Commerce Preliminarily Finds Dumping of Welded Pipe Imports from Four Countries
05/25/2012 - The Department of Commerce announced its affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty investigations of imports of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from India, Vietnam, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
The Department of Commerce announced its affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) investigations of imports of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from India, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Sultanate of Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Commerce preliminarily determined that producers/exporters from India, Vietnam, Oman, and the UAE sold the steel pipe in the United States at dumping margins, or margin ranges, of 48.43%, 0.00% to 27.96%, 5.59%, and 3.29% to 11.71%, respectively.
In the India investigation, the mandatory respondent Zenith Birla (India) Ltd. (previously known as Zenith Steel Pipes and Industries Ltd.) received a preliminary dumping margin of 48.43%. There is an existing AD order on such steel pipe from India; therefore, this investigation covers only merchandise manufactured and/or exported by Zenith Birla, which is excluded from the 1986 order.
In the Vietnam investigation, mandatory respondents SeAH Steel VINA Corp. and Vietnam Haiphong Hongyuan Machinery Manufactory Co., Ltd. each received preliminary dumping margins of 0.00%. Three other exporters received a separate rate of 9.32%. All other Vietnamese producers/exporters received a preliminary dumping margin of 27.96%.
In the Oman investigation, the mandatory respondent Al Jazeera Steel Products Co. SAOG received a preliminary dumping margin of 5.59%, as did all other Omani producers/exporters.
In the UAE investigation, mandatory respondents Universal Tube and Plastic Industries, Ltd. and Abu Dhabi Metal Pipes & Profiles Industries Complex LLC received preliminary dumping margins of 3.29% and 11.71%, respectively. All other UAE producers/exporters received a preliminary dumping margin of 3.29%.
As a result of the preliminary affirmative determinations, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to require a cash deposit or bond based on these preliminary rates, except for such steel pipe produced and exported by SeAH Steel VINA Corp. and Vietnam Haiphong Hongyuan Machinery Manufactory Co., Ltd. Since their rate is 0.00%, no cash deposit or bond will be required for their imports.
The petitioners for these investigations are Allied Tube and Conduit (Ill.), JMC Steel Group (Ill.), Wheatland Tube (Pa.), and United States Steel Corp. (Pa.).
The merchandise covered by these investigations is welded carbon-quality steel pipes and tube, of circular cross-section, with an outside diameter not more than 16 inches, regardless of wall thickness or surface finish, or industry specification. The petitions indicate subject pipe is generally known as standard pipe, fence pipe and tube, sprinkler pipe, and structural pipe.
In 2011, imports of this steel pipe from India, Vietnam, Oman, and the UAE were valued at an estimated $64.6 million, $50.1 million, $28.1 million, and $53.9 million, respectively.
Commerce is currently scheduled to make its final determination for India in early August 2012 and its final determinations for Oman, UAE, and Vietnam in early October 2012.
If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations, and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) makes affirmative final determinations that imports of this steel pipe from India, Vietnam, Oman, and/or the UAE materially injure, or threaten material injury to, the domestic industry, Commerce will issue AD orders.
The ITC will make its final injury determination in the India investigation on or before September 20, 2012, and the Oman, UAE, and Vietnam determinations on or before November 29, 2012.
