Petition Filed for New AD/CV Duties on Mechanical Transfer Drive Components
TB Wood's filed a petition on Oct. 28 with the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping and countervailing duties on iron mechanical transfer drive components from China (A-570-032/C-570-031), and antidumping duties on imports of the same product from Canada (A-122-856). Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations on these products that could result in the imposition of duties.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.
According to the petition, iron mechanical transfer drive components transmit power within machinery, with uses in elevators, conveyers and other material handling equipment. These types of equipment are used in a variety of industrial, agricultural, and construction applications, and are especially common in factories and oilfield applications, the petition said.
Proposed Scope
The petition proposes the following scope for the investigations:
"The products covered by this investigation are iron mechanical transfer drive components including sheaves (pulleys), bushings, and flywheels, regardless of diameter, width design, or iron type (e.g., gray, white, or ductile iron), whether or not machined and regardless of the country in which any machining takes place; with or without other non-cast iron attachments or parts; and whether or not entered as a belted drive assembly. When entered as a belted drive assembly, only the iron sheaves (pulleys), bushings, and flywheels are covered merchandise, not the other components in the belted drive assembly (e.g., belt, coupling, shaft).
"The products covered by this investigation are iron wheels or cylinders with a center bore hole that may have one or more grooves or teeth in their outer circumference that guide or mesh with a flat or ribbed belt or like device. The products covered by this investigation also include iron cylinders designed to fit into the bore holes of other mechanical transfer drive components to lock them into drive shafts by means of design elements such as teeth, bolts, or screws (i. e., bushings).
"Covered mechanical transfer drive components may be net shape blanks or may be machined to final specification after initial casting, forging or like operations that produce net shape blanks. These machining processes may include cutting, punching, notching, boring, threading mitering, or chamfering. Covered mechanical transfer drive components remain subject merchandise regardless of where the net shape blanks are machined or subjected to further processing.
"Covered mechanical transfer drive components may be imported with non-iron attachments or parts, and remain subject whether or not entered with other mechanical transfer drive components or as part of a mechanical transfer drive assembly.
"Iron mechanical transfer drive components are covered regardless of metallurgy, inclusive of white, grey, and ductile iron. For purposes of this investigation, a covered product is of "iron" where the article has a carbon content of 1.5 percent by weight or above, regardless of the presence and amount of additional alloying elements. Non-ferrous mechanical transfer drive components are excluded from the scope.
"The merchandise covered by this investigation is currently classifiable under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States ("HTSUS") subheadings 8483.30.8090, 8483.50.9040, 8483.50.9080, 8483.90.3000, 8483.90. Covered merchandise may also enter under the following HTSUS subheadings: 8431.39.0010, 8483.50.4000. These HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes. The written description of the scope of the order 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 Nov. 17.
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the petition.