New Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Petitions on Carbon and Alloy Steel Threaded Rod from China, India, Taiwan, and Thailand

February 25, 2019 – On February 21, 2019, Vulcan Steel Products Inc. filed antidumping (“AD”) and countervailing (“CVD”) petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce (“DOC”) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”).  The petitions seek imposition of AD duties on imports of carbon and alloy steel threaded rod from China, India, Taiwan, and Thailand, as well as CVD duties on these imports from China and India.

Under U.S. law, a domestic industry can petition the government to initiate an AD investigation into the pricing of an imported product to determine whether it is sold in the United States at less than fair value (i.e., “dumped”).  A domestic industry can also petition the initiation of a CVD investigation of alleged subsidization of foreign producers by a foreign government.  Additional duties can be imposed if DOC determines that imported goods are “dumped” and/or subsidized and if the ITC also determines that the domestic industry is materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of subject imports.

If the ITC and DOC make preliminary affirmative determinations, U.S. importers will be required to post cash deposits in the amount of the AD and/or CVD duties for all entries on or after the date DOC’s preliminary determination is published in the Federal Register.  The preliminary AD/CVD rates can change in the final DOC determination, especially if foreign producers and their governments participate fully in the investigations.

Scope

The products covered by these investigations include:

The merchandise covered by the scope of these investigations is carbon and alloy steel threaded rod. Steel threaded rod is certain threaded rod, bar, or studs, of carbon or alloy steel, having a solid, circular cross section of any diameter, in any straight length. Steel threaded rod is normally drawn, cold-rolled, threaded, and straightened, or it may be hot-rolled. In addition, the steel threaded rod, bar, or studs subject to these investigations are non-headed and threaded along greater than 25 percent of their total actual length. A variety of finishes or coatings, such as plain oil finish as a temporary rust protectant, zinc coating (i.e., galvanized, whether by electroplating or hot-dipping), paint, and other similar finishes and coatings, may be applied to the merchandise.

Steel threaded rod is normally produced to American Society for Testing and Materials (“ASTM”) specifications ASTM A36, ASTM A193 B7/B7m, ASTM A193 B16, ASTM A307, ASTM A320 L7/L7M, ASTM A320 L43, ASTM A354 BC and BD, ASTM A449, ASTM F1554-36, ASTM F1554-55, ASTM F1554 Grade 105, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (“SME”) specification ASME B18.31.3, and American Petroleum Institute (“API”) specification API 20E. All steel threaded rod meeting the physical description set forth above is covered by the scope of these investigations, whether or not produced according to a particular standard.

Subject merchandise includes material matching the above description that has been finished, assembled, or packaged in a third country, including by cutting, chamfering, coating, or painting the threaded rod, by attaching the threaded rod to, or packaging it with, another product, or any other finishing, assembly, or packaging operation that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigation if performed in the country of manufacture of the threaded rod.

Carbon and alloy steel threaded rod are also included in the scope of this investigation whether or not imported attached to, or in conjunction with, other parts and accessories such as nuts and washers. If carbon and alloy steel threaded rod are imported attached to, or in conjunction with, such non-subject merchandise, only the threaded rod is included in the scope.

Excluded from the scope of these investigations are: (1) threaded rod, bar, or studs which are threaded only on one or both ends and the threading covers 25 percent or less of the total actual length; and (2) stainless steel threaded rod, defined as steel threaded rod containing, by weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 percent or more of chromium, with or without other elements.

Excluded from the scope of the antidumping investigation on steel threaded rod from the People’s Republic of China is any merchandise covered by the existing antidumping order on Certain Steel Threaded Rod from the People’s Republic of China. See Certain Steel Threaded Rod from the People’s Republic of China: Notice of Antidumping Duty Order, 74 Fed. Reg. 17,154 (Dep’t Commerce Apr. 14, 2009).

Steel threaded rod is currently classifiable under subheadings 7318.15.5051, 7318.15.5056, and 7318.15.5090 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”). Subject merchandise may also enter under subheadings 7318.15.2095 and 7318.19.0000 of the HTSUS. The HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and U.S. Customs purposes only. The written description of the scope is dispositive.

Foreign Producers and Exporters of Subject Merchandise

Attachment 1 provides a list of foreign producers of subject merchandise as identified by the petitioner.

U.S. Importers of Subject Merchandise

Attachment 2 provides a list of U.S. importers of the subject merchandise as identified by the Petitioner.

Alleged Margins of Dumping/Subsidization

Petitioner alleges the following dumping margins:

China: 53.57% to 55.60%
India: 25.43% to 28.34%
Taiwan: 32.10%
Thailand: 20.3%

DOC generally assigns duties at these alleged dumping rates to exporters that fail to cooperate with the investigation.

No specific subsidy margins are included in the petition. 

Potential Trade Impact

According to the petitions, U.S. imports of the subject merchandise totaled:

U.S. Imports of Carbon and Alloy Steel Threaded Rod

U.S. Imports for Consumption

Value, $ Actual, Landed-Duty Paid

Thousand Pounds

Estimated Schedule of Investigations

If you have any questions about the petitions, please contact the experienced attorneys in HHR’s international trade group.