For Immediate Release: January 24, 2008
Contact: Brittany Eck   (202) 482-3809

COMMERCE FINDS UNFAIR DUMPING OF RECTANGULAR PIPE AND TUBE
Decision Affects Imports From China, Korea, Mexico, and Turkey

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced its affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty investigations on imports of light-walled rectangular pipe and tube (rectangular pipe) from the People’s Republic of China, Korea, Mexico and Turkey. Commerce determined that Chinese, Korean, Mexican and Turkish producers/exporters sold rectangular pipe in the United States at 223.52 to 264.64 percent, 1.30 (de minimis) to 30.66 percent, 0.00 to 4.96 percent, and 27.04 to 41.71 percent less than fair value, respectively.

“Unfair price discrimination by foreign competitors distorts the marketplace and damages the interests of American workers and industries,” said Assistant Secretary for Import Administration David Spooner. “This Administration is strongly committed to ensuring that our manufacturers benefit from strong and fair relationships with our trading partners, and we will do so by aggressively enforcing America's trade remedy laws.”

The merchandise covered by these investigations is certain welded carbon quality light-walled steel pipe and tube, of rectangular (including square) cross section, having a wall thickness of less than 4mm. Carbon quality steel includes both carbon steel and alloy steel which contains only small amounts of alloying elements. Rectangular pipe can be used for fencing, window guards, and railing for the construction industry. It is not used for the conveyance of liquid or gas.

The petitioners for these investigations are Allied Tube & Conduit Corp. (IL); Atlas Tube (MI); Bull Moose Tube Company (MO); California Steel and Tube (CA); EXLTUBE (MO); Hannibal Industries (CA); Leavitt Tube Company LLC (IL); Maruichi American Corp. (CA); Searing Industries (CA); Southland Tube (AL); Vest, Inc. (CA); Welded Tube (Canada); and Western Tube and Conduit (CA).

Dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than fair value. As a result of these preliminary determinations, 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.

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