US claims Canada is dumping welded pipe

Canada is one of six countries named in a new anti-dumping and countervailing duty probe announced yesterday by US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

The allegation from US private industry is that foreign competitors from Canada, China, India, Greece, Korea and Turkey use unfairly dumped product.

In a statement, Ross said a trade investigation will look into whether imports of large diameter welded pipe from the countries are being dumped in the US, and if foreign producers are getting unfair subsidies. The US could impose duties if it finds the imports are hurting its domestic producers.

The duties being sought for large diameter welded pipe from Canada are more than 50%. Canada supplies about US$66 million of pipe annually to the US for use in oil and gas pipelines.

The US Department of Commerce is now considering the case and could make final determinations on anti-dumping and countervailing duties in July and September. The US International Trade Commission needs to first find that the case has enough merit to proceed.

The US launched the probe after five US companies: American Cast Iron Pipe Company of Birmingham, Alabama, Berg Steel Pipe Corp. of Panama City, Florida, Dura-Bond Industries of Steelton, Pennsylvania, Skyline Steel of Parsippany, New Jersey, and Stupp Corporation of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, filed petitions.

"With an 81% increase in trade cases initiated since President Trump took office, this administration has made it clear that we will vigorously administer anti-dumping and countervailing duty laws," said Ross.

Adam Austen, a spokesperson for Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, said in an email to press that the US enjoys a trade surplus with Canada in steel exports, adding that Canadian and US. steel producers are a key part of the highly integrated North American manufacturing sector.

"We are in close contact with our exporters and will work with them to defend against these baseless claims," Austen said.