U.S. AD/CV Updates: February 2021

Trade Update • February 26, 2021

A brief summary of recent actions taken by the Commerce Department, U.S. International Trade Administration, and/or the U.S. International Trade Commission with regards to current antidumping and/or countervailing duty cases.

Pentafluoroethane: On February 25, the USITC determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured  by reason of imports of pentafluoroethane (R-125) from China that are allegedly subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value. Accordingly, Commerce will continue its investigations of imports of the subect goods, with its preliminary countervailing duty determination due on or about April 7 and its preliminary antidumping duty determination due on or about June 21.

Aluminum Foil: Having analyzed the case and rebuttal briefs submitted by interested parties concerning an administrative review of an AD duty order on aluminum foil imports from China, on Feb. 25, Commerce found that Chinese exporters had sold aluminum foil in the U.S. at prices below normal value during the period Nov. 2, 2017 through March 31, 2019. Specifically, more than a dozen companies in China were found to have dumped the subject goods into the U.S. at margins of 23.62% to 35.6%.

Stainless Steel Flanges: On Feb. 24, Commerce preliminarily determined that producers/exporters of stainless steel flanges from India made sales of subject merchandise at prices below normal value during the periods March 28, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2019 (AD) and Jan. 23 through Dec. 31, 2018 (CV). Specifically, Commerce found dumping margins of 140.38% to 145.25% and net subsidy rates of 4.15% to 4.51% Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative review by no later than June 24, 2021.

Melamine: Following a sunset review, on Feb. 25, Commerce announced it had found that revoking the countervailing duty order on melamine from China would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of countervailable subsidies at rates previously determined at 154%-154.58%.

Electrolytic Manganese Dioxide: On Feb. 23, Commerce preliminarily rescinded an administrative review of a prior AD order on electrolytic manganese dioxide from China after finding that Duracell (China) Limited did not sell subject goods to unaffiliated U.S. customers during 2018-2019. If Commerce proceeds to a final rescission of this administrative review, DCL’s cash deposit rate will continue to be the China-wide entity rate of 149.92%.

Hot-Rolled Steel Flat Products: In preliminary results of administrative review of AD duty order on hot-rolled steel flat products from various producers in Turkey covering the period Oct. 1, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2019, Commerce found a dumping margin of 21.48%. Also on Feb. 24, Commerce rescinded an administrative review of the same goods imported from Brazil from October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2020, based on the timely withdrawal of the request for review.

Light-Walled Rectangular Pipe and Tube: In an administrative review covering imports of light-walled rectangular pipe and tube from Turkey during the period May 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019, Commerce determined on Feb. 24 that Turkish producer Noskel made U.S. sales at less than normal value during the review period (estimated dumping margin of 36.06%). Commerce will therefore instruct CBP to assess antidumping duties on all appropriate entries covered by this review where an importer-specific assessment rate is not zero or de minimis.

Steel Bars: In an administrative review of the AD duty order on stainless steel bar from India for the period Feb. 1, 2019, through Jan. 31, 2020, Commerce has estimated a dumping margin of 30.92% in the case of Precision Metals and its affiliated companies and 0% in the case of Ambica Steels Limited.

Corrosion Inhibitors: The USITC determined on Feb. 23, that U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of corrosion inhibitors from China. Accordingly, Commerce will issue antidumping and countervailing duty orders. An affirmative preliminary determination was made in September of dumping at margins ranging from 122.11% to 260.92%. The case stems from a complaint made early last year by Wincom Inc., an Ohio-based chemical wholesaler.