For Immediate Release: April 17, 2008
Contact: Brittany Eck  (202) 482-3809

COMMERCE FINDS UNFAIR DUMPING OF SODIUM NITRITE FROM GERMANY AND CHINA

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced its affirmative preliminary determination in the antidumping duty investigations on imports of sodium nitrite, commonly used as a diesel fuel additive, from Germany and the People’s Republic of China. Commerce preliminarily determined that German and Chinese exporters sold sodium nitrite in the United States at less than fair value. Germany’s mandatory respondent received a rate of 237 percent, and China’s two mandatory respondents received a rate of 190.74 percent.

“By dumping sodium nitrite in the U.S. market, foreign exporters unfairly undercut the competitiveness of American manufacturers,” said Assistant Secretary for Import Administration David Spooner. “The Administration is committed to aggressively enforcing America's trade remedy laws in order to achieve strong and fair relationships with our trading partners.”

German’s mandatory respondent, BASF AG, received a preliminary rate of 237 percent. China’s two mandatory respondents, Qingdao Hengyuan Chemical Co., Ltd. and Hyalong Ammonium Nitrite Company Ltd, received a preliminary rate of 190.74 percent. The preliminary rates for the Chinese and German mandatory respondents are based on adverse facts available as these respondents failed to fully cooperate. Preliminarily, all other German exporters received a rate of 150.82 percent, while all other Chinese exporters received the China-wide rate of 190.74 percent.

The merchandise covered by this investigation is sodium nitrite at any purity level that may or may not contain an anti-caking agent. Examples of names commonly used to reference sodium nitrite are nitrous acid, sodium salt, anti-rust, diazotizing salts, erinitrit, and filmerine. In addition to various industrial uses, sodium nitrite can be used as a diesel fuel additive, a “volatile corrosion inhibitor,” in the manufacture of dyes and synthetic rubbers, in wastewater treatment, and in the curing of meats. The petitioner for this investigation is General Chemical LLC from Parsippany, NJ.

Dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than fair value. As a result of this preliminary determination, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise and to collect a cash deposit or bond based on the preliminary rates.

For more information about Import Administration or for the fact sheet on today’s decision, please visit www.trade.gov/ia.

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