The US Department of Commerce has announced the affirmative final determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) investigations of imports of cold-drawn mechanical tubing from China, Germany, India, Italy, South Korea, and Switzerland.  The department also determined that critical circumstances exist for certain exporters/producers of cold-drawn mechanical tubing from Italy.

“Today’s decision allows US producers of cold-drawn mechanical tubing to receive relief from the market-distorting effects of foreign producers dumping into the domestic market,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “We will continue to take action on behalf of US industry to defend American businesses, workers, and communities adversely impacted by unfair imports.”

Commerce determined that exporters from Germany, India, Italy, China, Korea, and Switzerland sold cold-drawn mechanical tubing in the United States at less than fair value.  The dumping margins determined by Commerce were: China –  44.92 to 186.89 percent; Germany – 3.11 to 209.06 percent; India – 8.26 to 33.80 percent; Italy – 47.87 to 68.95 percent; South Korea – 30.67 to 48.00 percent; Switzerland – 12.05 to 30.48 percent.

As a result of today’s decisions, Commerce will instruct US Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from importers of cold-drawn mechanical tubing from those six countries. In 2016, imports of cold-drawn mechanical tubing from the countries in question totaled $152.6 million.

The petition was filed by ArcelorMittal Tubular Products of Shelby, Ohio; Michigan Seamless Tube, LLC of South Lyon, Michigan; PTC Alliance Corp. of Wexford, Pennsylvania; Webco Industries, Inc. of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; and Zekelman Industries, Inc. of Farrell, Pennsylvania.

From January 20, 2017, through April 10, 2018, the Commerce Department initiated 104 antidumping and countervailing duty investigations – a 100-percent increase from the same period in 2016-2017.

The AD law provides US businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of unfair pricing of imports into the United States. Commerce currently maintains 428 antidumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) is conducting investigations to determine whether or not the domestic industry is harmed by imports of cold-drawn mechanical tubing from China, Germany, India, Italy, South Korea, and Switzerland.  The ITC is currently scheduled to make its final injury determinations on or before May 24, 2018.

If the ITC makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue AD orders.  If the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no orders will be issued.  If the ITC makes affirmative final determinations of critical circumstances, the Department will direct CBP to collect antidumping duties on cold-drawn mechanical tubing that entered the United States 90 days prior to the publication of the preliminary determinations in the Federal Register.  If the ITC makes negative final determinations of critical circumstances, the Department will direct CBP to refund cash deposits of estimated antidumping duties on cold-drawn mechanical tubing that entered the United States prior to the publication of the preliminary determinations in the Federal Register.