April 6, 2021
News Release 21-048
Inv. No(s). 701-TA-643 and 731-TA-1493 (Final)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
Small Vertical Shaft Engines from China Injure U.S. Industry, Says USITC

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of small vertical shaft engines from China that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value.

Chair Jason E. Kearns, Vice Chair Randolph J. Stayin, and Commissioners David S. Johanson, Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the affirmative. 

As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, Commerce will issue antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of this product from China.

The Commission also made affirmative critical circumstances findings in the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.  As a result, certain imports from China will be subject to countervailing and antidumping duties retroactive 90 days from the dates of Commerce’s preliminary countervailing and antidumping duty determinations, respectively.

The Commission’s public report Small Vertical Shaft Engines from China (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-643 and 731-TA-1493 (Final), USITC Publication 5185, April 2021) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

The report will be available by May 10, 2021; 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

Small Vertical Shaft Engines (SVSEs) from China
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-643 and 731-TA-1493 (Final)

Product Description:  Small vertical shaft engines are spark-ignited, non-road, vertical shaft engines, whether finished or unfinished, whether assembled or unassembled, whether mounted or unmounted, primarily for walk-behind lawn mowers. Engines meeting this physical description may also be for other non-hand-held outdoor power equipment, including but not limited to, pressure washers. The subject engines are spark ignition, single-cylinder, air cooled, internal combustion engines with vertical power take off shafts with a minimum displacement of 99 cubic centimeters (“cc”) and a maximum displacement of up to, but not including, 225cc. Typically, engines with displacements of this size generate gross power of between 1.95 kilowatts (kw) to 4.75 kw.

Status of Proceedings:

1.   Type of investigation:  Final countervailing duty and antidumping duty investigations.
2.   Petitioners:  Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Wauwatosa, WI.
3.   USITC Institution Date:  Wednesday, March 18, 2020.
4.   USITC Hearing Date:  Tuesday, March 9, 2021.
5.   USITC Vote Date:  Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
6.   USITC Notification to Commerce Date:  Monday, April 26, 2021.

U.S. Industry in 2020:

1.   Number of U.S. producers:  2.
2.   Location of producers’ plants:  Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
3.   Production and related workers:  [1]
4.   U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments:  1
5.   Apparent U.S. consumption:  1
6.   Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption:  1

U.S. Imports in 2020:

1.   Subject imports:  1
2.   Nonsubject imports:  1
3.   Leading import sources:  China, Japan, and Vietnam.

 

[1] Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.

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