The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has announced its affirmative preliminary determination in the anti-subsidy investigation on certain stainless pressure pipe from China. Commerce preliminarily determined that Chinese exporters of circular welded austenitic stainless pressure pipe received countervailable subsidies. Winner Stainless Steel Tube Co. Ltd the sole participating respondent received a preliminary rate of 1.47%. Froch Enterprise Co. Ltd the other mandatory respondent has not cooperated in the investigation and received a preliminary rate of 106.85% based on adverse facts available. All other Chinese exporters received a preliminary rate of 1.47%. As a result of this preliminary determination, Commerce will instruct US Customs and Border Protection to suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise and to collect a cash deposit or bond-based on the preliminary rates. Commerce is currently scheduled to issue its final determination in November. The petitioners for this investigation are: Bristol Metals, Felker Brothers Corp., Marcegaglia USA Inc., Outokumpu Stainless Pipe Inc. and the United Steelworkers of America.
