Commerce finalizes duties on Chinese flanges

The U.S. Department of Commerce will impose a subsidy rate of nearly 175 percent on imports of stainless steel flanges, valued at $16.3 million in 2016.    The U.S. Commerce Department has finalized countervailing duty amounts for imports of stainless steel flanges from China.
   Countervailable subsidies are given by foreign governments to companies based on their export performance or use of domestic materials over imports during manufacturing.
   Based on its investigation, Commerce has calculated a subsidy rate of 174.43 percent for Both Well (Jiangyan) Steel Fittings Co. Ltd., Hydro Fluid Controls Ltd., Jiangyin Shengda Brite Line Kasugai Flange Co. Ltd. and Qingdao I-Flow Co. Ltd. for their failure to cooperate in the investigation. The department similarly assessed a subsidy rate of 174.43 percent for all other Chinese producers and exporters of these steel flanges.
   Commerce will instruct Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from U.S. importers of stainless steel flanges from China based on these final rates.
   According to the department, these imports from China in 2016 were valued at $16.3 million.
   The petitioners for the investigation included the Coalition of American Flange Producers and its members Core Pipe Products of Carol Stream, Ill., and Maass Flange Corp. in Houston.
   The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is conducting a related investigation to determine whether domestic industry is harmed by these imports of stainless steel flanges from China and is scheduled to make its final injury determination by May 21.
   If the ITC makes an affirmative final injury determination, Commerce will issue a countervailing duty order. However, if the ITC makes a negative final determination of injury, the investigation will end and no order will be issued.