The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced preliminary countervailing duties ranging from 10.97% to 229.24% on Chinese-made wooden cabinets and vanities.

The preliminary duties are based on industry allegations that the Chinese industry has been subsidized by the Chinese government, which the U.S. International Trade Commission found has injured domestic producers.

The DOC calculated rates based on estimated subsidies received by major Chinese manufacturers. The rates are:

The Ancientree Cabinet Co. Ltd. – 10.97%
Dalian Meisen Woodworking Co. Ltd. – 16.49%
Rizhao Foremost Woodworking Manufacturing Co. Ltd. – 21.78%
Henan AiDiJia Furniture Co. Ltd. – 229.24%
Deway International Trade Co. Ltd. – 229.24%
All others – 16.41%
The duties are assigned to manufacturers but paid by importers of record on the subject merchandise, which includes all assembled and unassembled units, including flat-pack, ready-to-assemble cabinets and vanities. The case largely affects imported cabinets installed in kitchens and bathrooms. However, it also includes floor-mounted, wall-mounted and ceiling-hung vanity sink units.

The scope further defines the subject merchandise as wooden cabinet and vanity frames, wooden cabinet and vanity boxes, wooden cabinet or vanity doors, wooden cabinet or vanity drawers and drawer components, back panels and end panels, and desks, shelves and tables that are attached to or incorporated in the subject merchandise.

It does not cover metal plumbing, sinks or sink bowls or countertops. Also exempted are inserts and dividers placed into drawer boxes or round or oblong inserts that rotate internally in a cabinet, such as those units that are part of a corner unit in a kitchen. Nor does it cover non-wooden cabinet hardware components such as metal hinges, brackets, catches, locks, drawer slides, fasteners, handles and knobs.

A final determination on the countervailing duties is anticipated no later than Dec. 16, which is the same date as final duties are expected in a separate antidumping investigation that is looking into the pricing of Chinese made cabinets and vanities.