Trade Cases

Commerce Finds Dumping of Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe
Written by Sandy Williams
June 1, 2016
On June 1, 2016, the Department of Commerce announced its affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping (AD) investigations of imports of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from Pakistan, Oman, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.
The investigations cover welded carbon-quality steel pipe and tube, of circular cross-section, with an outside diameter not more than 16 inches, regardless of wall thickness, surface finish, end finish, or industry specification. The products are generally known as standard pipe, fence pipe and tube, sprinkler pipe, and structural pipe and are intended for the low-pressure conveyance of water, steam, natural gas, air and other liquids and gases in plumbing and heating systems, air conditioning units, and automatic sprinkler systems. The products may also be used for light load-bearing and mechanical applications, such as for fence tubing.
Commerce preliminarily determined that imports of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from Pakistan, Oman, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam have been sold in the United States at dumping margins of 11.80 percent, 7.86 percent, 6.10 percent to 9.25 percent, and 0.00 percent to 113.18 percent, respectively.
In 2014, imports of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from Pakistan, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam were valued at an estimated $17 million, $33.1 million, $59.4 million, and $60.6 million, respectively.
The petitioners in this investigation are Bull Moose Tube Company (MO), EXLTUBE (MO), Wheatland Tube (IL), and Western Tube & Conduit (CA).
Next Steps
Commerce is scheduled to announce its final determinations on or about October 16, 2016; unless the statutory deadline is extended.
If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations, and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) makes affirmative final determinations that imports of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from Pakistan, Oman, United Arab Emirates and/or Vietnam materially injure, or threaten material injury to, the domestic industry, Commerce will issue AD orders. If either Commerce’s or the ITC’s final determinations are negative, no AD orders will be issued.
The ITC is scheduled to make its final injury determinations in November 2016.

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Trade Cases

Price on Trade: IEEPA tariffs head to the Supreme Court, DOJ ramps up trade enforcement
International trade law and policy remain a hot topic in Washington and beyond this week. We are paying special attention to the ongoing litigation of the president’s tariff policies and the administration’s efforts to heighten trade enforcement.

Mexico considers stiff tariffs for steel, autos, and other imports
Mexico is considering imposing steep tariffs on imports of steel, automobiles, and over 1,400 other products. Its target? Countries with which it does not have free trade agreements, mainly China, India, Thailand, and other South Asian nations.

Leibowitz: With ‘reciprocal’ tariffs struck down again in court, what happens next?
President Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Policy Act (IEEPA) were struck down again, this time on Aug. 29 by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC). The legal and policy mess continues, with the next stop being the US Supreme Court.

Market unfazed by US circuit court’s IEEPA decision
Repealing any reciprocal tariffs placed by President Donald Trump on US imports of direct reduced iron (DRI), iron ore, hot-briquetted iron (HBI), and pig iron would have only a nominal impact on the US steel market, market participants said.

ITC votes to keep HR duties after sunset review
The US government determined this week that hot-rolled steel imports from a handful of countries continue to threaten the domestic steel industry.