On October 7, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced its decision to initiate antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations on imports of seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line and pressure pipe from China.
The investigations follow the petitions filed by US domestic producers United States Steel Corporation, V&M Star LP, TMK IPSCO, and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union.
The alleged dumping margin in these investigations is 98.37 percent, and the subsidy rate is above de minimis (de minimis is less than one percent for developed countries or less than two percent for developing countries).
The products covered by these investigations include seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipes less than or equal to 16 inches (406.4 mm) in outside diameter. These products are intended for the conveyance of water, steam, petrochemicals, chemicals, oil products, natural gas, and other liquids and gasses in industrial piping systems. The products in question are currently classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States under, but not limited to, the following categories: 7304.19.1020, 7304.19.1030, 7304.19.1045, 7304.19.1060, 7304.19.5020, 7304.19.5050, 7304.31.6050, 7304.39.0016, 7304.39.0020, 7304.39.0024, 7304.39.0028, 7304.39.0032, 7304.39.0036, 7304.39.0040, 7304.39.0044, 7304.39.0048, 7304.39.0052, 7304.39.0056, 7304.39.0062, 7304.39.0068, 7304.39.0072, 7304.51.5005, 7304.51.5060, 7304.59.600, 7304.59.8010, 7304.59.8015, 7304.59.8020, 7304.59.8025, 7304.59.8030, 7304.59.8035, 7304.59.8040, 7304.59.8045, 7304.59.8050, 7304.59.8055, 7304.59.8060, 7304.59.8065, 7304.59.8070.
According to the imports for consumption data from the Census Bureau of the US Department of Commerce, from 2006 to 2008 imports of seamless pipe from China increased 131.52 percent by volume and were valued at an estimated $382 million in 2008.
2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
Volume (net tons) | 158,128 | 172,321 | 366,091 |
Value (US$) | 119,623,752 | 129,955,175 | 381,881,525 |
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to make its preliminary injury determination on or about November 2, 2009. If the ITC determines that there is a reasonable indication that imports from China are materially injuring, or threatening material injury to, the domestic industry, the investigations will continue, and the DOC will be scheduled to make its CVD preliminary determination in December 2009 and AD preliminary determination in February 2010.