Trade Cases
Commerce Assigns Subsidy Duties to Propane Cylinders from China
Written by Sandy Williams
October 22, 2018
Commerce has issued a preliminary affirmative determination in the countervailing duty investigation of steel propane cylinders from China.
A preliminary subsidy rate of 42.77 percent has been assigned to Shandong Huanri Group and producers and exporters in the “all other” category. A preliminary rate of 145.37 percent has been assigned to TPA Metals and Machinery and five other producers/exporters for failure to respond to the Commerce questionnaire.
The merchandise covered by this investigation is steel cylinders for compressed or liquefied propane gas (steel propane cylinders) meeting the requirements of, or produced to meet the requirements of, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Specifications 4B, 4BA, or 4BW, or Transport Canada Specification 4BM, 4BAM, or 4BWM, or United Nations pressure receptacle standard ISO 4706. Specifically excluded are seamless steel propane cylinders and propane cylinders made from stainless steel, aluminum or composite fiber material.
Commerce estimates U.S. imports of steel propane cylinders from China were valued at $89.8 million in 2017.
The petition was filed in May 2018 by Worthington Industries (Columbus, Ohio) and Manchester Tank & Equipment Co. (Franklin, Tenn.).
Commerce will make its final determination on March 4 and the ITC on April 18. If both determinations are in the affirmative, orders will be issued on April 25.
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Trade Cases
Fitch warns more tariffs will pressure global commodity markets
“New commodity-specific tariffs, mainly on steel and aluminum products, could widen price differentials and divert trade flows,” the credit agency forewarned.
Commerce increases import duties on Korean galv, plate
The Commerce Department is raising the import duties on imports of corrosion-resistant sheet and cut-to-length plate from Korea.
Leibowitz on trade: Why is protectionism so popular?
The world has had a few shocks recently. The CEO of a major health insurance company was gunned down in Manhattan. The 50-year Assad dynasty in Syria was pushed out less than two weeks after rebels started an offensive. And President-elect Trump is promising tariffs on everything a month before he takes office. But one shock has been taking place for a lot longer than the last few weeks. The 70-year consensus on trade hasn’t just been challenged. It’s been repudiated.
Ternium chief say Mexico tariffs ‘irrational’
Vedoya said the proposed tariffs are "an irrational measure that would harm both their own industry and ours."
Price on Trade: Trump tariffs are no negotiating tool – and could come at lightning speed
We focused on trade actions the second Trump administration might take in a prior column. Since then, we have learned more about the individuals who will be leading these efforts. Recent nominations reinforce the president-elect’s statements that tariffs will feature prominently in the second administration and that trade actions will be unveiled at lightning speed.