Jul 12, 2017   SOURCE: BusinessWire

U.S. Producers of Carbon Steel Flanges, Weldbend Corporation and Boltex Mfg. Co., Welcome Department of Commerce Final Determinations in Antidumping Duty and Subsidy Investigations

Two leading producers of carbon steel flanges, Weldbend Corporation (“Weldbend”) and Boltex Mfg. Co. (“Boltex”), welcome the final determinations from the U.S. Department of Commerce in the antidumping duty investigations concerning finished carbon steel flanges from India, Italy and Spain, as well as a countervailing duty investigation of finished carbon steel flanges from India. These actions follow the petitions filed by Weldbend and Boltex on June 30, 2016 with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission, seeking the enforcement and compliance of Indian, Italian and Spanish manufacturers with U.S. and international trade laws.

“We welcome the final outcome of the Commerce Department’s lengthy investigation into allegations of unfair trading by Indian, Italian and Spanish producers of finished carbon steel flanges. The United States has laws defending American workers from unfair trade practices and we thank the U.S. government for taking decisive action against those who choose to violate those laws,” said James J. Coulas, Jr., owner and president of Weldbend Corporation.

“These final determinations confirm what we have said from the beginning: that producers of flanges from India, Italy and Spain have been selling their products in the United States at significant dumping margins, and that the Indian government illegally subsidizes its flange industry. We hope that the imposed duty rates resulting from this investigation and the continued enforcement of trade rules and regulations will restore a level playing field in this country,” said Frank Bernobich, president and chairman of the board of Boltex.

With respect to the antidumping investigation involving Spanish respondent Ulma Forja, S. Coop, it continues to be assigned the punishing dumping rate of 24.43 percent, because it refused to cooperate with the U.S. government’s investigation. All other Spanish producers are assigned the rate of 18.1 percent. This is unchanged from the preliminary decision made by the Department of Commerce in January of this year.

Similarly, in the case involving Italy, Metalfar Prodotti Industriali S.p.A. refused to cooperate and is being assigned a final rate of 204.53 percent. The other Italian producer, Officine Ambrogio Melesi & C. S.r.l., was also preliminarily assigned a final rate of 204.53 percent. All other Italian producers are assigned the rate of 79.17 percent. This is also unchanged from the preliminary decision made by the Department of Commerce in January of this year.

Finally, Norma (India) Limited and R. N. Gupta & Company Ltd., the respondents in the antidumping case against India, are being assigned the final rates of 11.32 percent and 12.58 percent, respectively. All other Indian producers are assigned the rate of 11.95 percent. All of these rates are higher than those preliminarily calculated by the Department of Commerce last January. Also, both of these Indian producers were also found to have received illegal government subsidies, resulting in countervailing duty margins of 5.66 percent and 9.11 percent, respectively. These are substantially higher than the countervailing duty margins preliminarily calculated by the Department of Commerce in November of 2016. The additional duties that will be imposed on Indian imports will be the sum of the antidumping duties and the countervailing duties.

On May 24, 2017, the International Trade Commission unanimously ruled that dumped Spanish flanges economically injured the U.S. finished carbon steel flange industry. The same ruling with respect to dumped Italian flanges and dumped and subsidized Indian flanges is expected in July of 2017.

Finished carbon steel flanges are forged rings of steel designed to join two sections of a piping system or to start a piping system from a pressure vessel, valve, or any other flange assembly.

About Weldbend Corporation

Weldbend is the industry leader with over 60 years of performance- proven reputation. Weldbend pioneered advance techniques and designed equipment uniquely capable of producing only the finest carbon steel weld flange and weld fitting products. From start to finish, Weldbend strives to be “The Standard” to which weld fittings and weld flanges are manufactured, stored, organized, and shipped. Weldbend manufactures stock for large inventories and prompt and precise shipments.

As a family business, Weldbend is committed to delivering a level of service and product that achieves complete customer satisfaction. Weldbend’s precision accuracy in machining and manufacturing makes it a prime source of fittings and flanges from ½” through 60” sizes. Further information about Weldbend can be found at www.weldbend.com.

About Boltex Mfg. Co., L.P.

Boltex is a vertically-integrated manufacturer of quality, American-made forged steel flanges for the oil and gas, petrochemical, transmission, engineering and construction industries. Boltex products are sold exclusively through wholesale distributors. This integrated approach allows Boltex to manage its in-house forging, heat treatment, metallurgical testing, and robotic machining processes and thereby ensure the delivery of only the highest quality domestic flanges.

The Boltex commitment to quality is matched only by its on-time delivery performance made possible by its extensive finished flange and rough forging inventories. Further information about Boltex can be found at www.boltex.com.

Weldbend Corporation
6600 South Harlem Avenue
Argo, IL 60501-1930

Boltex Mfg. Co., L.P.
4901 Oates Road
Houston, TX 77013