The US Department of Commerce has announced the affirmative final determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of stainless steel flanges from India.

Commerce determined that exporters from India have sold stainless steel flanges in the United States at 19.16 to 145.25 percent less than fair value. Commerce also determined that India is providing countervailable subsidies to its producers of stainless steel flanges at rates ranging from 4.92 to 256.16 percent.

In 2017, imports of stainless steel flanges from India were valued at an estimated $44 million.

The petitioners in the case were the Coalition of American Flange Producers and its individual members: Core Pipe Products, Inc. of Carol Stream, Illinois and Maass Flange Corporation of Houston, Texas.

Antidumping duty and countervailing duty laws provide American businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of the unfair pricing of imports into the United States. Commerce currently maintains 456 antidumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.

Foreign companies that price their products in the US market below the cost of production or below prices in their home markets are subject to antidumping duties.  Foreign companies that receive financial assistance from foreign governments that benefits the production of goods from foreign companies and is limited to specific enterprises or industries, or is contingent either upon export performance or upon the use of domestic goods over imported goods, are subject to countervailing duties. Since the beginning of the current Administration, Commerce has initiated 120 new AD and CVD investigations, a 216 percent increase from the comparable period in the previous administration.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) is currently scheduled to make its final injury determinations on September 24, 2018.  If the ITC makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue AD and CVD orders.  If the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no orders will be issued.