Antidumping, countervailing duty cases filed against fastener imports from China and Taiwan

On Sept. 23, Wiley Rein LLP filed antidumping and countervailing duty petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission against imports of standard fasteners from China and Taiwan. The petitions, which were filed on behalf of Nucor Fastener, St. Joe, Indiana, a division of Nucor Corp., contain information establishing that the Chinese exports of standard fasteners, such as structural bolts, nuts, and capscrews, have received subsidies from the Chinese government, and that Chinese and Taiwanese producers of fasteners are dumping their products in the United States.

"The Chinese and Taiwanese producers have been dumping their products in the United States at unfair prices, and the American producers of standard fasteners have suffered," said Alan Price of Wiley Rein's International Trade Practice, counsel to Nucor Fastener. "To keep manufacturing, and manufacturing jobs, in the country, it is essential that the U.S. government vigorously enforce our trade laws, especially during hard economic times like we are experiencing now."

The petitions allege average dumping margins for Chinese imports of 145 percent, and of 74 percent for imports from Taiwan. If successful, the petitions could lead to the imposition of special antidumping and countervailing duties on fasteners imported from China and Taiwan. The European Union has already imposed dumping duties on imports of fasteners from China.