for America’s workers,” said Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

House Republicans Fight to Keep Global Trade Power in U.S. Hands

That vote places the Trans-Pacific Partnership in peril. The TPP proposes trade agreement with 11 other nations along the Pacific Ocean and affects 40 percent of the global economy. The decision “hurts America,” according to Republican Rep. Charlie Dent. The defeat is a definite blow to the President, who said:

These kinds of agreements reflect the realities of a 21^st-century economy. These kinds of agreements make sure that the global economy’s rules aren’t written by countries like China; they’re written by the United States of America. And to stand in their way is to do nothing but preserve the long-term status quo for American workers and make it even harder for them to succeed.

Pacific Trade Partners Continue to Become Large and Powerful

Trade ministers from other nations have been holding off to see what Congress will do. The venture’s largest partner after the U.S., Japan, declared that it will not make the political concessions President Obama wants if Congress could alter the deal after its signing.

Speaker John Boehner expressed the majority’s concern about the rising power of China. “When America leads, the world is safer, for freedom and for free enterprise, and if we don’t lead, we’re allowing and essentially inviting China to go right on setting the rules of the world economy.”

International Trade Management Helps U.S. Traders

While the House continues to battle over foreign trade issues, American businesses continue import/export dealings around the world. How Washington’s decisions impact each of these domestic businesses is yet to be seen, but having a trade expert on call can ease some of the uncertainty.

An international trade manager can focus 100 percent on the complexities of foreign trade, enabling U.S. companies to focus on their own businesses. The experts at Walker World Trade, for example, knows what it takes to get a product from China to the U.S., and vice versa. International trade managers know how to deal with cultural and language barriers, foreign product development processes, overseas transit, and customs and duties issues. Relying on trade experts keeps American businesses in compliance and focused on profitability.

Turn your international trade concerns over to the experts. Contact Walker World Trade today.  

“Dumping” occurs when imports are sold in the U.S. at less than fair market value. The exporters are able to sell at low prices, oftentimes thanks to subsidies provided through foreign government programs, and that creates big problems for U.S. industries.

Aluminum die castings are just one of many imported goods that are dumped. But it’s important to keep in mind that aluminum products themselves are not the issue… the real problem lies with the exporters. (Click here for a list of China exporters most recently under review for their trading practices.) Under the Tariff Act of 1930, U.S. industries can petition the government for relief from dumped imports.

The U.S. Department of Commerce imposes a protectionist tariff, anti-dumping duty, on foreign imports that are priced below fair market value. Anti-dumping duties often exceed 100 percent. As an importer, you do not want to be involved with dumpers.

With the help of an international trade manager, you can avoid the guilty exporters. Your trade manager has identified reputable manufacturers who are not trying to undercut prices and are thus not subject to anti-dumping tariffs.

Protect yourself. Contact Walker World Trade for a list of reliable China manufacturers of aluminum die castings.

Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duty Petitions Filed

Six major U.S. steelmakers – U.S. Steel, AK Steel, Steel Dynamics, Nucor, and ArcelorMittal USA – filed anti-dumping and countervailing duty petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission.

The steelmakers complain that five countries are illegally dumping cheap corrosion-resistant steel and causing material injury to the nation’s steel industry. The United Steelworkers union supports the petitions, which target China, India, South Korea, Italy, and Taiwan.

Corrosion-resistant steel is coated with metals such as zinc or aluminum to extend the service life of products made from such the steel, including appliances, vehicles, and industrial and agricultural equipment. Imports of corrosion-resistant steel from the above five countries soared 85 percent (more than $2.2 billion) between 2012 and 2014.

Will Tariffs Be Imposed on Imports?

Low production costs enable overseas producers, particularly China, to sell their products at cheap rates, leading to an industry-wide price decline in the U.S., hurting margins and earnings power. The petitions charge that the steel exporters benefit from countervailing subsidies from their governments, 48 subsidy programs in China alone. Domestic producers will continue to struggle if tariffs are not imposed on imports.

American steel companies want Congress to take action against illegal foreign trade practices. Will this affect your import-export transactions? That depends on who you’re doing business with. Before you source metals from China (or any foreign country), consult a professional sourcing agent to make sure that your imports are within the codes of international trade. The sourcing agent, or international trade manager, will make sure you’re not dealing with dumpers.

Protect your business while protecting the U.S. steel industry: contact Walker World Trade today. 

In 2013, more than 300,000 U.S. companies exported goods or services, according to the Department of Commerce. And surprisingly, about 98 percent of these companies had fewer than 500 employees. Will your small business soon be among them?

Domestic Limitations

When you find that your local market has become saturated or has otherwise not responded well to your marketing efforts, reach beyond the borders. If you sell motorcycle accessories, for example, it makes sense to target nations in which the motorcycle is an everyday item (and not a luxury item like it is in the U.S.).

Enjoy the Ricochet Effect

Establishing a marketing presence in a foreign country often results in an increase in domestic sales. When your clients in, say, Japan recognize you, then you may find that you’re able to obtain more Japanese clients within the U.S.

Do It Wisely

Doing business overseas does not necessarily require your physical presence. You shouldn’t have to fly back and forth between the U.S. and India to set up shop there. An established international trade manager has already made connections and has experience in dealing with language and cultural barriers.

Play By International Rules

There is more to doing business globally than converting currency. The process is fairly complex, and can be daunting when you’re facing it for the first time. What do you know about the European value-added tax and how it will affect your pricing? How much do you know about import duties and fees in China and how they will impact local manufacturing relationships? Are local laws or U.S. regulations in place that will have a bearing on the sale of your goods?

Fortunately, your international trade manager knows plenty about these hurdles because it’s what we do. We can help you determine realistic taxes, freight, duties, and fees so that you can comfortably set a price that will be profitable for you. And we’ll help you uncover local flavors that may impact marketing or packaging decisions. Certain colors, for example, have negative connotations is certain countries, so you don’t want your boxes to be flashing large logos in hues that mean “death” or “bad luck.”

Do What You Would Do Here… and More

You wouldn’t sell within the U.S. without first knowing your customers’ wants and needs. You shouldn’t do it globally either. Take the time to research your customers. Your international trade manager can help you identify your customer base and go from there to determine how to get your product into their hands.

Go For It

The sky’s the limit. Expanding to the global marketplace will help you take your business to an entirely new level. Making good decisions upfront will ensure that your investments of time and money reap rewards. And that first good decision you make should be hiring an international trade manager.

Contact Walker World Trade today to get started.

international trade—the exchange of goods and services between countries.

import—a good or service brought into the country from another country

export—a good or service produced in one country shipped to another country

trade balance—the difference between a country’s imports and its exports. Trade balance is also known as international trade balance or balance of trade (BOT).

import duty—a tax collected on imports by the customs authorities of a country. The tax can be based on the value or dimensions of the goods.

tariff—a tax imposed on imported goods and services that serves to restrict trade by making the price of imports higher. Tariffs provide revenue for governments and domestic producers.

embargo—a government order that restricts trades with a specific country (or with specific goods from that country). Embargos are used as leverage for influencing the affected nation.

trade barrier—aka customs barrier; a measure that limits or restricts trade across international borders. The government may implement a trade barrier to protect a domestic industry from foreign competition.

customs—the authority in a country that collects tariffs and controls the flow of goods into and out of that country. In most countries, customs are attained through government agreements and international laws.

Fully understanding the components and complexities of conducting international business is a must. Fortunately, such in-depth knowledge of the nuances of cross-border trade is easily achieved through an international trade manager.

An international trade manager, such as Walker World Trade, enables businesses to conduct business-as-usual without the worries or headaches of dealing with overseas suppliers, transporters, or border control.

Walker has been in the international trade business for nearly 80 years. We fully understand the challenges involved with getting products from one country to another. Let us worry about language barriers, customs paperwork, air and ocean freight, and the other nuts and bolts of international trade.

Contact Walker World Trade to get started.

Definitions courtesy of Investopedia

In 2014, U.S. steelmakers filed 38 trade cases, according to the Wall Street Journal. It’s the highest number of complaints since 2001. The current cases, only two of which have been resolved, involve an array of metal products, including gas drilling pipes and electrical transformer parts.

The U.S. government backed the steelmakers back in 2001, calling for higher tariffs and penalties on unfairly traded steel. The recent increase in trade complaints has incited calls for new import tariffs to protect American businesses.

The cause of the tremendous growth in steel imports (up 36 percent in the first quarter of 2015 over the same period last year) is two-fold: 1) U.S. demand reflects a rebound in the auto industry, and 2) international exporters have cut prices in response to oversupply.

The Alliance for American Manufacturing reports that the world’s steel industry is equipped to produce more than a half-billion tons more steel than is made. The report indicated that China, whose April 2015 steel exports reached their highest level since 2008, is largely to blame. In response, the China Iron and Steel Association said that it is globally competitive and does not encourage high-volume steel exports but rather just aims to fulfill demand.

Ordering foreign steel can be risky. Discounts are typically favorable, but real-time pricing is difficult to gauge. Having a qualified international trade manager to oversee these transactions can help tremendously.

You can focus on running your business while the complexities and challenges of specs, prototypes, ordering, overseas transit, customs, and duties are handled by the trade manager who is equipped to deal with cultural and language barriers, shipping consolidation, and critical paperwork.

Walker World Trade has been in the import-export business since 1936. We have established outstanding relationships with reputable suppliers and carriers and can make it easy for you to bring affordable metal products from there to here. No headaches. No hassle.

Contact Walker to talk about how we can help you navigate the ever-changing world of steel importing.