Importers to pay preliminary duties

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Commerce has issued a preliminary finding that mattress innersprings imported to the United States from China, South Africa and Vietnam were unfairly dumped in the U.S. market.

Importers of those products will have to pay preliminary duties ranging from 118.17% to 234.51% for China, 121.39% for South Africa and 116.31% for Vietnam. The rates were assigned to various producers in those countries based on how much less than “normal value” they have charged for their products, the DOC said.

As a result of the preliminary determinations, the Commerce Department said it will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect a cash deposit or bond from importers of record based on the preliminary rates.

The Commerce Department is scheduled to make its final determinations in the case in October. If it affirms the initial ruling of dumping, and the U.S. International Trade Commission makes a final determination that imports of innersprings from China, South Africa and Vietnam materially injure or threaten to materially injure the domestic industry, the department will issue antidumping orders, it said. The issuance date is tentatively set for Dec. 4.

The antidumping petition was filed by Leggett & Platt, the industry’s largest innerspring producer, on behalf of the U.S. innerspring industry.

“We are pleased that the Commerce Dept. has confirmed what we have believed all along, that innersprings from these three countries were being dumped into the United States,” said Perry Davis, president of L&P’s bedding group.

The following companies were named in the Commerce Department’s preliminary ruling:

China: Foshan Jingxin Steel Wire & Spring Co., Anshan Yuhua Industrial Trade Co., East Grace Corp. (goods produced by Wuxi Xihuisheng Commercial Co. Ltd.), Hebei Yilian Furniture Co., Nanjing Meihua Import and Export Trade Co. (Nanjing Dongdai Furniture Co. Ltd.), Xilinmen Group (Xilinmen Furniture Co.), Zhejiang Sanmen Herod Mattress Co., and Zibo Senbao Furniture Co. all received preliminary dumping margins of 118.17%.

The China-wide rate — for Chinese companies other than those named — is 234.51%. Soho International Group Holding Co. did not qualify for a separate rate and is under the China-wide rate, the department said.

South Africa: Bedding Component Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd., with a preliminary dumping margin of 121.39%.

The Vietnam-wide rate was listed at 116.31%. No individual companies were listed.

The Commerce Department estimated the values of innersprings imports last year from China at $13.7 million, from South Africa at $3.6 million, and from Vietnam at $657,000.