New AD/CV Duties Requested on Brass Rod
A domestic producer coalition seeks the imposition of new antidumping duties on brass rod from Brazil, India, Israel, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea, as well as new countervailing duties on brass rod from India, Israel and South Korea, it said in petitions filed with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission April 27. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations, which could result in the imposition of permanent AD/CVD orders and the assessment of AD and CVD on importers. The American Brass Rod Fair Trade Coalition is listed with Mueller Brass and Wieland Chase as petitioners, but the filing also shows that the coalition consists of Mueller Brass and Wieland Chase, the only two major producers remaining in the U.S.
Proposed Scope
The petition proposes the following scope for the investigations:
"The products covered by these petitions are brass rod, which is defined as leaded, lowlead, and no-lead solid brass made from alloys such as, but not limited to: Alloys C36000, C37700, C37000, C36300, C27450, C27451, C69300, C35300, C34500, C67600, C35330, C48500, and C67300, and their international equivalents.
"The brass rod subject to these orders has a cross-section greater than one quarter of one inch (0.25 inches) outside diameter but less than or equal to 12 inches outside diameter. Brass rod cross-sections may be round, hexagonal, square, or octagonal shapes as well as special profiles (e.g., angles, shapes).
"Standard leaded brass rod covered by the scope contains, by weight, 57.0 - 65.0 percent copper; 1.5 - 3.0 percent lead; no more than 0.35 percent iron; and at least 15 percent zinc. Nolead or low-lead brass rod covered by the scope contains by weight 59.0 - 76.0 percent copper; 0 - 1.5 percent lead; no more than 0.35 percent iron; and at least 15 percent zinc. Brass rod may also include other elements.
"Brass rod is covered by these petitions whether it is finished or unfinished. Brass rod may be produced in accordance with ASTM Bl 6, ASTM B124, ASTM B981, ASTM B371, ASTM B453, ASTM B21, ASTM B138, and ASTM B927, but such conformity to an ASTM standard is not required for the merchandise to be included within the scope.
"Brass rod is produced by melting and casting into billets or strand casting into rod. Brass rod may or may not be heated, extruded, pickled, or cold-drawn.
"The merchandise covered by these petitions is currently classifiable under subheading 7 407 .21.9000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS US). Products subject to the scope may also enter under HTSUS subheadings 7403.21.0000, 7407.21.1500, 7407.21.3000, 7407.21.5000, and 7407.21.7000. The HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes. The written description of the scope of the petitions is dispositive."
Commerce Accepting Comments on Petition Support
The Commerce Department is accepting comments on domestic industry support for the petitions to determine whether the petitions meet the dual requirements of support by domestic producers or workers accounting for (1) at least 25% of the total production of the domestic-like product and (2) more than 50% of the production of the domestic-like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition. If the petitions meet these requirements, among others, Commerce will initiate antidumping and countervailing duty investigations. Comments are due by May 10.