Commerce investigates imports of steel fittings for dumping

The Commerce Department has initiated antidumping duty investigations into imports for forged steel fittings from China, Italy and Taiwan, and will conduct a countervailing duty investigation into these same products from China.    The Commerce Department on Thursday said it has initiated antidumping duty investigations into imports for forged steel fittings from China, Italy and Taiwan. 
   Separately, Commerce will conduct a countervailing duty investigation into these same imports from China.
   Dumping occurs when foreign companies sell their products in the United States at less than fair value, while countervailable subsidies are paid by foreign governments to companies based on their export performance or use of domestic materials over imports. 
   The investigations were initiated based on petitions filed on Oct. 5 by Bonney Forge Corp. of Mount Union, Pa.; and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union in Pittsburgh. 
   Commerce said the estimated dumping margins alleged by the petitioners are 142.72 percent for China, 18.66 to 80.20 percent for Italy, and 116.17 percent for Taiwan. 
   If Commerce determines that the steel fittings from China, Italy, and Taiwan are being dumped into the U.S. market and China is providing unfair government subsidies, and if the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determines that these imports unfairly harm U.S. industry, then Commerce will impose duties on those imports at the prescribed dumping margins.
   According to Commerce, forged steel fitting imports from China, Italy, and Taiwan in 2016 were valued at $78.4 million, $21.2 million, and $15.1 million, respectively.