Mexico Circular Welded Pipe: Sumitomo and Nippon Steel Tubes Exempt From AD Duties as Mechanical Tubing

Several types of automotive and cylinder tubes produced by Sumitomo Corporation of Americas and Nippon Steel & Sumkin Pipe Mexico are exempt from antidumping duties on circular welded non-alloy steel pipe from Mexico (A-201-805), the Commerce Department said in a recent scope ruling. Under criteria developed in the context of a NAFTA panel decision, a product qualifies as mechanical tubing exempt from the AD duty order if it either (1) has dimensions that do not overlap with tolerances for ASTM A-513 standard pipe or, if galvanized, fence tubing, or (2) is produced to specialized, stringent production standards and is made-to-order. In the case of the 13 types of automotive and cylinder tubes produced by Sumitomo and Nippon Steel, 12 models do not have dimensions that overlap with tolerances for standard pipe or fence tubing. The other model is produced to custom specifications for use in high pressure lines for construction equipment, and is made to order for a single customer, Commerce said. As such, all 13 models are mechanical tubing exempted from AD duties, it said.