DOC Announces Lower Rates In Hardwood Dumping Case

Washington, DC, Oct. 13, 2011--Final duties imposed on Chinese manufacturers of engineered hardwood who were accused of dumping their products in the U.S. market are almost half of what they were after the initial announcement in May.

The news was announced as the final hearing at the International Trade Commission was taking place on Oct. 12.

Last November, the Commerce Department said that it would investigate whether Chinese companies were selling hundreds of millions of dollars of engineered wood flooring in the U.S. at unfairly low prices.

The Department accepted a petition from an industry group that includes Anderson Hardwood Floors, Award Hardwood Floors and Shaw Industries Group.

In the dumping investigation, mandatory respondent Zhejiang Yuhua Timber Co., Ltd. (Yuhua) received a dumping rate of zero percent. Mandatory respondent Zhejiang Layo Wood Industry Co., Ltd. (Layo) received a dumping rate of 3.98 percent. Mandatory respondent Samling Group received a dumping rate of 2.63 percent.

The government found targeted dumping with respect to sales made by Layo and Samling Group.

Seventy-four Chinese producers/exporters qualified for a separate rate of 3.31 percent. All other Chinese producers/exporters, which is estimated to affect less than 5% of imports, received a China-wide dumping rate of 58.84 percent.

In the counterveiling duties investigation, mandatory respondent Fine Furniture (Shanghai) Ltd. (and its affiliates Great Wood (Tonghua) Ltd. and Fine Furniture Plantation (Shishou) Ltd.) received a net subsidy rate of 1.50 percent. Mandatory respondent Zhejiang Layo Wood Industry Co., Ltd. (and its affiliate Jiaxing Brilliant Import & Export Co., Ltd.) received a net subsidy rate of 0.33 percent (de minimis). Mandatory respondent Zhejiang Yuhua Timber Co., Ltd. received a net subsidy rate of 0.47 percent (de minimis).

Commerce assigned 124 companies an adverse facts available (AFA) rate of 26.73 percent ad valorem, for failing to respond to requests for information, but this represents less than 5% of imports.

Below are the final duties imposed:

Exporter	Preliminary AD Rate	FINAL AD RATE	Preliminary CVD Rate	FINAL CVD RATE
Zhejiang Layo	0	3.98%	0	0
Zhejiang Yuhua	0	0	0	0
Samling Group	0	2.63%	N/A	N/A
Fine Furniture	N/A	N/A	2.25%	1.5%
Separate Rate Companies (represents majority of imports)	6.78%	3.31%	2.25%	1.5%
PRC-Wide “all industry” Entity (estimated at less than 5% of imports)	27.12	58.84%	27.01%	26.73%

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