Australia's preliminary determination on HSS imports from China

The Australian Customs Service has announced its preliminary decision on an antidumping investigation into hollow structural sections (HSS) imported from China. On June 8, 2006, Australian customs initiated an investigation into the antidumping duty order on HSS imported from China, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand, upon a petition filed by domestic producers OneSteel Trading Pty Ltd., Smorgon Steel Tube Mills Pty Ltd, and Orrcon Operations Pty Ltd. The investigation covered the period January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2005. As a result of the investigation, the Australian customs authorities decided that there appeared to be sufficient grounds for the publication of a dumping duty notice so far as it relates to certain exporters of HSS from China. The determination applies to all exporters of the subject merchandise from China excluding: - Hengshui Jinghua Steel Pipe Co., Lt - Huludao City Steel Pipe Industrial Co., Ltd - Qingdao Xiangxing Steel Pipe Co., Ltd - Shandong Fubo Group Co - Zhejiang Kingland Pipeline and Technologies Co., Ltd - Tianjin Aprometal Co., Ltd Accordingly, the dumping margins applicable to Chinese exporters of HSS, except for the producers above, range from 2.5 percent to 14.6 percent.