Introduction to the Antidumping Duty Review
On April 3, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce released the preliminary findings of its antidumping duty administrative review for circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes (CWP) imported from Thailand. This review covers the period from March 1, 2023, to February 29, 2024. The focus of the review was to assess whether Thai producers or exporters were selling CWP at less than fair value (i.e., dumping), which could potentially harm U.S. manufacturers.
The review found no evidence of sales at less than normal value (NV) for the selected mandatory respondent, Saha Thai Steel Pipe Public Co., Ltd., and Thai Premium Pipe Co. Ltd., which is not individually examined but assigned the same margin. As a result, both companies were assigned a preliminary weighted-average dumping margin of zero percent. Additionally, the review has been partially rescinded for 28 companies that had no suspended entries during the review period.
Background of the Antidumping Order
The U.S. imposed an antidumping duty order on circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes (CWP) from Thailand on March 11, 1986. The purpose of this order was to protect U.S. steel manufacturers from unfair competition posed by unfairly priced imports. Every year, the U.S. Department of Commerce reviews these orders to ensure that the conditions for dumping have not changed. The review process involves checking if Thai producers/exporters are still engaging in pricing practices that harm U.S. manufacturers.
On March 1, 2024, the Department of Commerce issued a notice announcing the opportunity for interested parties to request an administrative review of the antidumping duty order for the period of review (POR) of March 1, 2023, through February 29, 2024. This process included reviewing sales data to determine if producers/exporters in Thailand were continuing to sell CWP at less than fair value.
Preliminary Findings and Rescission of the Review
Based on its investigation, the Department of Commerce concluded that Saha Thai Steel Pipe Public Co., Ltd. and Thai Premium Pipe Co. Ltd. did not engage in dumping during the POR. Consequently, both companies received a preliminary weighted-average dumping margin of 0.00%. The review also found that 28 companies did not have any suspended entries of subject merchandise during the POR, meaning they did not have any transactions under review. As a result, the Department of Commerce has rescinded the administrative review for these 28 companies.
The rescission of the review for these companies is a standard procedure in cases where there is no suspended entry to review, as required under 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3). The companies affected by this rescission will not face any changes to their current antidumping duty assessments.
Methodology and Determination of Margins
The Department of Commerce follows a defined methodology for calculating antidumping margins. For the two companies under review, Saha Thai Steel Pipe and Thai Premium Pipe Co. Ltd., Commerce calculated their export prices and normal values in accordance with Sections 772 and 773 of the Tariff Act of 1930. Since Saha Thai was the sole mandatory respondent and there were no allegations of dumping, Commerce determined the zero-percent margin for both Saha Thai and the non-examined company, Thai Premium Pipe Co. Ltd.
Under U.S. trade law, when a company is not selected for individual examination in an antidumping review, Commerce assigns it a rate based on the weighted average dumping margins calculated for the companies that were individually examined. In this case, the zero-percent margin determined for Saha Thai was also applied to Thai Premium Pipe Co. Ltd.
Regulatory Framework and Legal Basis
The Department of Commerce’s review was conducted under the authority of Section 751(a)(1)(B) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended. This section of the law requires the Department of Commerce to periodically review antidumping duty orders and determine whether imports continue to be sold at unfairly low prices. The regulations governing this process are found in 19 CFR 351, which outlines the procedures for conducting administrative reviews.
In line with U.S. trade law, when reviewing antidumping cases, the Department of Commerce calculates the dumping margins based on export price and normal value for each respondent. In this review, both companies received a dumping margin of zero percent, signaling that their sales were made at fair value and did not harm U.S. producers.
Impact on U.S. Market and Stakeholders
The preliminary results of this review may have significant implications for U.S. manufacturers of steel pipes and tubes, particularly those in the energy and construction sectors that rely on CWP. The continuation of zero-percent antidumping margins for these Thai producers suggests that their imports will not be subject to additional duties, which could affect the pricing and competitiveness of U.S.-made pipes.
Interested parties, including U.S. manufacturers, importers, and the Thai producers themselves, now have the opportunity to comment on these preliminary results. The Department of Commerce will consider these comments before issuing final results, which may include adjustments to the preliminary margins based on the feedback received.
Next Steps and Review Process
Following the release of the preliminary results, the Department of Commerce has set a timeline for interested parties to submit their comments and rebuttals. These comments will be taken into account when finalizing the results. The final results of the administrative review will be published on or before May 29, 2025.
In addition, the Department of Commerce continues to monitor the Thai CWP industry and will conduct future reviews as necessary to ensure that U.S. steel manufacturers are not harmed by unfair pricing practices.
Key Takeaways:
• Preliminary Results: Saha Thai Steel Pipe and Thai Premium Pipe Co. Ltd. were assigned a zero percent antidumping margin for the 2023-2024 period.
• Review Rescission: The review was partially rescinded for 28 companies that had no suspended entries during the review period.
• Legal Basis: The review was conducted under Section 751(a)(1)(B) of the Tariff Act of 1930.
• Regulatory Process: Antidumping margins are calculated based on export prices and normal value.
• Zero Percent Margins: No evidence of dumping was found, resulting in zero-percent margins for the reviewed companies.
• Impact on U.S. Market: Thai producers of CWP will not face increased duties, keeping competition with U.S. producers fair.
• Comment Period: Interested parties can submit comments before final results are published by May 29, 2025.
