The US Department of Commerce announced today the initiation of new antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations to determine if carbon and alloy steel threaded rod from China, India, Taiwan, and Thailand is being sold in the United States at less than fair value, while also finding whether producers of carbon and alloy steel threaded rod in China and India are receiving unfair subsidies.
These antidumping and countervailing duty investigations were initiated based on petitions filed by Vulcan Threaded Products Inc. (Pelham, AL) on February 21, 2019.
The alleged dumping margins are:
China – 57.36 to 59.45 percent
India – 25.43 to 28.34 percent
Taiwan – 32.26 percent
Thailand – 20.83 percent
There are 21 subsidy programs alleged for China, including policy loans, export buyer’s credits, and the provision of electricity for less than adequate remuneration. Additionally, there are 52 subsidy programs alleged for India, including duty drawback, loan guarantees, and a duty-free import authorization scheme.
The petitioner is Vulcan Threaded Products Inc. (Pelham, Alabama). In 2018, imports of carbon and alloy steel threaded rod from China, India, Taiwan, and Thailand were valued at an estimated $104.7 million, $35.8 million, $51.1 million, and $5.8 million, respectively.
The ITC will make its preliminary determinations on or before April 8, 2019. If the ITC preliminarily finds that there is injury or threat of injury, then the DOC’s investigations will continue, with the preliminary CVD determinations scheduled for May 17, 2019, and preliminary AD determinations scheduled for July 31, 2019, unless these deadlines are extended.
Final determinations by the DOC in these cases are scheduled for July 31, 2019, for the CVD investigations, and October 15, 2019, for the AD investigations, but those dates may be extended.
Steel threaded rod is currently classifiable under subheadings 7318.15.5051, 7318.15.5056, and 7318.15.5090 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Subject merchandise may also enter under subheading 7318.15.2095 and 7318.19.0000 of the HTSUS.