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News Release 17-075
Inv. No(s). 731-TA-1333 (Final)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of finished carbon steel flanges from Spain that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.
Chairman Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Vice Chairman David S. Johanson, and Commissioners Irving A. Williamson and Meredith M. Broadbent voted in the affirmative. Commissioner F. Scott Kieff did not participate in this vote.
As a result of the USITC’s affirmative determination, Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order on imports of these products from Spain.
The Commission’s public report Finished Carbon Steel Flanges from Spain (Investigation No. 731-TA-1333 (Final), USITC Publication 4696, June 2017) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.
The report will be available by June 28, 2017; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.
UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20436
FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS
Finished Carbon Steel Flanges from Spain
Investigation No. 731-TA-1333 (Final)
Product Description: A flange is a product for connecting pipes, valves, pumps and other equipment to form a piping system. It also provides easy access for cleaning, inspection or modification. Flanges are usually welded or screwed to the pipes or other equipment requiring a connection and flanges are joined to each other by bolting. Finished carbon steel flanges are those which have undergone further processing after forging, which can include beveling, boring, machining, drilling bolt holes, and other processes. Any one of these post-forging processes suffices to render the forging into a finished carbon steel flange. However, heat treatment alone of a carbon steel flange forging does not constitute finishing. Finished carbon steel flanges are generally manufactured to specification ASME B16.5 or ASME B16.47 series A or series B. All types of finished carbon steel flanges are included in the investigations, regardless of size, pressure class rating, type of face, configuration (e.g., weld neck, slip on, socket weld, lap joint, threaded, etc.), wall thickness, and normalization or heat treatment. These carbon steel flanges either meet or exceed the requirements of the ASTM A105, ASTM A694, ASTM A181, ASTM A350 and ASTM A707 standards (or comparable foreign specifications).
Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigation: Final antidumping duty investigation.
2. Petitioners: Boltex Mfg. Co., L.P., Houston, TX; Weldbend Corporation, Argo, IL.
3. Investigation instituted by USITC: June 30, 2016.
4. USITC hearing: April 25, 2017.
5. USITC vote on Spain: May 24, 2017.
6. USITC views to the Department of Commerce for Spain: June 7, 2017.
U.S. Industry:
1. Number of U.S. producers in 2016: 10.
2. Location of producers’ plants: Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
3. Employment of production and related workers in 2016: 421.
4. U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments in 2016: $117.3 million.
5. Apparent U.S. consumption in 2016: $253.3 million.
6. Ratio of the value of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption in 2016: 37.4 percent (India, Italy, and Spain).
U.S. Imports in 2016:
1. From the subject countries during 2016: $94.7 million (India, Italy, and Spain).
2. From other countries during 2016: $41.3 million.
3. Leading sources during 2016: India, Italy, China, and Spain (in terms of total value).