On April 9, the United States Department of Commerce (DOC) issued its final determination in its antidumping (AD) investigation into oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from China, deciding to impose duties at margins between 30 and 99 percent.
According to the final results, 38 companies including Tianjin Pipe International Economic and Trading Corp. must pay a 29.94 percent rate, while Jiangsu Changbao Steel Tube Co and remaining producers are charged 99.14 percent.
According to US data, the OCTG trade case is the largest in US history against China imports valued at more than $2.6 billion in 2008 and about $1 billion last year.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, on December 30, 2008 the DOC published its amended preliminary determination in the AD investigation of OCTG from China, correcting certain significant errors in calculating the preliminary margins that were published on November 17, deciding on margins ranging from 36.53 percent to 96.51 percent for 38 companies while Jiangsu Changbao Steel Tube Co. remained at zero percent.
Furthermore, on January 18, the DOC issued its final amended determination in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of OCTG from China, setting final countervailing duties (CVD) ranging from 10.36 percent to 15.78 percent on Chinese-made OCTG.
The petitioners in the case are United States Steel Corporation, Maverick Tube Corporation, V&M Star LP, V&M Tubular Corporation of America, TMK IPSCO, Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel and Wheatland Tube Corporation, as well as the United Steel Workers Union.
"China's government and exporters are being told we are fed up with their cheating on our fair trade laws and penalties for these transgressions are long overdue," Leo Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers union, said in a statement on the determination.
The US International Trade Commission's (ITC) vote in the case is scheduled for May 10. Collection of cash deposits will commence in case of an affirmative final decision by the ITC.