New shipper review from DOC and Innersrpring duty ruling

September 15, 2008

New shipper reviews delayed

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has delayed the final results of a new shipper review for two Chinese wood bedroom producers by 60 days, or until Oct. 24.

The two shippers are Dongguan Mu Si Furniture Co. and Dongguan Bon Ten Furniture Co. In a June 6 ruling, Mu Si received a preliminary duty of 103.55% and Bon Ten received a 0% duty.

The DOC granted 60 days more for the review in response to issues Mu Si and the petitioners have raised regarding their shipments.

The final duties assigned to these companies will apply to wood bedroom furniture shipments made to the U.S. between Jan. 1 and July 1 of 2007. The final duties for the review period in question are to be paid by companies that import from these factories.

Another new shipper review is for Chinese manufacturer Shanghai Fangjia which DOC will determine its antidumping duty on wooden bedroom furniture.

Shanghai Fangjia filed a request to have its duty reduced. In the filing, it said that it had purchased all of the wooden bedroom furniture it exported from Brilliant Furniture. The period of review for Shanghai Fangjia is Jan. 1 through June 30 of this year.

Preliminary results will be released within six months. Before that, importers of wooden bedroom furniture from Shanghai Fangjia must continue to post a cash deposit of estimated antidumping duties at the current China-wide rate of 216.01%.

Innerspring duty ruling delayed until December

The ruling on final duties on imports of mattress innersprings from China, Vietnam and South Africa has been delayed by 60 days by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Originally, DOC had planned to announce the final duties on Oct. 13 after releasing preliminary duties on Aug. 6. But in latest filing, the department said the final duties now will be issued on Dec. 19.

In response to requests from Nanhai Animal By-Products Import and Export Co. Ltd. and Foshan Jinqxin Steel Wire & Spring Co. Ltd, DOC agreed to a 60-day extension. Foshan Jinqxin received a preliminary duty of 118.17% while it was unclear what duty, if any Nanhai Animal received.

The lead petitioner Leggett & Platt Inc. requests the initial antidumping investigation and covers uncovered innerspring units produced in China, South Africa and Vietnam. The petition alleges that U.S. producers are injured by foreign competitors selling similar products at unfair prices, or those considered less than normal value.

DOC''s initial investigation found that producer''s in these countries were selling product in the United States at below-normal prices. The preliminary duties calculated based on these assessments are ranging from 116.31% to 234.51%.

Once the U.S. International Trade Commission determines that the imports caused injury to the domestic industry, the DOC will issue antidumping orders once it makes final duty determinations.