ITC supports penalties for Chinese steel pipe imports

The U.S. International Trade Commission unanimously determined on June 20 that imports of Chinese steel pipe are subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value.

As a result of the ITC's determination, the Commerce Department will issue countervailing and antidumping duties on imports of this product from China.

The countervailing duties will not apply to Chinese-made pipe that entered the United States prior to Nov. 13, 2007, while the antidumping duties will not apply to these goods if they entered before Jan. 15, 2008, the ITC said in a statement. The tariff penalties may range from 99 to 701 percent on the value of the pipe.

Imports of Chinese-made pipe entering the United States reportedly increased from about 10,000 tons in 2002 to about 750,000 tons in 2007.

The product covered by the Commerce Department and ITC investigations is circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe with an outside diameter of between 0.317 and 16 inches. The pipe is generally used to convey gas or liquid at low temperature and pressure or in structural work. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheadings covered by the ruling include 7306.19.10, 7306.19.51, 7306.30.10, 7306.30.50, 7306.50.10, and 7306.50.50.

The petitioners for the U.S. government's investigation were Allied Tube & Conduit, Harvey, Ill.; IPSCO Tubulars, Camache, Iowa; Northwest Pipe Co., Portland, Ore.; Sharon Tube Co., Sharon, Pa.; Western Tube & Conduit Corp., Long Beach, Calif.; Wheatland Tube Co., Collingswood, N.J.; and the United Steelworkers, Pittsburgh. Together, they employ about 2,450 workers.  

Source: American Shipper