Commerce Preliminarily Finds Unfair Dumping of Aluminum Extrusions from the People’s Republic of China

Published: 04 Nov 2010 18:52:06 PST

• On October 28, 2010, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced its affirmative preliminary determination in the antidumping (AD) duty investigation of imports of aluminum extrusions from the People’s Republic of China (China).

• For the purposes of AD investigations, dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than fair value.

• Commerce preliminarily determined that Chinese producers/exporters have sold aluminum extrusions at a margin of 59.31 percent, ad valorem.

• On September 10, 2010, Commerce received a letter from Zhaoqing Asia Aluminum Factory Co. Ltd. (ZAA) one of the two mandatory respondents, stating that the company would no longer be participating in the investigation. As ZAA has failed to participate in this investigation, we consider it to be part of the China-wide entity and have assigned a preliminary dumping rate based on adverse facts available (AFA) of 59.31 percent.

• Mandatory respondent Guang Ya Aluminum Industries Co., Ltd., Foshan Guangcheng Aluminum Co., Ltd., Guang Ya Aluminum Industries (Hong Kong) Ltd., and Kong Ah International Company Limited (collectively, Guang Ya Group); Zhaoqing New Zhongya Aluminum Co., Ltd., Zhongya Shaped Aluminum HK Holding Ltd, and Karlton Aluminum Company Ltd. (collectively, New Zhongya) and Xinya Aluminum&Stainless Steel Product Co., Ltd. (Xinya), have been collapsed for purposes of the preliminary determination and collectively will be assigned the single AD rate of 59.31 percent.

• Twenty nine additional Chinese producers/exporters qualified for a separate rate of 59.31 percent. All other Chinese producers/exporters are subject to the China-wide preliminary dumping rate of 59.31 percent.

• As a result of this preliminary determination, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect a cash deposit or bond equal to the weighted-average dumping margins, adjusted for export subsidies, as appropriate, found in the companion countervailing duty investigation.

• The petitioners for this investigation are: The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (PA) and the Aluminum Extrusions Fair Trade Committee (representing member companies from Ohio, Minnesota, Florida, Georgia, California, Utah, Maryland, Illinois, and Texas).

• The merchandise covered by this investigation is certain aluminum extrusions which are shapes and forms produced via an extrusion process of aluminum alloys. The major alloying elements in the subject merchandise are manganese, magnesium, and silicon. These products are generally U.S. Department of Commerce | International Trade Administration used in construction applications and are incorporated into window and door frames and sills, gutters, and solar power frames. They serve as parts for cars, trucks and both structural and decorative elements on boats. They also serve as furniture parts and in a variety of other consumer and industrial goods.

• Imports of the subject merchandise are provided for under the following categories of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTS”): 7604.21.0000, 7604.29.1000, 7604.29.3010, 7604.29.3050, 7604.29.5030, 7604.29.5060, 7608.20.0030, and 7608.20.0090. The subject merchandise entered as parts of other aluminum products may be classifiable under the following additional Chapter 76 subheadings: 7610.10, 7610.90, 7615.19, 7615.20, and 7616.99 as well as under other HTS chapters. While HTS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope in this proceeding is dispositive.

• From 2007 to 2009, imports of aluminum extrusions from China increased 90 percent by volume. In 2009, imports of aluminum extrusions were valued at an estimated $514 million…   

Source: Goverment Websites