May 16, 2008
News Release 08-048
Inv. No. 701-TA-455 and 731-TA-1149-1150 (P)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of certain circular welded carbon quality steel line pipe from China that are allegedly subsidized and imports of this product from China and Korea that are allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue to conduct its countervailing duty investigation on imports of this product from China and antidumping investigations of imports of this product from China and Korea, with its preliminary countervailing duty determination due on or about June 27, 2008, and its preliminary antidumping determinations due on or about September 10, 2008.

The Commission's public report Certain Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Line Pipe from China and Korea (Investigation Nos. 701-TA-455 and 731-TA-1149-1150 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 4003, May 2008) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

Copies of the report are expected to be available after June 9, 2008, by calling 202-205-2000 or from the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.

Product Description:

The product covered by these investigations is circular welded carbon quality steel pipe used for oil and gas pipelines with an outside diameter of not more than 16 inches. The subject merchandise is provided for in subheadings 7306.19.10 and 7306.19.51 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.

Status of Proceedings:

1. Types of investigations:  Preliminary antidumping and countervailing duty.
2. Petitioners:  Maverick Tube Corp. (Houston, TX); Tex-Tube Co. (Houston, TX); U.S. Steel
      Corp. (Pittsburgh, PA); and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber,
      Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union,
      AFL-CIO-CLC (Pittsburgh, PA).  
3. Investigations instituted by USITC:  April 3, 2008.
4. USITC conference:  April 24, 2008.
5. USITC vote:  May 16, 2008.
6. USITC notification of Department of Commerce:  May 19, 2008.


U.S. Industry:

1. Number of U.S. producers:  10.
2. Location of producers' plants:  Alabama, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
      Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
3. Employment of production and related workers in 2007:  1,037.
4. U.S. producers' shipments (excluding exports) in 2007:  727,185 short tons valued at
      $757.7 million.
5. U.S. apparent consumption in 2007:  By quantity, 1,4 million short tons valued at
      $1.2 billion.
6. Ratio of quantity of imports from China and Korea to U.S. apparent consumption in 2007: 
      By quantity, 33.4 percent; by value, 25.6 percent. 


U.S. Imports in 2007:                   

1. Quantity of subject imports:  458,997 short tons.
2. Value of subject imports:  $314 million.