U.S. duties set for washers from Mexico, South Korea

   The U.S. Commerce Department on Monday announced an array of antidumping duties for imports of large residential washers from Mexico and South Korea.
   Dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than fair value.
   Commerce preliminarily determined that Mexican and South Korean producers/exporters sold large residential washers in the United States at dumping margins of 33.3 percent to 72.41 percent, and 9.62 percent to 82.41 percent, respectively.
   In the Mexico investigation, mandatory respondents Electrolux Home Products, Corp. NV/Electrolux Home Products De Mexico, S.A. de C.V., Samsung Electronics Mexico S.A. de C.V., and Whirlpool International S. de R.L. de C.V. received preliminary dumping margins of 33.3 percent, 72.41 percent, and 72.41 percent, respectively.
   “The margins for Samsung and Whirlpool were based on ‘adverse facts available’ because of their failure to cooperate in the investigation. All other Mexican producers/exporters received a preliminary dumping margin of 33.3 percent,” Commerce said.
   In the South Korea investigation, mandatory respondents, Daewoo Electronics Corp., LG Electronics, and Samsung Electronics Co. received preliminary dumping margins of 82.41 percent, 12.15 percent, and 9.62 percent, respectively. Commerce said the margin for Daewoo was set due to its failure to cooperate in the investigation. All other South Korean producers/exporters received a preliminary dumping margin of 11.36 percent.
   Commerce will now instruct Customs and Border Protection to require a cash deposit based on these preliminary rates, adjusted for export subsidies, as appropriate, found in the preliminary determination of the companion South Korea countervailing duty investigation.
   The petitioner for these investigations is Benton Harbor, Mich.-based Whirlpool Corp., with its washing machine production in Clyde, Ohio.
   The merchandise subject to these investigations is all large residential washers and certain subassemblies from South Korea and Mexico. For purposes of these investigations, the term “large residential washers” denotes all automatic clothes washing machines. Excluded from the investigation are stacked washer-dryers and commercial washers designed for the “pay per use” market. Also excluded are automatic clothes washing machines with a vertical rotational axis and a rated capacity of less than 3.7 cubic feet.
   Washing machine imports subject to the antidumping duties are designated under U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule headings 8450.11.0040, 8450.11.0080, 8450.20.0090, 8450.90.2000, and 8450.90.6000.
   In 2011, imports of large residential washers from Mexico and South Korea were valued at $434 million and $569 million, respectively.
   Commerce is scheduled to make its final determinations for the Mexican and South Korean washers in December.
   If the department makes affirmative final determinations and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) does the same, then Commerce will issue final antidumping orders for these washer imports. If either Commerce or the ITC’s final determination is negative, no antidumping order will be issued. The ITC will make its final injury determinations in the Mexico and South Korea investigations in January 2013.