U.S. International Trade Commission

Publication 4435 November 2013

Washington, DC 20436

Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe 

from China

Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Review)
U.S. International Trade Commission

COMMISSIONERS 

 

Irving A. Williamson, Chairman 

Shara L. Aranoff 

Dean A. Pinkert 

David S. Johanson 

Meredith M. Broadbent 

F. Scott Kieff

Robert B. Koopman

Staff assigned

Address all communications to 

Secretary to the Commission 

United States International Trade Commission 

Washington, DC 20436

Director, Office of Operations

Samuel Brecker, Investigator 

Donald Thibeau, Investigator 

Karen Taylor, Industry Analyst 

Nataline Viray-Fung, Attorney 

Douglas Corkran, Supervisory Investigator
U.S. International Trade Commission

Washington, DC 20436 

www.usitc.gov

Publication 4435 November 2013

Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe 

from China

Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Review)

i 

CONTENTS

Page 

Determination ............................................................................................................................. 1

Views of the Commission ............................................................................................................ 3 

Information obtained in the reviews ............................................................................................ I-1

Introduction .................................................................................................................................. I-1

Background............................................................................................................................ I-1

The original investigations..................................................................................................... I-2

Commerce’s reviews.............................................................................................................. I-3

Previous and related title VII investigations.......................................................................... I-4

Previous and related safeguard investigations..................................................................... I-5

The product................................................................................................................................... I-7

Commerce’s scope................................................................................................................. I-7

U.S. tariff treatment .............................................................................................................. I-8

Domestic like product and domestic industry....................................................................... I-9

Description and uses ............................................................................................................. I-9

Production process.............................................................................................................. I-12

Interchangeability and customer and producer perceptions ............................................. I-14

Channels of distribution ...................................................................................................... I-15

Pricing and related information .......................................................................................... I-15

The industry in the United States............................................................................................... I-19

U.S. producers ..................................................................................................................... I-19

U.S. producers’ trade and financial data............................................................................. I-23

U.S. imports and apparent consumption.................................................................................... I-25

U.S. importers...................................................................................................................... I-25

U.S. imports......................................................................................................................... I-25

Ratio of imports to U.S. production .................................................................................... I-29

Apparent U.S. consumption and market shares ................................................................. I-30

The industry in China .................................................................................................................. I-32

Background.......................................................................................................................... I-32

Capacity and production ..................................................................................................... I-33

Exports................................................................................................................................. I-34

Tariff or non-tariff barriers to trade .................................................................................... I-37

The global market....................................................................................................................... I-37

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Review) 

CIRCULAR WELDED CARBON-QUALITY STEEL PIPE FROM CHINA 

DETERMINATION

On the basis of the record1 developed in the subject five-year reviews, the United 

States International Trade Commission (Commission) determines, pursuant to section 751(c) of 

the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. ' 1675(c)), that revocation of the antidumping and 

countervailing duty orders on circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from China would be 

likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to an industry in the United States 

within a reasonably foreseeable time.2

BACKGROUND

The Commission instituted these reviews on June 3, 2013 (78 FR 33108,) and 

determined on September 6, 2013 that it would conduct expedited reviews (78 FR 59371, 

September 26, 2013).3

 

1

 The record is defined in sec. 207.2(f) of the Commission=s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 

CFR ' 207.2(f)). 

2 Commissioner F. Scott Kieff did not participate in these reviews. 

3

 Due to the lapse in appropriations and ensuing cessation of Commission operations, all import 

injury investigations conducted under authority of Title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930 have been tolled by 

16 days pursuant to 19. U.S.C. § 1675(c)(5)(C)(ii). 

3 

Views of the Commission

Based on the record in these five-year reviews, we determine under section 751(c) of 

the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (“the Tariff Act”), that revocation of the antidumping and 

countervailing duty orders on circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe (“CWP”) from China 

would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to an industry in the 

United States within a reasonably foreseeable time.1

 

I. Background

The original investigations of CWP from China were instituted in response to petitions 

filed on June 7, 2007, by Allied Tube and Conduit (“Allied”), IPSCO Tubulars, Inc., Northwest 

Pipe Company, Sharon Tube Company, Western Tube & Conduit Corporation (“Western Tube”), 

Wheatland Tube Company, and the United Steelworkers, a labor union whose members are 

engaged in the production of CWP.2 In July 2008, the Commission determined that an industry 

in the United States was materially injured by reason of imports of CWP from China that the 

U.S. Department of Commerce had determined to be subsidized and sold at less than fair 

value.3 Commerce issued antidumping duty and countervailing duty orders on imports of CWP

from China on July 22, 2008.4

 

The Commission instituted these reviews on June 3, 2013.5 The Commission received 

one substantive joint response to the notice of institution from U.S. producers United States 

Steel Corp., Allied, EXLTUBE, Maruichi American Corp., TMK-IPSCO, Western Tube, and JMC 

Steel Group (collectively “the domestic producers”).6

 It did not receive a response from any 

respondent interested party. On September 6, 2013, the Commission determined that it would 

conduct expedited reviews pursuant to section 751(c)(3) of the Tariff Act.7 

 

1 Commissioner Kieff did not participate in these reviews. 2 Confidential Report (“CR”) at I-3, Public Report (“PR”) at I-2.

3 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 

(Final), USITC Pub. 4019 at 1 (July 2008) (“Original Determination”). 4 Notice of Antidumping Duty Order: Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from China, 73 

Fed. Reg. 42547 (July 22, 2008); Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People’s Republic of 

China, 73 Fed. Reg. 42545 (July 22, 2008) (notice of amended final affirmative countervailing duty 

determination and notice of countervailing duty order). 5 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China: Institution of Five-Year Reviews, 78 Fed. 

Reg. 33108 (June 3, 2013).

6 Substantive Response to the Commission’s Notice of Institution, June 28, 2013 (“Response”). 

7 See Explanation of Commission Determination on Adequacy, EDIS Doc. No. 522076. The 

Commission found the domestic producers’ response to the notice of institution individually adequate, 

the domestic interested party group response adequate, and the respondent interested party group 

response inadequate. The Commission did not find any circumstances that would warrant conducting 

full reviews. 
4 

II. Domestic Like Product and Industry

A. Domestic Like Product

In making its determination under section 751(c) of the Tariff Act, the Commission 

defines the “domestic like product” and the “industry.”8 The Tariff Act defines “domestic like 

product” as “a product which is like, or in the absence of like, most similar in characteristics and 

uses with, the article subject to an investigation under this subtitle.”9 The Commission’s 

practice in five-year reviews is to examine the domestic like product definition from the original 

investigation and consider whether the record indicates any reason to revisit the prior 

findings.10 

Commerce has defined the imported merchandise within the scope of the orders under 

review as follows:

The merchandise subject to this proceeding is certain welded carbon quality 

steel pipes and tubes, of circular cross-section, and with an outside diameter of 

0.372 inches (9.45 mm) or more, but not more than 16 inches (406.4 mm), 

whether or not stenciled, regardless of wall thickness, surface finish (e.g., black, 

galvanized, or painted), end finish (e.g., plain end, beveled end, grooved, 

threaded, or threaded and coupled), or industry specification (e.g., ASTM, 

proprietary, or other), generally known as standard pipe and structural pipe 

(they may also be referred to as circular, structural, or mechanical tubing).

Specifically, the term “carbon quality” includes products in which (a) iron 

predominates, by weight, over each of the other contained elements; (b) the 

carbon content is 2 percent or less, by weight; and (c) none of the elements 

listed below exceeds the quantity, by weight, as indicated:

(i) 1.80 percent of manganese;

(ii) 2.25 percent of silicon;

(iii) 1.00 percent of copper;

(iv) 0.50 percent of aluminum;

 

8 19 U.S.C. § 1677(4)(A).

9 19 U.S.C. § 1677(10); see, e.g., Cleo Inc. v. United States, 501 F.3d 1291, 1299 (Fed. Cir. 2007); 

NEC Corp. v. Department of Commerce, 36 F. Supp. 2d 380, 383 (Ct. Int’l Trade 1998); Nippon Steel Corp. 

v. United States, 19 CIT 450, 455 (1995); Timken Co. v. United States, 913 F. Supp. 580, 584 (Ct. Int’l 

Trade 1996); Torrington Co. v. United States, 747 F. Supp. 744, 748-49 (Ct. Int’l Trade 1990), aff’d, 938 

F.2d 1278 (Fed. Cir. 1991); see also S. Rep. No. 249, 96th Cong., 1st Sess. 90-91 (1979).

10 See, e.g., Internal Combustion Industrial Forklift Trucks from Japan, Inv. No. 731-TA-377 

(Second Review), USITC Pub. 3831 at 8-9 (Dec. 2005); Crawfish Tail Meat from China, Inv. No. 731-TA752 (Review), USITC Pub. 3614 at 4 (July 2003); Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from Turkey, Inv. No. 731-

TA-745 (Review), USITC Pub. 3577 at 4 (Feb. 2003).
5 

(v) 1.25 percent of chromium;

(vi) 0.30 percent of cobalt;

(vii) 0.40 percent of lead;

(viii) 1.25 percent of nickel;

(ix) 0.30 percent of tungsten;

(x) 0.15 percent of molybdenum;

(xi) 0.10 percent of niobium;

(xii) 0.41 percent of titanium;

(xiii) 0.15 percent of vanadium; or

(xiv) 0.15 percent of zirconium.

Standard pipe is made primarily to American Society for Testing and Materials 

(“ASTM”) specifications, but can be made to other specifications. Standard pipe 

is made primarily to ASTM specifications A-53, A-135, and A-795. Structural pipe 

is made primarily to ASTM specifications A-252 and A-500. Standard and 

structural pipe may also be produced to proprietary specifications rather than to 

industry specifications. This is often the case, for example, with fence tubing. 

Pipe multiple-stenciled to a standard and/or structural specification and to any 

other specification, such as the American Petroleum Institute (“API”) API-5L 

specification, is also covered by the scope of this investigation when it meets the 

physical description set forth above and also has one or more of the following 

characteristics: is 32 feet in length or less; is less than 2.0 inches (50 mm) in 

outside diameter; has a galvanized and/or painted surface finish; or has a 

threaded and/or coupled end finish. (The term “painted” does not include 

coatings to inhibit rust in transit, such as varnish, but includes coatings such as 

polyester.)

The scope of this investigation does not include: (a) pipe suitable for use in 

boilers, superheaters, heat exchangers, condensers, refining furnaces and 

feedwater heaters, whether or not cold drawn; (b) mechanical tubing, whether 

or not cold-drawn; (c) finished electrical conduit; (d) finished scaffolding; (e) tube 

and pipe hollows for redrawing; (f) oil country tubular goods produced to API 

specifications; and (g) line pipe produced to only API specifications.

The pipe products that are the subject of this investigation are currently 

classifiable in HTSUS statistical reporting numbers 7306.30.10.00, 7306.30.50.25, 

7306.30.50.32, 7306.30.50.40, 7306.30.50.55, 7306.30.50.85, 7306.30.50.90, 

7306.50.10.00, 7306.50.50.50, 7306.50.50.70, 7306.19.10.10, 7306.19.10.50, 

7306.19.51.10, and 7306.19.51.50.11

 

11 Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People’s Republic of China: Final Results of 

Expedited First Sunset Review of the Antidumping Duty Order, 78 Fed. Reg. 61335 (Oct. 2, 2013) 

(Continued...)
6 

CWP is used in low-pressure conveyance of water, steam, natural gas, air, and other 

liquids and gases in plumbing and heating systems, air conditioning units, automatic sprinkler 

systems, and other related uses.12 It is also used for light load-bearing and mechanical 

applications, such as fence tubing, scaffolding, and protection of electrical wiring.13 CWP may 

be also used for structural applications in general construction.14 CWP may be galvanized (zinccoated by dipping in molten zinc), lacquered, or “black” (painted to provide corrosion 

resistance).15 

CWP is manufactured using either electric resistance welding or continuous welding. In 

electric resistance welding, steel sheets are first cold rolled into tubes and then welded with a 

combination of heat and pressure.16 In the continuous welding process, steel sheets are heated 

and then formed and pressure-welded while hot.17 CWP is most often made to American 

Society for Testing and Materials (“ASTM”) specifications, but is sometimes made to other or 

multiple specifications.18

The scope definition set out above is unchanged from Commerce’s scope definition in 

the original investigations. In its original determinations, the Commission defined a single 

domestic like product consisting of CWP, coextensive with the scope of the investigations.19 

There is no new information obtained during these reviews that would suggest any reason to 

revisit the Commission’s domestic like product definition in the original determinations, and the 

domestic producers agree with that definition.

20 Therefore, we define the domestic like 

product as circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe, coextensive with Commerce’s scope 

definition. 

B. Domestic Industry 

Section 771(4)(A) of the Tariff Act defines the relevant industry as the domestic 

“producers as a whole of a domestic like product, or those producers whose collective output 

 

(...Continued)

(“Commerce Expedited AD Review”) and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum, EDIS Doc. 

No. 520609; Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People’s Republic of China: Final Results 

of Expedited First Sunset Review of the Countervailing Duty Order, 78 Fed. Reg. 60849 (Oct. 2, 2013) 

(“Commerce Expedited CVD Review”) and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum, EDIS Doc. 

No. 520609. 12 CR at I-13, PR at I-10.

13 CR at I-14, PR at I-11. 14 CR at I-14, PR at I-11. 15 CR at I-15, PR at I-11.

16 CR at I-16, PR at I-13. 17 CR at I-17, PR at I-13.

18 CR at I-13, PR at I-10.

19 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 9. 20 Response at 23; Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China: Petitioners’ Comments 

on the Record (Oct. 23, 2013) (“Comments”) at 2-3. 
7 

of a domestic like product constitutes a major proportion of the total domestic production of 

the product.”21 In defining the domestic industry, the Commission’s general practice has been 

to include in the industry producers of all domestic production of the like product, whether tollproduced, captively consumed, or sold in the domestic merchant market. 

In the original determinations, the Commission defined the domestic industry as 

consisting of all domestic producers of CWP and did not exclude any domestic producer as a 

related party.22 There are no related party issues in these reviews. Accordingly, we define the 

domestic industry as all domestic producers of CWP. 

III. Revocation of the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders Would 

Likely Lead to Continuation or Recurrence of Material Injury Within a 

Reasonably Foreseeable Time 

A. Legal Standards

In a five-year review conducted under section 751(c) of the Tariff Act, Commerce will 

revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order unless: (1) it makes a determination that 

dumping or subsidization is likely to continue or recur and (2) the Commission makes a 

determination that revocation of the antidumping or countervailing duty order “would be likely 

to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.”23 

The Uruguay Round Agreements Act Statement of Administrative Action (“SAA”) states that 

“under the likelihood standard, the Commission will engage in a counterfactual analysis; it must 

decide the likely impact in the reasonably foreseeable future of an important change in the 

status quo – the revocation or termination of a proceeding and the elimination of its restraining 

effects on volumes and prices of imports.”24 Thus, the likelihood standard is prospective in 

nature.25 The U.S. Court of International Trade has found that “likely,” as used in the five-year

 

21 19 U.S.C. § 1677(4)(A). The definitions in 19 U.S.C. § 1677 are applicable to the entire subtitle 

containing the antidumping and countervailing duty laws, including 19 U.S.C. §§ 1675 and 1675a. See 19 

U.S.C. § 1677. 22 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 9. In these reviews, domestic producers agree 

with the Commission’s definition of the domestic industry in the original investigations. Response at 23. 23 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a). 24 Uruguay Round Agreements Act Statement of Administrative Action, H.R. Doc. 103-316, vol. I 

at 883-84 (1994) (“SAA”). The SAA states that “{t}he likelihood of injury standard applies regardless of 

the nature of the Commission’s original determination (material injury, threat of material injury, or 

material retardation of an industry). Likewise, the standard applies to suspended investigations that 

were never completed.” Id. at 883.

25 While the SAA states that “a separate determination regarding current material injury is not 

necessary,” it indicates that “the Commission may consider relevant factors such as current and likely 

continued depressed shipment levels and current and likely continued {sic} prices for the domestic like 

product in the U.S. market in making its determination of the likelihood of continuation or recurrence of 

material injury if the order is revoked.” SAA at 884.
8 

review provisions of the Act, means “probable,” and the Commission applies that standard in 

five-year reviews.26 

The statute states that “the Commission shall consider that the effects of revocation or 

termination may not be imminent, but may manifest themselves only over a longer period of 

time.”27 According to the SAA, a “‘reasonably foreseeable time’ will vary from case-to-case, but 

normally will exceed the ‘imminent’ timeframe applicable in a threat of injury analysis in 

original investigations.”28

Although the standard in a five-year review is not the same as the standard applied in an 

original investigation, it contains some of the same fundamental elements. The statute 

provides that the Commission is to “consider the likely volume, price effect, and impact of 

imports of the subject merchandise on the industry if the orders are revoked or the suspended 

investigation is terminated.”29 It directs the Commission to take into account its prior injury 

determination, whether any improvement in the state of the industry is related to the order or 

the suspension agreement under review, whether the industry is vulnerable to material injury if 

the orders are revoked or a suspension agreement is terminated, and any findings by 

Commerce regarding duty absorption pursuant to 19 U.S.C. § 1675(a)(4).30 The statute further 

provides that the presence or absence of any factor that the Commission is required to consider 

shall not necessarily give decisive guidance with respect to the Commission’s determination.31

In evaluating the likely volume of imports of subject merchandise if the order under 

review is revoked, the Commission is directed to consider whether the likely volume of imports 

would be significant either in absolute terms or relative to production or consumption in the 

 

26 See NMB Singapore Ltd. v. United States, 288 F. Supp. 2d 1306, 1352 (Ct. Int’l Trade 2003) 

(“‘likely’ means probable within the context of 19 U.S.C. § 1675(c) and 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a)”), aff’d 

mem., 140 Fed. Appx. 268 (Fed. Cir. 2005); Nippon Steel Corp. v. United States, 26 CIT 1416, 1419 (2002) 

(same); Usinor Industeel, S.A. v. United States, 26 CIT 1402, 1404 nn.3, 6 (2002) (“more likely than not” 

standard is “consistent with the court’s opinion;” “the court has not interpreted ‘likely’ to imply any 

particular degree of ‘certainty’”); Indorama Chemicals (Thailand) Ltd. v. United States, 26 CIT 1059, 1070 

(2002) (“standard is based on a likelihood of continuation or recurrence of injury, not a certainty”); 

Usinor v. United States, 26 CIT 767, 794 (2002) (“‘likely’ is tantamount to ‘probable,’ not merely 

‘possible’”). 27 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a)(5).

28 SAA at 887. Among the factors that the Commission should consider in this regard are “the 

fungibility or differentiation within the product in question, the level of substitutability between the 

imported and domestic products, the channels of distribution used, the methods of contracting (such as 

spot sales or long-term contracts), and lead times for delivery of goods, as well as other factors that may 

only manifest themselves in the longer term, such as planned investment and the shifting of production 

facilities.” Id. 29 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a)(1).

30 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a)(1). Commerce has not made any duty absorption findings with respect to 

the subject orders. CR at I-4, PR at I-3.

31 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a)(5). Although the Commission must consider all factors, no one factor is 

necessarily dispositive. SAA at 886. 
9 

United States.32 The Commission must consider “all relevant economic factors,” including four 

enumerated factors: (1) any likely increase in production capacity or existing unused 

production capacity in the exporting country; (2) existing inventories of the subject 

merchandise, or likely increases in inventories; (3) the existence of barriers to the importation 

of the subject merchandise into countries other than the United States; and (4) the potential 

for product shifting if production facilities in the foreign country, which can be used to produce 

the subject merchandise, are currently being used to produce other products.33

In evaluating the likely price effects of subject imports if the order under review is

revoked, the Commission is directed to consider whether there is likely to be significant 

underselling by the subject imports as compared to the domestic like product and whether the 

subject imports are likely to enter the United States at prices that otherwise would have a 

significant depressing or suppressing effect on the price of the domestic like product.34

In evaluating the likely impact of imports of subject merchandise if the order under 

review is revoked, the Commission is directed to consider all relevant economic factors that are 

likely to have a bearing on the state of the industry in the United States, including but not 

limited to the following: (1) likely declines in output, sales, market share, profits, productivity, 

return on investments, and utilization of capacity; (2) likely negative effects on cash flow, 

inventories, employment, wages, growth, ability to raise capital, and investment; and (3) likely 

negative effects on the existing development and production efforts of the industry, including 

efforts to develop a derivative or more advanced version of the domestic like product.35 All 

relevant economic factors are to be considered within the context of the business cycle and the 

conditions of competition that are distinctive to the industry. As instructed by the statute, we 

have considered the extent to which any improvement in the state of the domestic industry is 

related to the order under review and whether the industry is vulnerable to material injury 

upon revocation.36

No respondent interested party participated in these expedited reviews. The record, 

therefore, contains limited new information with respect to the CWP industry in China. There is

also limited information on the CWP market in the United States during the period of review. 

Accordingly, for our determinations, we rely on the facts available from the original 

 

32 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a)(2).

33 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a)(2)(A-D).

34 See 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a)(3). The SAA states that “{c}onsistent with its practice in 

investigations, in considering the likely price effects of imports in the event of revocation and 

termination, the Commission may rely on circumstantial, as well as direct, evidence of the adverse 

effects of unfairly traded imports on domestic prices.” SAA at 886.

35 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a)(4).

36 The SAA states that in assessing whether the domestic industry is vulnerable to injury if the 

order is revoked, the Commission “considers, in addition to imports, other factors that may be 

contributing to overall injury. While these factors, in some cases, may account for the injury to the 

domestic industry, they may also demonstrate that an industry is facing difficulties from a variety of 

sources and is vulnerable to dumped or subsidized imports.” SAA at 885.
10

investigations and the new information on the record in these five-year reviews, including data

submitted in the response to the notice of institution. 

B. Conditions of Competition and the Business Cycle

In evaluating the likely impact of the subject imports on the domestic industry if an 

order is revoked, the statute directs the Commission to consider all relevant economic factors 

“within the context of the business cycle and conditions of competition that are distinctive to 

the affected industry.”37 The following conditions of competition inform our determinations. 

Demand Conditions. In the original investigations, the Commission found that demand 

for CWP is largely driven by downstream uses such as nonresidential construction.38 CWP 

demand in the U.S. increased overall by 9.0 percent during the original period of investigation 

(“POI”), which encompassed January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2007.39 The Commission 

noted that almost all shipments of both domestic and imported CWP in the U.S. market went to 

distributors and to “master distributors,” which typically sell to other distributors.40 The record 

in the original investigations indicated that the presence of master distributors “enhanced the 

ability of the subject imports to compete in the U.S. market.”41

In these reviews, the information available indicates that the conditions of competition 

pertaining to demand have not changed significantly since the original investigations. Demand 

for CWP is still driven largely by nonresidential construction, which declined sharply in 2009 and 

remains below 2007 levels, despite some subsequent increases.

42 Apparent U.S. consumption 

of CWP, based on a combination of U.S. imports and U.S. shipments by responding U.S. 

producers, was significantly lower in 2012 than in 2007.

43 Both domestically produced and 

imported CWP continue to be shipped primarily to distributors, and master distributors 

continue to be present in the U.S. market. Some evidence suggests that the domestic 

industry’s share of shipments to distributors relative to end users has increased since the 

original investigations.

44 

Supply Conditions. In the original investigations, the Commission found that the 

domestic industry’s capacity declined over the POI by 13.7 percent, due largely to closures of 

several domestic production facilities.45 While the domestic industry’s production increased 

 

37 19 U.S.C. § 1675a(a)(4).

38 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 11, 22.

39 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 11.

40 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 11. 41 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 11. 42 CR/PR at Figure I-6; CR at I-22, PR at I-17. The U.S. GDP declined sharply from 2008 to 2009, 

with incremental increases thereafter. CR/PR at Figure I-4.

43 See CR/PR at Table I-9. 44 CR at I-19, PR at I-15. 45 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 11-12.
11

overall by 5.1 percent in the POI, domestic producers’ market share by quantity declined overall 

by 3.2 percentage points.46 U.S. imports from nonsubject countries also lost 9.6 percentage 

points of U.S. market share, while subject imports gained an overall 12.9 percentage points of 

market share during the POI.47

With respect to supply conditions in these reviews, the domestic CWP industry has 

experienced additional consolidation and mill closures since the original investigations but the 

industry now accounts for a larger share of apparent U.S. consumption than it did at the end of 

the original POI.

48 The record also indicates that the imposition of antidumping duty and 

countervailing duty orders resulted in the virtual disappearance of subject imports from the 

U.S. market.49 Currently, imports from nonsubject countries are present in the U.S. market in 

greater quantities than at the conclusion of the original investigations and their share of the 

U.S. market has increased since the original POI.

50 

Substitutability and Other Conditions. In the original investigations, the Commission 

found that the record indicated a moderately high degree of substitutability between domestic 

and subject CWP because CWP is manufactured to ASTM specifications regardless of source.51

Market participants reported that the subject imports were always or frequently 

interchangeable with CWP from nonsubject sources.52 While the record showed differing 

reports on the importance of non-price factors, the vast majority of purchasers indicated that 

price was a very important factor in their purchasing decisions.53

There is nothing in the limited information available in these reviews which indicates 

that the substitutability between subject and domestic CWP has changed since the original 

investigations. CWP continues to be manufactured in a range of sizes and finishes that

generally conform to ASTM specifications.54 Accordingly, we again find that there is a 

moderately high degree of substitutability between domestic and subject CWP, and that price 

continues to be an important factor in purchasing decisions. 

C. Likely Volume of Subject Imports

Original Investigations. In the original investigations, the Commission found that 

subject imports accounted for an increasing share of U.S. consumption and increased relative to 

U.S. production. Subject import volume increased throughout the POI, from 382,122 short tons 

 

46 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 12. 47 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 12.

48 CR/PR at Table I-4 (listing industry acquisitions, expansions, and closures from 2008 to 2012). 49 CR/PR at Tables I-7 and I-8.

50 CR/PR at Tables I-7 and I-10. 51 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 12.

52 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 12.

53 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 12. 54 CR at I-18, PR at I-14.
12

in 2005 to 715,728 short tons in 2006 and to 748,181 short tons in 2007.55 Subject imports also 

steadily gained market share, increasing from 16.2 percent of apparent U.S. consumption in 

2005 to 26.4 percent in 2006 and then to 29.0 percent in 2007.56 The Commission found that 

this increase in subject import volume took market share from the domestic industry, and that 

subject imports captured a substantial share of the growing U.S. market.

57 Accordingly, the 

Commission found the volume of subject imports to be significant, both in absolute terms and 

relative to consumption and production in the United States.58 

 

Current Reviews. In these reviews, the information available indicates that the orders 

have had a disciplining effect on the volume of subject imports, which declined significantly 

since the imposition of the orders in 2008.59 In 2012, total subject imports were 3,778 short 

tons, compared with 748,181 short tons in 2007.60 The record contains no current data specific 

to CWP capacity or production in China because subject producers in China declined to 

participate or furnish information in these reviews. As demonstrated below, the data available 

in the record indicate that subject producers have increased production and are exportoriented. 

The data collected in the original investigations indicated that reporting CWP producers 

in China had substantial unused capacity in 2007 and reported that their capacity and 

production increased during the original POI.

61 Data available in these reviews suggests that 

these trends have continued during the period of review. The record indicates that production 

of all welded pipe products in China -- a category which encompasses, but is broader than, CWP 

-- increased by almost 19 million short tons from 2007 to 2011, the most recent year for which 

data are available.

62 In addition, available data for circular welded pipe (which include 

nonsubject merchandise) indicate that China was the world’s second largest exporter in 2012.63 

We find that the CWP industry in China has the ability to increase exports of subject 

merchandise to the United States upon revocation, as it did during the original investigations, in 

light of its large and increasing production and its export orientation. It also has the incentive 

 

55 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 13.

56 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 13. 57 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 13. Apparent U.S. consumption grew by 9.0 

percent during the POI. Id. 58 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 14.

59 See, e.g. CR/PR at Table I-7. 

60 CR/PR at Table I-6. Between 2009 and 2012, the annual quantity of subject imports ranged 

between 2,105 and 3,778 short tons. CR/PR at Table I-7.

61 CR at I-41, PR at I-33; 2008 Confidential Report at VII-6. 

62 CR at I-41, PR at I-33.

63 CR/PR Table I-13.
13

to do so because the United States is the world’s largest importer of circular welded pipe 

products, thus making it an attractive export market.

64 

The record also indicates that there are barriers to the importation of the subject 

merchandise into countries other than the United States. Australia, Canada, and the European 

Union currently maintain antidumping duty orders on imports of circular welded pipe products 

from China. The scopes of several orders on welded pipe products in other countries differ 

somewhat from the scope of the orders currently under review but there is sufficient overlap 

for us to find that there are barriers to the importation of CWP from China into countries other 

than the United States.65 These barriers create further incentives for the subject producers to 

direct exports to the U.S. market should the orders under review be revoked.

In light of these factors, we find that the subject producers are likely, absent the 

restraining effects of the orders, to direct significant volumes of CWP to the U.S. market, as 

they did during the original investigations. We find that the likely volume of subject imports, 

both in absolute terms and relative to consumption in the United States, would be significant if 

the orders were revoked. 

D. Likely Price Effects 

Original Investigations. In the original investigations, the Commission found that 

subject CWP had significant adverse effects on domestic pricing during the POI. Notably, CWP 

from China undersold the domestic product in all 96 quarterly pricing comparisons by margins 

ranging from 4.3 percent to 56.0 percent. Prices for six of eight domestic CWP products 

declined over the POI.66 The Commission noted that the domestic industry initially did not drop 

its prices in response to increased imports of subject CWP in 2006, and as a result lost market 

share.67 When the domestic industry dropped its prices in 2007 to compete with subject CWP, 

it was unable to regain market share lost in 2006 and unable to cover increased costs due to 

the increased volumes of CWP from China that were underselling the domestic product.68 The 

Commission concluded that consistent and significant price underselling of the domestic like 

product by subject imports led to significant price suppression of the domestic product.69

 

64 CR/PR at Table I-14. The United States has been the world’s largest importer of circular 

welded pipe products since 2008. The data provided encompasses all circular welded pipe products, a 

broader scope than that of the current reviews. 

65 CR at I-45, PR at I-37. Australia imposed antidumping duties on CWP from China on June 25, 

2006 and maintains duties on hollow structural pipe, including circular pipe, from China. Canada 

initiated an investigation on carbon steel welded pipe from China in early 2008 and in 2013 continued its 

2008 finding covering carbon steel welded pipe that is 6 inches or less in diameter. In December 2008, 

the European Union imposed antidumping duties on Chinese welded pipe and tube not exceeding 6 5/8 

inches in diameter and is currently conducting an expiry (i.e., sunset) review. 

66 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 15.

67 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 15.

68 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 15.

69 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 15.
14

Current Reviews. There is no new product-specific pricing information on the record of 

these expedited reviews. Rather, pricing data are limited to average transaction prices that 

reflect a combination of domestic and import shipments of standard pipe in six different 

combinations of size, surface finish, and end finish. These data suggest that prices are down 

from peak levels in late 2008 and, despite an initial recovery from the steep decline that 

occurred over the course of 2009, have been trending downward since 2011.70 Given the 

substitutable nature of CWP, we find that price continues to be an important factor in 

purchasing decisions. In light of the occurrence of underselling in every price comparison

during the original investigations, if the antidumping and countervailing duty orders were 

revoked, subject imports from China would likely undersell the domestic like product at high 

margins as they did during the original investigations. This in turn would likely cause the 

domestic producers to cut prices or restrain price increases to avoid losing sales. 

Accordingly, given the likely significant volume of subject imports, we conclude that the 

subject imports would likely engage in significant underselling of the domestic like product to 

gain market share and would likely have significant depressing or suppressing effects on the 

price of the domestic like product if the antidumping and countervailing duty orders were 

revoked.

E. Likely Impact

Original Investigations. In its original investigations, the Commission found a general 

decline in domestic industry profitability due largely to the significant price effects of subject 

imports.71 The Commission found that the domestic industry initially chose to sacrifice sales 

volume in 2006 rather than lowering prices to compete with subject imports. Thus, in 2006, 

shipments, sales quantity, sales revenue and market share of the domestic industry declined 

but the industry was able to increase its operating income.72 However, the Commission found 

that from 2007 through the end of the POI, the domestic industry began to lower its prices to 

compete with subject imports and therefore was unable to sustain operating margins at the 

2006 levels.73 The industry’s operating margins began to fall from 2007. Domestic capacity 

also fell steadily during the POI, largely due to multiple facility closures.74 

The Commission found that domestic production, capacity utilization, shipments, and 

market share decreased and increased irregularly during the POI, mirroring the domestic 

industry’s shifting response to the presence of subject imports. Domestic production initially 

decreased then increased slightly during the POI, for an overall increase of 5.1 percent.75 

 

70 CR/PR at Table I-2 and Figure I-3. 71 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 18. 72 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 16.

73 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 16. 74 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 16. 75 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 16.
15

Domestic capacity utilization generally increased, peaking in 2007.76 As noted above, U.S. 

producers’ U.S. shipments decreased in 2006 before increasing in 2007, when the domestic 

industry lowered its prices to compete with subject imports.77 The domestic industry’s market 

share followed a similar trend. The Commission found, however, that while the domestic

industry’s sales volume increased by 5.1 percent over the entire POI, the value of its sales only 

increased 2.9 percent for that period.78 

The Commission found mixed employment data in the original investigations. The 

average number of production-related workers and hours worked declined steadily from 2005 

to 2007, by 3.1 percent and 3.0 percent respectively.79 Average unit labor costs declined by 4.1 

percent during the POI whereas productivity rose 8.4 percent.80

The Commission concluded that subject imports had an adverse impact on the condition 

of the domestic industry. The Commission found that the absolute and relative volumes of 

subject imports were significant, and that the subject imports gained market share at the 

expense of the domestic industry, undersold the domestic like product, and suppressed prices 

to a significant degree. The pattern of consistent underselling suppressed prices and caused 

the domestic industry’s financial performance to fall to its lowest level in 2007.81

Current Reviews. The information available concerning the domestic industry’s 

condition in these reviews consists of the data that the domestic producers provided in 

response to the notice of institution. Because these are expedited reviews, we have only 

limited information with respect to the domestic industry’s financial performance. The limited 

record is insufficient for us to make a finding on whether the domestic industry is vulnerable to 

the continuation or recurrence of material injury in the event of revocation of the order.

The limited information on the record indicates that the capacity of reporting U.S. CWP 

producers was *** short tons in 2012.82 Reported production was *** short tons in 2012; 

accordingly, capacity utilization was *** percent. U.S. shipments were *** short tons in 2012.83 

Domestic producers reported an operating income of $*** from sales of $***, resulting 

in an operating margin of *** percent in 2012.84 Although the industry’s reported capacity in 

2012 is higher than that reported in 2007, its reported production, U.S. shipments quantity, 

capacity utilization, operating income, and operating income margin were all lower in 2012 

than in 2007.85 During the original POI, the domestic industry’s share of apparent U.S. 

consumption ranged between 49.3 and 58.4 percent. By contrast, its share of apparent U.S. 

 

76 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 17. 77 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 17.

78 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 17.

79 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 17.

80 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 17.

81 Original Determination, USITC Pub. 4019 at 17.

82 CR/PR at Table I-5.

83 CR/PR at Table I-5.

84 CR/PR at Table I-5.

85 CR/PR at Table I-5. 
16

consumption in 2012 was *** percent.86 Based on the limited record of these reviews, we find 

that, should the orders be revoked, the likely significant volume and price effects of the subject 

imports would likely have a significant adverse impact on the production, shipments, sales, 

market share and revenues of the domestic industry. These declines would likely have a direct 

adverse impact on the domestic industry’s profitability and employment, as well as its ability to 

raise capital, to make and maintain capital investments, and to fund research and development.

We also have considered the role of factors other than subject imports, including the 

presence of nonsubject imports, so as not to attribute injury from other factors to the subject 

imports. Nonsubject imports have been present in increasing quantities in the U.S. market 

since the orders were imposed in 2008. Notwithstanding the increase in nonsubject imports 

during the period of review, domestic producers were able to increase their share of the U.S. 

market.

87 Any increase in subject imports upon revocation would likely be, at least in 

substantial part, at the expense of the domestic industry. 

Accordingly, we conclude that, if the antidumping and countervailing duty orders were 

revoked, subject imports would likely have a significant adverse impact on the domestic 

industry within a reasonably foreseeable time.

IV. Conclusion

For the above reasons, we determine that revocation of the antidumping and 

countervailing duty orders on CWP from China would be likely to lead to continuation or 

recurrence of material injury to an industry in the United States within a reasonably 

foreseeable time.

 

86 CR/PR at Table I-10.

87 CR/PR at Table I-10.
I-1 

INFORMATION OBTAINED IN THE REVIEWS 

INTRODUCTION

Background

On June 3, 2013, the U.S. International Trade Commission (“Commission” or “USITC”) 

gave notice, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (“the Act”),

1 that 

it had instituted reviews to determine whether revocation of the countervailing duty or 

antidumping duty orders on circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe (“circular welded pipe” or 

“CWP”) from China would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of material injury to a 

domestic industry.2 3 On September 6, 2013, the Commission determined that it would conduct

expedited reviews pursuant to section 751(c)(3) of the Act.4 The following tabulation presents 

information relating to the background and schedule of this proceeding:

 

1 19 U.S.C. 1675(c).

2 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China; Institution of Five Year Reviews, 78 FR 33108, 

June 3, 2013. All interested parties were requested to respond to this notice by submitting the 

information requested by the Commission.

3 In accordance with section 751(c) of the Act, the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) 

published a notice of initiation of a five-year review of the subject countervailing duty and antidumping 

duty order concurrently with the Commission’s notice of institution. Initiation of Five-Year (“Sunset”) 

Review, 78 FR 33063, June 3, 2013. 4 Scheduling of Expedited Five-Year Reviews Concerning the Countervailing Duty Order and the 

Antidumping Order on Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China, 78 FR 59371, September 

26, 2013. The Commission received one submission in response to its notice of institution in the subject 

reviews. A joint response was filed on behalf of Allied Tube and Conduit, EXLTUBE, JMC Steel Group, 

Maruichi American Corporation, TMK-IPSCO, United States Steel Corporation, and Western Tube & 

Conduit Corporation, U.S. producers believed to account for a substantial portion of production of the 

domestic like product in 2012. The Commission did not receive any responses from producers in China 

or importers of the subject merchandise from China. The Commission determined that the domestic 

interested party group response to its notice of institution was adequate and that the respondent 

interested party group response was inadequate. In the absence of respondent interested party 

responses and any other circumstances that would warrant the conduct of full reviews, the Commission 

determined to conduct expedited reviews.
I-2 

Effective date Action

July 22, 2008

Commerce’s countervailing duty and antidumping duty orders on circular welded pipe

from China (73 FR 42545 and 42547) http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2008-07-

22/pdf/E8-16753.pdf and http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2008-07-22/pdf/E8-

16767.pdf

June 3, 2013

Commission’s institution of first five-year reviews (78 FR 33108)

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-06-03/pdf/2013-13085.pdf

June 3, 2013

Commerce’s initiation of first five-year reviews (78 FR 33063) 

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-06-03/pdf/2013-13095.pdf

September 6, 

2013

Commission’s determination to conduct an expedited five-year review (78 FR 59371, 

September 26, 2013)

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-09-26/pdf/2013-23468.pdf

(The press release announcing the Commission’s determination concerning adequacy 

and the conduct of an expedited review can be found at 

http://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2013/er0906ll2.htm. 

A summary of the Commission’s votes concerning the adequacy and the conduct of 

an expedited review can be found at 

(http://pubapps2.usitc.gov/sunset/caseProfSuppAttmnt/download/11578). The 

Commission’s explanation of its determination can be found at 

(http://pubapps2.usitc.gov/sunset/caseProfSuppAttmnt/download/11579).

October 2, 2013 

and October 3, 

2013

Commerce’s final result of expedited five-year reviews of the countervailing duty

antidumping duty orders (78 FR 60849 and 61335) http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR2013-10-02/pdf/2013-24129.pdf and http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-10-

03/pdf/2013-24285.pdf

November 7, 

2013 Commission’s vote

November 18, 

2013 Commission’s determination

The original investigations 

The original investigations resulted from a petition filed on June 7, 2007, by six U.S 

producers of circular welded pipe and the United Steelworkers alleging that an industry in the 

United States was materially injured and threatened with material injury by reason of 

subsidized and less-than-fair-value (“LTFV”) imports of circular welded pipe from China.

5 On 

June 5, 2008, Commerce determined that imports of circular welded pipe from China were 

being sold at LTFV and that countervailing subsidies were being provided to producers and 

exporters of circular welded pipe from China.6 On July 15, 2008, the Commission issued its 

 

5 The six petitioning producers were: Allied Tube & Conduit, Harvey, Illinois; IPSCO Tubulars, Inc., 

Camanche, Iowa; Northwest Pipe Co., Portland, Oregon; Sharon Tube Co., Sharon, Pennsylvania; 

Western Tube & Conduit Corp., Long Beach, California; and Wheatland Tube Co., Collingswood, New 

Jersey.

6 Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People’s Republic of China: Final Affirmative 

Countervailing Duty Determination and Final Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances, 73 FR 

(continued...)
I-3 

determination that an industry in the United States was materially injured by reason of 

subsidized and LTFV imports of circular welded pipe from China.

7 Commerce issued

countervailing duty and antidumping duty orders on circular welded pipe from China on July 22, 

2008.

8

 

Commerce’s reviews

Commerce has initiated and subsequently rescinded four administrative reviews of the 

countervailing duty order. Commerce also has initiated and rescinded four administrative 

reviews of the antidumping duty order.

9 Commerce has not issued any duty absorption findings 

and has not conducted any separate new shipper reviews or changed circumstances reviews. 

Commerce has determined that unfinished scaffolding pipe and steel pipes used in water 

delivery systems, water sewer purification systems and/or water filtration systems are within 

the scope, while electrical rigid metal conduit steel and electrical metallic tubing are not.

Commerce’s results of its expedited reviews of the subject countervailing duty order 

and antidumping duty order were published in the Federal Register on October 2 and 

October 3, 2013 (78 FR 60849 and 78 FR 61335) respectively. Commerce determined that

revocation of the subject orders would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of 

 

(...continued) 

31970, June 5, 2008. Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Affirmative Final 

Determination of Critical Circumstances: Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People’s 

Republic of China, 73 FR 31966, June 5, 2008. 7 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, p. 1.

8 Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People’s Republic of China: Notice of Amended 

Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination and Notice of Countervailing Duty Order, 73 FR 

42545, July 22, 2008, and Notice of Antidumping Duty Order: Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe 

from the People’s Republic of China, 73 FR 42547, July 22, 2008.

9 Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe From the People’s Republic of China: Notice of Rescission 

of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 74 FR 57149, November 4, 2009; Circular Welded Carbon 

Quality Steel Pipe From the People’s Republic of China: Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative 

Review, 75 FR 81968, December 29, 2010; Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe From the People’s 

Republic of China: Rescission of the 2010–2011 Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 76 FR 76944, 

December 9, 2011. Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe From the People’s Republic of China: 

Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 2011– 2012, 78 FR 5170, January 24, 2013. 

Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People’s Republic of China: Rescission of 

Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, 74 FR 55541, October 28, 2009; Circular Welded Carbon 

Quality Steel Pipe From the People’s Republic of China: Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative 

Review, 75 FR 71672, November 24, 2010; Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe From the People’s 

Republic of China: Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, 76 FR 78887, December 20, 

2011. Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe From the People’s Republic of China: Rescission of 

Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2011, 78 FR 9676, February 11, 2013. 
I-4 

countervailable subsidies at rates of 29.83 – 620.08 percent and dumping at margins of 

45.35 – 68.24 percent. 

Previous and related title VII investigations

The Commission has conducted a number of import relief investigations on circular 

welded nonalloy steel pipe or substantially similar merchandise. Table I-1 presents information 

regarding previous and related Title VII investigations.

Table I-1 

Circular weld pipe: Previous and related title VII investigations

Product Inv. no.

Year of 

petition Country

Original 

determination

Current status of 

order

Circular welded 

pipe

701-TA-165 1982 Brazil Terminated (

1

)

701-TA-166 1982 France Terminated (

1

)

701-TA-167 1982 Italy Negative (P) (

1

)

701-TA-168 1982 Korea Affirmative

Order revoked by 

Commerce, 1985

701-TA-169 1982 West Germany Terminated (

1

)

731-TA-132 1983 Taiwan Affirmative Order continued, 2012

701-TA-220 1984 Spain Terminated (

1

)

731-TA-183 1984 Brazil Terminated (

1

)

731-TA-197 1984 Brazil Terminated (

1

)

731-TA-198 1984 Spain Terminated (

1

)

701-TA-242 1985 Venezuela Terminated (

1

)

701-TA-251 1985 India ITA Negative (

1

)

701-TA-252 1985 Taiwan ITA Negative (

1

)

701-TA-253 1985 Turkey Affirmative Order continued, 2012

731-TA-211 1985 Taiwan Negative (

1

)

731-TA-212 1985 Venezuela Terminated (

1

)

731-TA-252 1985 Thailand Affirmative Order continued, 2012

731-TA-253 1985 Venezuela Terminated (

1

)

731-TA-271 1985 India Affirmative Order continued, 2012

731-TA-273 1985 Turkey Affirmative Order continued, 2012

731-TA-274 1985 Yugoslavia Terminated (

1

)

731-TA-292 1986 China Negative (

1

)

731-TA-293 1986 Philippines Negative (

1

)

731-TA-294 1986 Singapore Negative (

1

)

701-TA-311 1991 Brazil ITA Negative (

1

)

731-TA-532 1991 Brazil Affirmative Order continued, 2012

731-TA-533 1991 Korea Affirmative Order continued, 2012

731-TA-534 1991 Mexico Affirmative Order continued, 2012

731-TA-535 1991 Romania Negative (

1

)

731-TA-536 1991 Taiwan Affirmative Order continued, 2012

731-TA-537 1991 Venezuela Affirmative

ITC negative, 2000 

review

731-TA-732 1995 Romania Negative (

1

)

731-TA-733 1995 South Africa Negative (

1

)

Table continued on next page.
I-5 

Table I-1—Continued

Circular weld pipe: Previous and related title VII investigations

Product Inv. no.

Year of 

petition Country

Original 

determination

Current status of 

order

Circular welded 

pipe

731-TA-943 2001 China Negative (

1

)

731-TA-944 2001 Indonesia Negative (P) (

1

)

731-TA-945 2001 Malaysia Negative (P) (

1

)

731-TA-946 2001 Romania Negative (P) (

1

)

731-TA-947 2001 South Africa Negative (P) (

1

)

701-TA-447 2007 China Affirmative Order under review

731-TA-1116 2007 China Affirmative Order under review

701-TA-482 2011 India Negative (

1

)

701-TA-483 2011 Oman Negative (

1

)

701-TA-484 2011

United Arab 

Emirates Negative (

1

)

701-TA-485 2011 Vietnam ITA Negative (

1

)

731-TA-1191 2011 India Negative (

1

)

731-TA-1192 2011 Oman Negative (

1

)

731-TA-1193 2011

United Arab 

Emirates Negative (

1

)

731-TA-1194 2011 Vietnam Negative (

1

) 1 Not applicable.

Source: Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Final),

USITC Publication 4019, July 2008; Certain Circular Welded Pipe and Tube from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, 

Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-253 and 731-TA-132, 252,271, 273, 532-534 and 536 

(Third Review), USITC Publication 4333, June 2012; Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from India, Oman, 

the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-482-485 and 731-TA-1191-1194 (Final), USITC 

Publication 4362, December 2012.

Previous and related safeguard investigations

In response to a January 24, 1984 petition filed by Bethlehem Steel Corp. and the United 

Steelworkers of America, the Commission conducted an investigation pursuant to section 201 

of the Trade Act of 1974 regarding imports of a wide range of carbon and certain alloy steel 

products, including carbon and alloy steel ingots, blooms, billets, slabs, and sheet bars; plates; 

sheets and strip; wire rods; wire and wire products; railway-type products; bars; structural 

shapes and units; and pipes and tubes and blanks.10 The Commission made affirmative 

determinations with respect to 5 of the 9 investigated products, and the Commission majority 

recommended various relief measures.11 On September 18, 1984, the President announced 

that he would not implement the remedies proposed by the Commission as they were not “in 

the national economic interest,” but instead, as part of a 9-point plan to assist the domestic 

steel industry to compete with imports, he recommended the negotiation of voluntary restraint 

agreements (“VRAs”) with trading partners to address unfair surges in imports of steel 

 

10 Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Products, Inv. TA-201-51, USITC Publication 1553, July 1984. 11 Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Products, Inv. TA-201-51, USITC Publication 1553, July 1984.
I-6 

products.12 Between October 1, 1984, and March 31, 1992, the United States limited imports 

into the U.S. market of non-alloy carbon steel products from the European Union and 19 other 

sources through voluntary restraint agreements (“VRAs”).13 

In a 2001 safeguard investigation, the Commission determined that certain carbon and 

alloy steel welded tubular products other than oil country tubular goods (including circular 

welded pipe as defined in the current proceeding) were being imported into the United States 

in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or threat thereof, to 

the domestic industry producing such articles, and recommended a tariff-rate quota decreasing 

from 20 percent to 11 percent over four years.14 On March 5, 2002, the President announced 

the implementation of steel safeguard measures. Import relief relating to welded tubular 

products (other than oil country tubular goods) consisted of an additional tariff for a period of 

three years and one day (15 percent ad valorem on imports in the first year, 12 percent in the 

second year, and 9 percent in the third year).15 Following receipt of the Commission’s midterm monitoring report in September 2003, and after seeking information from the U.S. 

Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Secretary of Labor, the President determined that the 

effectiveness of the safeguard measures were impaired by changed circumstances. Therefore, 

he terminated the measure with respect to increased tariffs on December 4, 2003.16 

On March 21, 2005, the Commission instituted an investigation pursuant to section 

204(d) of the Trade Act of 1974 to evaluate the effectiveness of the relief action imposed by 

President Bush on imports of certain steel products. The Commission’s report on the 

evaluation was transmitted to the President and the Congress on September 19, 2005.

In 2005, the Commission conducted a China-specific safeguard investigation on circular 

welded nonalloy steel pipe. Following the Commission’s affirmative determination of market

 

12 49 FR 36813, September 20, 1984 (President’s Memorandum).

13 Certain Circular, Welded, Non-Alloy Steel Pipes and Tubes from Brazil, the Republic of Korea, 

Mexico, Romania, Taiwan, and Venezuela, Invs. Nos. 731-TA-532-537 (Final), USITC Publication 2564, 

October 1992, p. I-48. Although there was no VRA with Taiwan, Taiwan established a voluntary 

unilateral restraint on its steel exports to the United States through an exchange of letters between the 

Coordination Council for North American Affairs and the American Institute in Taiwan. 14 Steel; Import Investigations, 66 FR 67304, December 28, 2001. 15 Presidential Proclamation 7529 of March 5, 2002, To Facilitate Positive Adjustment to Competition 

From Imports of Certain Steel Products, 67 FR 10553, March 7, 2002. The President also instructed the 

Secretaries of Commerce and the Treasury to establish a system of import licensing to facilitate steel 

import monitoring.

16 Presidential Proclamation 7741 of December 4, 2003, To Provide for the Termination of Action 

Taken With Regard to Imports of Certain Steel Products, 68 FR 68483, December 8, 2003. Import 

licensing, however, remained in place through March 21, 2005, and continues in modified form at this 

time.
I-7 

disruption and remedy recommendations, the President issued a proclamation on December 

30, 2005, determining not to impose temporary import relief.17

THE PRODUCT

Commerce’s scope

In its countervailing duty and antidumping duty orders, Commerce defined the subject 

merchandise as:

certain welded carbon quality steel pipes and tubes, of circular cross- section, and with 

an outside diameter of 0.372 inches (9.45 mm) or more, but not more than 16 inches 

(406.4 mm), whether or not stenciled, regardless of wall thickness, surface finish (e.g., 

black, galvanized, or painted), end finish (e.g., plain end, beveled end, grooved, 

threaded, or threaded and coupled), or industry specification (e.g., ASTM, proprietary, 

or other), generally known as standard pipe and structural pipe (they may also be 

referred to as circular, structural, or mechanical tubing).

Specifically, the term ‘‘carbon quality’’ includes products in which (a) iron predominates, 

by weight, over each of the other contained elements; (b) the carbon content is 2 

percent or less, by weight; and (c) none of the elements listed below exceeds the 

quantity, by weight, as indicated: (i) 1.80 percent of manganese; (ii) 2.25 percent of 

silicon; (iii) 1.00 percent of copper; (iv) 0.50 percent of aluminum; (v) 1.25 percent of 

chromium; (vi) 0.30 percent of cobalt; (vii) 0.40 percent of lead; (viii) 1.25 percent of 

nickel; (ix) 0.30 percent of tungsten; (x) 0.15 percent of molybdenum; (xi) 0.10 percent 

of niobium; (xii) 0.41 percent of titanium; (xiii) 0.15 percent of vanadium; or (xiv) 0.15 

percent of zirconium. 

Standard pipe is made primarily to American Society for Testing and Materials (‘‘ASTM’’) 

specifications, but can be made to other specifications. Standard pipe is made primarily 

to ASTM specifications A–53, A–135, and A–795. Structural pipe is made primarily to 

ASTM specifications A–252 and A–500. Standard and structural pipe may also be 

produced to proprietary specifications rather than to industry specifications. This is 

often the case, for example, with fence tubing. Pipe multiple-stenciled to a standard 

and/or structural specification and to any other specification, such as the American 

Petroleum Institute ("API") API–5L specification, is also covered by the scope of this 

investigation when it meets the physical description set forth above and also has one or 

more of the following characteristics: is 32 feet in length or less; is less than 2.0 inches 

(50 mm) in outside diameter; has a galvanized and/or painted surface finish; or has a 

threaded and/or coupled end finish.

 

17 Presidential Proclamation 2006-7 of December 30, 2005, Presidential Determination on Imports of 

Circular Welded Non-Alloy Steel Pipe from the People’s Republic of China, 71 FR 871, January 6, 2006.
I-8 

The scope does not include: (a) pipe suitable for use in boilers, superheaters, heat 

exchangers, condensers, refining furnaces and feedwater heaters, whether or not cold 

drawn; (b) mechanical tubing, whether or not cold-drawn; (c) finished electrical conduit; 

(d) finished scaffolding; (e) tube and pipe hollows for redrawing; (f) oil country tubular 

goods produced to API specifications; and (g) line pipe produced to only API 

specifications.18

U.S. tariff treatment

The pipe products that are the subject of these reviews are currently imported under 

the following Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”) statistical reporting 

numbers: 7306.30.1000, 7306.30.5025, 7306.30.5032, 7306.30.5040, 7306.30.5055, 

7306.30.5085, and 7306.30.5090. 

Under certain circumstances, circular welded pipe as defined above might also be 

imported into the United States under HTS statistical reporting numbers that cover a broader 

range of tubular products:

• API-stenciled tubular products that are multiple-stenciled to standard/structural 

specifications and meet the physical descriptions provided above -- 7306.19.1010, 

7306.19.1050, 7306.19.5110, and 7306.19.5150.

• Micro-alloy steel standard/structural/fence/sprinkler tubular products (i.e., those that 

exceed the chemistry specifications for non-alloy steel pipe but do not exceed the 

chemistry specifications provided in Commerce’s scope) -- 7306.50.1000, 7306.50.5050, 

and 7306.50.5070.

The column 1 - General (normal trade relations) rate of duty for the tariff rate lines 

superior to these statistical reporting numbers, applicable to the circular welded pipe subject to 

these investigations, is free.19

 

18 Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People’s Republic of China: Notice of Amended 

Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination and Notice of Countervailing Duty Order, 73 FR 

42545, July 22, 2008, and Notice of Antidumping Duty Order: Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe 

from the People’s Republic of China, 73 FR 42547, July 22, 2008. See also Notice of Scope Rulings, 75 FR 

14138, March 24, 2010; 77 FR 52313, August 29, 2012; and 78 FR 9370, February 8, 2013 for 

Commerce’s scope reviews.

19 The product description, and not the HTSUS classification, is dispositive of whether the 

merchandise imported into the United States is included in the scope of the reviews. 
I-9 

Domestic like product and domestic industry

In the final phase of the original investigations, the Commission defined a single 

domestic like product including all circular welded pipe, coextensive with the scope of the 

investigations. The Commission observed that “no party advocates defining the domestic like 

product differently” and no new information had been developed since its conclusions in the 

preliminary phase of the investigations to suggest that a different definition was warranted.20 

The Commission did not find any of the U.S. producers to be related parties.21

In its notice of institution for these reviews, the Commission solicited comments from 

interested parties regarding the appropriate domestic like product and domestic industry. In 

their joint response to the Commission’s notice of institution, the domestic producers indicated 

that they agree with the Commission’s definitions of the domestic like product and domestic 

industry that were adopted in the original investigations.22 No further comment on the 

domestic like product or domestic industry has been filed with the Commission in this 

proceeding.

Description and uses23

In general, steel pipes and tubes24 are produced in various grades of carbon,stainless, or 

other alloy steel. Tubular productsfrequently are distinguished by the following six end uses as

defined by the American Iron and Steel Institute (“AISI”).

 

20 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, p. 9. In the preliminary phase of the investigations the 

Commission found a single domestic like product consisting of all subject circular welded pipe (CWP) “in 

the absence of any clear dividing lines among CWP” and in light of “limited interchangeability between 

standard pipe and other types of pipe.” Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, 

Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 3938, July 2007, p. 8. 21 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, p. 10. 22 The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response To the Notice of institution, June 28, 2013, p. 23.

23 Unless otherwise noted this information is based on the following publications: Circular Welded 

Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Final), USITC Publication 

4019, July 2008; Certain Circular Welded Pipe and Tube from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, 

Thailand, and Turkey, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-253 and 731-TA-132, 252,271, 273, 532-534 and 536 

(Third Review), USITC Publication 4333, June 2012; and Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from 

India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-482-485 and 731-TA1191-1194 (Final), USITC Publication 4362, December 2012. 

24 Pipe dimensions (e.g., outside diameter (“O.D.”) and wall thickness) are standardized while tube

dimensions are design-specific. The HTS generally makes no distinction between pipes and tubes.
I-10

• Standard pipe is ordinarily used for low-pressure conveyance of air, steam, gas,

water, oil, or other fluidsfor mechanical applications. It is used primarily in

machinery, buildings,sprinkler systems, irrigation systems, and water wells rather

than in pipe lines or utility distribution systems. It may carry fluids at elevated

temperatures which are not subject to external heat applications. It is usually

produced in standard diameters and wall thicknessesto American Society for Testing

and Materials (“ASTM”) specifications.

• Line pipe is used for transportation of gas, oil, or water, generally in a pipeline

or utility distribution system. It is produced to API-5L and American Water 

Works Association (“AWWA”)specifications.

• Structural pipe and tubing is welded or seamless pipe and tubing generally used for

structural or load-bearing purposes above ground by the construction industry, as well

as for structural members in ships, trailers, farm equipment, and other similar uses. It is

produced in nominal wall thicknesses and sizes to ASTM specificationsin round, square,

rectangular, or other cross-sectionalshapes.

• Mechanical tubing is welded or seamlesstubing produced in a large number of shapes

of varied chemical composition in sizes 3/16 inch to 103⁄4 inches O.D. inclusive for

carbon and alloy material. It is not normally produced to meet any specification other

than that required to meet the end use. It is produced to meet exact O.D. and

decimal wall thickness.

• Pressure tubing is used to convey fluids at elevated temperatures or pressures, or

both, and is suitable to be subjected to heat applications. It is produced to exact

O.D. and decimal wall thickness in sizes 1⁄2 inch to 6 inches O.D. inclusive, usually to

specificationssuch as ASTM.

• Oil country tubular goods (“OCTG”) are pipe produced to API specifications and used in

wells to extract oil and natural gas: 

o Casing is the structural retainer for the walls of oil or gas wells and coverssizes

41⁄2 to 20 inches O.D., inclusive.

o Tubing is used within casing oil wells to convey oil to ground level and

ordinarily includes sizes 1.050 to 4.500 inches O.D., inclusive.

o Drill pipe is used to transmit power to a rotary drilling tool below ground

level and covers sizes 2 3/8 to 63⁄4 inches O.D., inclusive.

Standard pipe of non-alloy steel is the primary product within the scope of these reviews 

(see figure I-1). Standard pipe is intended for the low-pressure conveyance of water, steam, 

natural gas, air, and other liquids and gases in plumbing and heating systems, air conditioning

units, automatic sprinkler systems, and other related uses. Standard pipe may carry liquids at

elevated temperatures but may not be subject to the application of external heat. It is made

primarily to ASTM A53, A135, and A795 specifications, but can also be made to other

specifications,such as British Standard (“BS”) 1387. Since these standards often specify required

engineering characteristicsthat overlap, a pipe can also be dual stenciled (stamped with
I-11

monograms signifying compliance with two differentspecifications,such as ASTM A53 and API

5L).25 

Figure I-1

Circular welded pipe: Cross section of welded pipe showing inside diameter “A” and wall 

thickness “B”

Source: ASA Alloys, Inc., retrieved at http://www.asaalloys.com/diagrams.html.

Other uses of circular welded pipe include light load-bearing and mechanical

applications,such as for fence tubing, scaffolding components, and protection of electrical

wiring, such as conduit shells. Fence tubing is commonly produced to ASTM specification F1083,

which covers hot-dipped galvanized welded steel pipe used for fence structures. However, mills 

also produce fence tubing without reference to an ASTM specification, or to a general 

specification such as ASTM A513.

In addition, circular welded pipe is used for structural applicationsin general

construction. Structural pipe is generally used for structural or load-bearing purposes above

ground by the construction industry, as well as for structural membersin ships, trailers, farm

equipment, and other similar uses. It is produced in nominal wall thicknesses and sizes to ASTM

specifications. These products also are manufactured primarily to standard ASTM specifications

such as A500 or A252,

26 as well as American Society of Mechanical Engineers(“ASME”)

specifications.

Standard pipe used in light load-bearing, mechanical, and structural applications may be 

galvanized (zinc-coated by dipping in molten zinc), lacquered (black finish), or painted “black” to

provide corrosion resistance, which is important for storage in humid conditions or for ocean

 

25 Welded line pipe is produced in accordance with API specifications for use in oil and gas pipelines, 

an application that requires higher hydrostatic test pressures and more restrictive weight tolerances than

standard pipe. Pipe that is in conformance with API Specification 5L Grade B is automatically also in

conformance with the less restrictive standard pipe specification of the American Society for Testing

and Materials, ASTM A53 Grade B. The API 5L specification also suggeststhat productsin compliance

with multiple compatible standards may be marked with the name of each standard. As a consequence,

manufacturers often “dual stencil” such product with both specificationsso that it may be applied for

either use. 

26 ASTM specification A500 is applicable to common structural tubular productsfor above-ground

use, while ASTM specification A252 applies to piling pipe (pipe that typically is filled with concrete and

used as a permanent load-carrying member below ground in foundation work). 

In addition, ASTM specification A589 is the standard specification for water-well pipe (including

waterwell casing), although circular welded pipe produced to ASTM A53 and A500 frequently are used

for this application. 
I-12

transport.27 End finishesinclude plain end, which may be either cut, or beveled suitable for

welding, or include threaded ends, or threaded or coupled, as well as other special end finishes.

Pipe with threaded ends is usually provided “threaded and coupled,” meaning that a coupling is

attached to one end of each length of pipe.

Production process28

Circular welded pipes of the sizes subject to these investigations are manufactured by 

either the electric resistance-welding (“ERW”) process or the continuous-welding (“CW”)

process. The ERW process is a cold-forming process. The raw material input is steel sheet which

has been slit into strips of appropriate width that equal the diameter of the pipe to be welded.

The strips, or “skelp,” are formed into a tubular shape by passing it through a series of rollers,

which provide the initialshaping into round form, as well as guidance into the welding section

(figure I-2).

 

27 Very broadly, galvanized steel pipe is often used in outdoor applications where corrosion 

resistance is important, i.e., fence tubing, outdoor handrails, etc. Pipe that is not galvanized is often 

used in indoor applications such as residential indoor piping.

28 Unless otherwise noted this information is based on the following publications: Circular Welded 

Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Final), USITC Publication 

4019, July 2008; Certain Circular Welded Pipe and Tube from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, 

Thailand, and Turkey, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-253 and 731-TA-132, 252,271, 273, 532-534 and 536 

(Third Review), USITC Publication 4333, June 2012; and Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from 

India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-482-485 and 731-TA1191-1194 (Final), USITC Publication 4362, December 2012.
I-13

Figure I-2 

Circular welded pipe: Operations to make ERW tubes from steel strip

Source: AISI, Steel Products Manual – Steel Specialty Tubular Products, p. 20.

After the strips have been formed to a tubular shape, the edges are heated by electrical

resistance and welded by a combination of heat and pressure. The heat for welding is 

generated by the resistance of the steel to the flow of an electric current. The welding pressure

causes some of the metal to be squeezed from the joint, forming a bead of metal on both the

inside and outside of the tube. While still in the continuous processing line, the tube is then

subjected to post-weld heat treatment, as required. This may involve heat treatment of the

welded seam only, or treatment of the entire pipe. After heat treatment, sizing rolls shape the

tube to the correct diameter. The product is cooled and then cut at the end of the tube mill by a

flying shear or saw, synchronized with the tube’s movementso that it is not necessary to stop

the process. The ERW process can be used to cover the full range of standard pipe diameters 

pertinent to these reviews. 

In the CW process, the entire strip is heated to approximately 2,450 degrees Fahrenheit

in a gas-fired, continuousfurnace. As the strip leaves the furnace, super-heated air from a 

blower raises the temperature of the edges to approximately 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit for

welding. The strip is formed into tubular shape by a series of rollers, and the edges are butted

together under pressure to form the weld. While still hot, the product may be processed

through a stretch reduction mill, which simultaneously reduces the diameter and wall thickness

of the pipe. The continuoustube is then cut into predetermined lengths by a flying saw or

shear. The CW method can be used to produce pipe up to 4.5 inches in O.D.

Finishing operations on standard pipe and tube may include hydrostatic testing, oiling,

and galvanizing. The process of galvanizing involves the application of a zinc coating to steel

pipe for protection from atmospheric corrosion. In a hot-dip process of galvanizing, cut lengths

of steel pipe are dipped in a bath of molten zinc maintained at a temperature of 820 to 860

degrees Fahrenheit. The combination of the temperature of both the zinc and the steel, as well
I-14

as the immersion time within the zinc bath, determine the thickness of the coating. The zinc

coating may be applied to the outside only, or both the inside and outside of the steel pipe,

depending on end-use application and industry specification (e.g., ASTM). In a continuous

galvanizing process, the zinc coating may be applied to the outside of the pipe before the steel

pipe is cut to length by passing it through a bath of molten zinc.

End finishing may include square cutting, beveling, threading, or grooving. Threaded

pipe may be furnished “threaded and coupled,” in which case both ends of each length of pipe

are threaded and a threaded coupling is applied to one end.

Interchangeability and customer and producer perceptions29

As discussed previously, the primary applications for the domestic like product are those 

associated with standard pipe and structural pipe and tubing. As such, U.S. mills produce the 

domestic like product in a range of size, wall thickness, surface finish, and end finish 

combinations. Production generally is in accordance with the ASTM specifications discussed 

above, although certain products – in particular fence tubing – may be produced to proprietary 

specifications. 

In its original investigations, the Commission observed that “(t)he record indicates a 

moderately high degree of substitutability between CWP produced domestically and that 

imported from China.” 30 The Commission pointed to use of common specifications as well as 

to the views of producers, importers, and purchasers regarding the interchangeability of 

circular welded pipe produced in the United States, China, and other (nonsubject) countries.31 

Indeed, for every possible comparison, large majorities of producers, importers, and purchasers 

reported that circular welded pipe from different sources was “always” or “frequently” 

interchangeable (that is, can be physically used in the same applications). 32

 

29 Unless otherwise noted this information is based on the following publications: Circular Welded 

Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Final), USITC Publication 

4019, July 2008; Certain Circular Welded Pipe and Tube from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, 

Thailand, and Turkey, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-253 and 731-TA-132, 252,271, 273, 532-534 and 536 

(Third Review), USITC Publication 4333, June 2012; and Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from 

India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-482-485 and 731-TA1191-1194 (Final), USITC Publication 4362, December 2012.

30 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, p. 12.

31 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, p. 12.

32 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, table II-2.
I-15

Channels of distribution33

During 2005-07, U.S. producers and U.S. importers primarily shipped circular welded 

pipe to distributors. For U.S. producers, distributor sales accounted for 82.7 – 84.7 percent of 

U.S. shipments. For U.S. importers, distributor sales accounted for 96.8 – 98.8 percent of U.S. 

shipments of imported circular welded pipe from China and 99.6 percent of U.S. shipments of 

imported circular welded pipe from nonsubject countries. Data from more recent proceedings 

on circular welded pipe suggest that U.S. producers’ share of shipments to distributors relative 

to end users has increased. U.S. imports of circular welded pipe remain focused on distributors, 

although certain sources also sell to end users such as mass merchandise (“big box”) retailers.34

Pricing and related information35

In the original investigations, the Commission collected price data for six ASTM A-53 

schedule 40 pipe products and two fence tube products. Four of the price items were 

galvanized products and four were “black” products. A total of 96 quarterly net weightedaverage U.S. f.o.b. selling price comparisons were possible between the domestic and imported 

Chinese circular welded pipe shipped to U.S. customers during 2005-07. In all of the 96 selling 

price comparisons, circular welded pipe from China was priced less than the U.S.-produced 

products, by margins ranging from 4.3 percent to 56.0 percent.36

 

33 Unless otherwise noted this information is based on the following publications: Circular Welded 

Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Final), USITC Publication 

4019, July 2008; Certain Circular Welded Pipe and Tube from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, 

Thailand, and Turkey, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-253 and 731-TA-132, 252,271, 273, 532-534 and 536 

(Third Review), USITC Publication 4333, June 2012; and Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from 

India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-482-485 and 731-TA1191-1194 (Final), USITC Publication 4362, December 2012.

34 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, pp. II-1 and II-2. Certain Circular Welded Pipe and Tube 

from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-253 and 731-

TA-132, 252,271, 273, 532-534 and 536 (Third Review), USITC Publication 4333, June 2012, pp. II-1 and 

II-2. Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam 

Investigation Nos. 701-TA-482-484 and 731-TA-1191-1194 (Final), USITC Publication 4362, December 

2012, pp. II-2 and II-3.

35 Unless otherwise noted this information is based on the following publications: Circular Welded 

Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Final), USITC Publication 

4019, July 2008; Certain Circular Welded Pipe and Tube from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, 

Thailand, and Turkey, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-253 and 731-TA-132, 252,271, 273, 532-534 and 536 

(Third Review), USITC Publication 4333, June 2012; and Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from 

India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-482-485 and 731-TA1191-1194 (Final), USITC Publication 4362, December 2012.

36Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, Table V-5.
I-16

The following table presents pricing data from January 2012 to December 2012 as 

published by Preston Pipe and Tube, in dollars per net (short) ton. Average monthly market 

prices for each type of standard pipe decreased from January to December of 2012. 

Table I-2 

Circular welded pipe: Average market prices (in dollars per net (short) ton) for various types of 

standard pipe, monthly, 2012

Type of product

Jan 

'12

Feb

'12

Mar 

'12

Apr 

'12

May 

'12

Jun 

'12

Jul 

'12

Aug 

'12

Sep 

'12

Oct 

'12

Nov 

'12

Dec 

'12

0 – 4 1⁄2” Galv Weld 

TC 1,115 1,121 1,116 1,105 1,091 1,084 1,075 1,063 1,055 1,051 1,063 1,059

0 – 4 1⁄2” Galv Weld 

PE 1,102 1,106 1,097 1,088 1,073 1,068 1,060 1,052 1,047 1,042 1,051 1,057

0 – 4 1⁄2” Black Weld 

TC 1,063 1,056 1,043 1,031 1,018 1,007 998 989 982 976 983 992

0 - 4 1⁄2” Black Weld 

PE 1,078 1,069 1,057 1,049 1,034 1,026 1,019 1,013 1,008 1,003 1,011 1,022

5” – 16” Galv Weld 

PE 1,358 1,363 1,354 1,328 1,316 1,307 1,296 1,277 1,258 1,247 1,242 1,238

5” – 16” Black Weld 

PE 1,141 1,132 1,122 1,107 1,096 1,088 1,079 1,071 1,058 1,051 1,056 1,049

Note.—Prices are average transaction prices by weighted average value. Prices are a combination of both domestic 

(U.S.) and import shipments.

Source: Data from Preston Pipe & Tube Report, Vols. 26-31.

The following figure shows average market prices for each type of standard pipe 

between January 2008 and May 2013. 
I-17

Figure I-3 

Circular welded pipe: Average market prices (in dollars per net (short) ton) for various types of 

standard pipe, monthly, January 2008-May 2013

Note.—Prices are average transaction prices by weighted average value. Prices are a combination of both domestic 

(U.S.) and import shipments.

Source: Data from Preston Pipe & Tube Report, Vols. 26-31.

Demand factors such as fluctuationsin the non-residential (and to a lesser extent in

residential) construction sectors and overall U.S. economic activity influence circular welded 

pipe prices. Non-residential construction value reached a low point in late 2010, before partially 

recovering in 2011-13 (see discussion of apparent U.S. consumption, which also shows value of 

aggregate private non-residential construction since 2005). Figure I-4 shows overall U.S. 

economic activity in terms of real GDP from quarter 1 of 2008 to quarter 2 of 2013. 

In addition, circular welded pipe prices vary according to product specifications, 

including but not restricted to surface finishing (black or galvanized) and end finishing (plain or

threaded end with and without coupling). Raw materials account for approximately threequarters of the cost of circular welded pipe. The principal raw materials used in circular welded

pipe are hot-rolled steel sheet and zinc (for galvanized products).37 Price information regarding 

hot-rolled steel sheet and zinc is shown in figure I-5. After a decrease in the price of both hotrolled steel sheet and zinc during 2008, prices generally increased into 2011 and moderated 

thereafter. Overall, prices remain below early 2008 peak levels but have partially recovered to 

approximately 30 dollars per hundredweight (600 dollars per short ton) for hot-rolled steel and 

90 cents per pound for zinc.

 

37 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, pp. V-1 to V-2. 

$0

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

$1,400

$1,600

$1,800

$2,000

JAN’08

MAY '08

SEP '08

JAN '09

MAY '09

SEP '09

JAN’10

MAY’10

SEP '10

JAN '11

MAY '11

SEP '11

JAN '12

MAY '12

SEP '12

JAN '13

MAY '13

Dollars per short ton

0 – 4 1⁄2” GALV WELD TC

0 – 4 1⁄2” GALV WELD PE

0 – 4 1⁄2” BLACK WELD TC

0 - 4 1⁄2” BLACK WELD PE 

5” – 16” GALV WELD PE

5” – 16” BLACK WELD PE
I-18

Figure I-4 

Circular welded pipe: U.S. economic activity measured in real GDP, quarter 1 of 2008 to quarter 2 

of 2013

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis. 

Figure I-5 

Circular welded pipe: Average monthly prices of inputs zinc and hot-rolled steel, January 2008 to 

May 2013

Source: American Metal Market.

13,500.0

14,000.0

14,500.0

15,000.0

15,500.0

16,000.0

2008q12008q22008q32008q42009q12009q22009q32009q42010q12010q22010q32010q42011q12011q22011q32011q42012q12012q22012q32012q42013q12013q2

U.S. economic activity in real GDP

Real GDP (Billions)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Jan-08 

Apr-08 

Jul-08 

Oct-08 

Jan-09 

Apr-09 

Jul-09

Oct-09

Jan-10 

Apr-10

Jul-10 

Oct-10 

Jan-11 

Apr-11 

Jul-11 

Oct-11 

Jan-12

Apr-12 

Jul-12

Oct-12

Jan-13

Apr-13 

Raw material prices

Zinc (U.S. cents/pound)

Hot-rolled steel (U.S. dollars/

hundred weight)
I-19

THE INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES

U.S. producers

In its original investigations, the Commission collected data from 21 U.S. producers of 

circular welded pipe that accounted for more than 90 percent of U.S. production in 2007. 

Three producers, Wheatland, Allied, and Bull Moose, together accounted for *** percent of 

reported 2007 production of circular welded pipe.38 During 2005-07, the domestic industry 

experienced a series of mergers and acquisitions (involving Atlas Tube, IPSCO, Maverick, Sharon 

Tube, and Wheatland) as well as several mill closures (Wheatland closed four facilities during 

this period).39 

In their substantive response to the Commission’s notice of institution, the domestic 

interested parties identified 14 known and currently operating circular welded pipe producers. 

Table I-3 lists the domestic interested parties (believed to account for *** percent of total 2012 

production), each company’s position on the subject orders, production location(s), related 

and/or affiliated firms, and share of reported production of circular welded pipe in 2012. Table 

I-3 also includes the U.S. producers identified by the domestic interested parties as well as 

several smaller producers identified in the Commission’s more recent investigations of circular 

welded pipe.40 No U.S. producers directly import the subject merchandise from China, and 

none are known to have any affiliation with Chinese producers of circular welded pipe.41

 

38 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, p. III-1.

39 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, p. III-1 nn. 1 and 2.

40 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and 

Vietnam, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-482-485 and 731-TA-1191-1194 (Final), USITC Publication 4362, 

December 2012. 41 The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, p. 20 and 

exhibits 17 and 18. 
I-20

Table I-3 

Circular welded pipe: U.S. producers, positions on the subject orders, U.S. production locations,

related and/or affiliated firms, and shares of 2012 reported U.S. production

Firm

Position 

on 

orders

U.S. plant 

location(s) Parent company

Share of 

production 

(percent)

Allied Support

Harvey, IL 

Philadelphia, PA 

Phoenix, AZ 

Morrisville, PA

Clayton Dubilier & Rice LLC (US)

Tyco International (US) ***

Atlas Support

Chicago, IL 

Plymouth, MI 

Blytheville, AR JMC Steel Group ***

EXLTUBE Support Kansas City, MO

Steel and Pipe Supply Company 

Inc. (US) ***

Maruichi Support

Santa Fe Springs, 

CA

Maruichi Steel Tube (Japan)

Metal One Corp. (Japan)

Japanese Banks ***

TMK IPSCO Support

Blytheville, AR 

Camanche, IA 

Wilder, KY OAO TMK (Russia) ***

U.S. Steel Support

McKeesport, PA 

Lone Star, TX 

Bellville, TX None ***

Western Tube Support Long Beach, CA

Sumitomo Metals (Japan)

Sumikin Bussan Int’l (US)

Sumitomo Pipe & Tube (Japan)

Sumitomo Corp. of America

Sumitomo Corp. (Japan) ***

Wheatland Support

Sharon,PA 

Wheatland, PA 

Warren, OH 

Chicago, IL JMC Steel Group ***

Note—The following companies did not respond to the Notice of Institution: American, Bull Moose, California Steel, 

Hanna, Hannibal, Marcegaglia, Maverick, Northwest, Skyline, Texas Tubular, Tex-Tube, and Welded Tube-Berkely

(now closed). 

Source: The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, Exhibit 17; 

Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, Investigation 

Nos. 701-TA-482-485 and 731-TA-1191-1194 (Final), USITC Publication 4362, December 2012, Table III-1.

Table I-4 summarizes important events that have taken place in the U.S. industry since 

January 2008. 
I-21

Table I-4 

Circular welded pipe: Important industry events, 2008-12

Year Company Events

2008 Evraz Group SA 

and TMK 

(Russia)

Acquisition: Evraz Group SA and TMK purchase IPSCO’s tubular 

business from SSAB for $4 billion.TMK obtains all of IPSCO’s U.S. 

operations and 51 percent of NS Group for $1.2 billion. Evraz acquires 

the other 49 percent of the NS Group. IPSCO’s tubular operations are 

renamed TMK-IPSCO.

TMK (Russia) Acquisition: TMK purchases the U.S. portions of IPSCO’s tubular 

business from Evraz for $1.2 billion.

OJSC 

Novolipetsk Steel 

(NLMK) (Russia)

Failed acquisition: Novolipetsk, a Russian steel maker, plans to 

purchase John Maneely Co. (JMC) from Washington-based 

investment firm Carlyle Group for $3.5 billion. The purchase includes 

Wheatland Tube and Sharon Tube in Pennsylvania, among others. 

Novolipetsk subsequently reconsiders and settles with Carlyle (March 

2009) for $234 million.

Allied Tube and 

Conduit

Plant closing: Allied permanently closes down pipe mills in Pine Bluff 

(AR), and temporarily halts pipe production at Phoenix (AZ). The 

Phoenix mill operates at only one shift in 2011.

Maruichi Steel 

Tube/Leavitt

Acquisition: Maruichi Steel Tube of Osaka, Japan, purchases 60-

percent interest in Leavitt Tube (Chicago) for $90 million from a group 

of private investors. Sumitomo Corp. of America maintains its 40-

percent interest in the company.

2009 Allied Acquisition: Allied Tube and Conduit, purchases Novamerica’s 

pipe mill in Philadelphia. This facility produces standard pipe as 

well as mechanical and structural tubing.

Acquisition: Allied Tube and Conduit acquires the assets of the 

Barzel Industries’ Morrisville, PA operation.

Expansion: Allied announces the opening of a $30 million 

expansion of its manufacturing center in Harvey, IL. The 

expansion will double the size of the existing facility and streamline 

manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution operations.

Maruichi/Leavitt Plant closure: Jackson, MS plant ceased all production in 

December because of decreased orders caused by the worsening 

of the U.S. economy.

Northwest Plant continued closure: Bossier City, LA plant, idled several 

years earlier, remains idle.

Texas Tubular Production cutbacks: U.S. Steel Tubular Products Inc. is the primary

supplier of tubular products and coil material used in Texas Tubular’s 

pipe manufacturing and is a major customer of its finished tubular 

goods. U.S. Steel’s idling of its Lone Star plant caused Texas Tubular 

to reduce its operations ”to a level commensurate with current market 

conditions.”

Table continued on next page.
I-22

Table I-4 -- Continued

Circular welded pipe: Important industry events, 2008-12

2009 

(cont.)

TMK-IPSCO Acquisition: TMK-IPSCO acquires the remaining shares of NS Group 

from Evraz for $508 million (February) to become the sole owner.

Plant idling: All TMK-IPSCO locations experience reduced 

operations for parts of the year.

Labor contract: TMK-IPSCO and the United Steelworkers union 

reach agreement on a new labor contract which will remain in force 

until April 15, 2012. The new agreement freezes base wages during 

the first year of the contract, improves work force “flexibility,” invests 

in training for maintenance employees,and introduces an incentive 

plan based on productivity, quality and attendance.

U.S. Steel Plant idling: Bellville, TX plant is idled.

Plant idling: Lone Star, TX plant is idled.

Wheatland Plant closure: Wheatland Tube closes its plant in Sharon, PA due to 

decreasing demand.

2010 Maruichi/Leavitt Upgrade: As part of a strategic plan to upgrade and modernize its 

equipment, Leavitt invests $12 million to install a quick-change 

cassette system to allow tighter tolerances, reduce downtime, and 

increase flexibility at its hollow structural sections mill.

Replacement investment: Leavitt purchases a new mill which 

replaces two older structural mills that have been in use since the late 

1960s and 1970s. The new mill employs a quick-change system and 

a saw cut-off finish and is estimated to cost $16 million.

Northwest Plant re-opening: Northwest re-opens (primarily) OCTG pipe mill in 

Bossier City, LA which had been idle for several years.

2011 Atlas

Plant re-opening: Atlas re-opens its hollow structural sections 

operation in Blytheville, AR. The plant closed in 2008.

JMC Steel Group

Acquisition: Zekelman family acquires the majority of JMC Steel 

Group (parent company of Atlas Tube and Wheatland Tube) in 

March. Carlyle Group is the minority owner.

Northwest

Expansion: Northwest plans to expand its Houston, TX, mill to 

produce tubes with O.D. sizes ranging from 2 3/8 to 2 7/8 inches.

TMK-IPSCO

Expansion: TMK-IPSCO plans to upgrade its 2 pipe-making 

production lines in Wilder, KY, with the installation of a new

threading shop. Wilder currently sends pipe to another TMK-IPSCO 

mill to be threaded.

Wheatland

Labor contract: Wheatland enters into a new five-year contract with 

its local USW.

2012 Allied Acquisition and plant closure: JMC Steel Group., parent company

of Atlas Tube and Wheatland Tube, acquires Allied’s Morrisville, PA 

pipe mill and ceases production at that facility.

Table continued on next page.
I-23

Table I-4 –Continued 

Circular welded pipe: Important industry events, 2008-12

2012 Skyline Steel Purchase: Nucor Corporation acquires Skyline Steel from ArcelorMittal 

in June 2012.

TMK-IPSCO Labor contract: TMK-IPSCO and the USW reach an agreement on a 

new five- year contract.

U.S. Steel Labor contract: U.S. Steel reaches a tentative 3-year agreement with 

the USW subject to ratification.

Welded TubeCanadaPlant closure: Welded Tube-Canada announces the closure of its pipe 

mill in South Carolina.

Source: Certain Circular Welded Pipe and Tube from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey, 

Investigation Nos. 701-TA-253 and 731-TA-132, 252,271, 273, 532-534 and 536 (Third Review), USITC Publication 

4333, June 2012 and Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from India, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and 

Vietnam Investigation Nos. 701-TA-482-484 and 731-TA-1191-1194 (Final), USITC Publication 4362, December 

2012.

U.S. producers’ trade and financial data

The Commission asked domestic interested parties to provide trade and financial data in 

their response to the notice of institution of the five-year reviews of the subject orders. Table I5 presents the data reported by responding U.S. producers from both the original investigations 

(2005-07) and the response to the notice of institution (2012). The data presented in the table 

was provided by 21 firms for the period 2005-07 and by 7 firms, accounting for an estimated ***

percent of the total domestic production of circular welded pipe,for the year 2012.

42

 

42 The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, p. 21. 

JMC reported data separately for its Atlas and Wheatland operations.
I-24

Table I-5 

Circular welded pipe: U.S. producers’ trade and financial data, 2005-07 and 2012

Item 2005 2006 2007 2012

Capacity 2,571,019 2,405,229 2,219,300 ***

Production 1,385,959 1,383,110 1,457,128 ***

Capacity utilization (percent) 53.9 57.5 65.7 ***

U.S. shipments

 Quantity (short tons) 1,381,578 1,338,934 1,422,667 ***

 Value (1,000 dollars) 1,362,886 1,314,637 1,350,791 ***

 Unit value (dollars per short ton) 986 982 949 ***

Net sales 

 Quantity (short tons) 1,400,129 1,364,791 1,471,543 ***

 Value (1,000 dollars) 1,335,159 1,302,373 1,373,678 ***

 Unit value (dollars per short ton) 954 954 933 ***

Cost of goods sold (COGS) ($1,000) 1,143,517 1,083,988 1,225,209 ***

Gross profit or (loss) ($1,000) 191,642 218,385 148,469 ***

SG&A ($1,000) 51,097 66,745 86,933 ***

Operating income or (loss) ($1,000) 140,545 151,640 61,536 ***

COGS/sales (percent) 85.6 83.2 89.2 ***

Operating income or (loss)/sales 

(percent)

10.5 11.6 4.5 ***

Source: Compiled from Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 

731-TA-1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, table C-1 and The Domestic Industry’s Substantive 

Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, exh. 17.

The domestic interested parties contend that their current financial condition is 

extremely vulnerable to any increase in the volume of unfairly traded imports. They reported 

that the operating income margin for the domestic producers was *** percent in 2012, as 

opposed to ranging from 4.5 percent to 11.6 percent during 2005-07. Additionally, capacity 

utilization for the domestic producers was *** percent in 2012, in contrast to 2005-07 when it 

ranged from 53.9 percent to 65.7 percent.43

 

43 The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, pp. 17-

18. 
I-25

U.S. IMPORTS AND APPARENT CONSUMPTION

U.S. importers44

In response to Commission questionnaires issued to importers during the original 

investigations, thirty-two firms supplied usable data. Twenty-six of the thirty-two firms 

imported circular welded pipe from China in 2007, including in particular ***.

45 Responding

importers are believed to have accounted for 82.6 percent of imports from China and 75.3

percent of imports from other sources during 2007.

46

In their substantive response to the Commission’s notice of institution, the domestic 

interested parties observed that the number of U.S. importers importing the subject 

merchandise from China had likely declined following the issuance of the subject orders. 

Nonetheless, they identified three possible U.S. importers (***) in addition to the original 32 

identified by the Commission. 47

U.S. imports

In its original investigations, the Commission found the subject import volume and the 

increase in that volume were significant, both in absolute terms and relative to consumption 

and production in the United States. The Commission noted that the volume of subject imports

from China was 382,122 short tons in 2005, and increased by 95.8 percent from 2005 to 2007, 

to 748,181 short tons. This increase in subject imports greatly exceeded the increase in 

apparent U.S. consumption from 2005 to 2007, and subject imports from China increased their 

share of the U.S. market from 16.2 percent in 2005 to 29.0 percent in 2007. As a ratio to U.S. 

production, subject imports from China increased from 27.6 percent in 2005 to 51.3 percent in 

2007.

48

Data regarding U.S. imports of circular welded pipe, as reported in the final original 

investigations, as well as data from 2012, are presented in table I-6. U.S. imports from China 

decreased from 748,181 short tons in 2007 to 3,778 short tons in 2012. As a result, their share 

of the total quantity of imports declined from 64.8 percent to 0.6 percent. Although imports 

 

44 All information is from the original staff report unless otherwise indicated. Circular Welded CarbonQuality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Final), USITC Publication 

4019, July 2008, pp. IV-1 to IV-2 45 *** imported the largest volumes of circular welded pipe from nonsubject sources in 2007.

46 Coverage of imports was based on the total reported imports compared with official

statistics, adjusted for nonsubject mechanical tubing from Canada and adding reported

micro-alloy steel and dual-stencil pipe imports. 47 The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, p. 20 and 

exh. 19.

48 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, pp. 13-14. 
I-26

from all other countries increased from 406,280 short tons in 2007 to 580,442 short tons in 

2012, total imports decreased from 1,154,462 short tons in 2007 to 584,220 short tons in 2012. 

Table I-6 

Circular welded pipe: U.S. import data, 2005-07 and 2012

Item 2005 2006 2007 2012

Quantity (short tons) 

China 382,122 715,728 748,181 3,778

All other 600,574 660,381 406,280 580,442

 Total imports 982,696 1,376,109 1,154,462 584,220

Value ($1,000) 

China 245,357 415,197 470,787 5,805

All other 490,728 507,222 363,801 588,044

 Total imports 736,086 922,419 834,588 593,849

Unit value (dollars per short ton) 

China 642 580 629 1,537

All other 817 768 895 1,048

 Average, total 749 670 723 1,050

Share of quantity (percent)

China 38.9 52.0 64.8 0.6

All other 61.1 48.0 35.2 99.4

 Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Note. -- Because of rounding, figure may not add to total shown.

Source: Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 

(Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, table C-1. Official Import Statistics of Commerce, as adjusted. Canada, 

subtotal nonsubject, and total imports are adjusted based on Statistics Canada export data to exclude nonsubject 

mechanical tube shipments. Canadian export data for 2011 and 2012 are suppressed; therefore data for 2012 are 

estimated based on the ratio of Canadian exports of standard pipe to exports of all pipe from 2010. The data for the 

value of all imports (combined) are adjusted accordingly. 

The domestic producers participating in the current five-year review acknowledged the 

Commission’s findings in its original investigations.

49 Also, the domestic producers stated in 

their response to the Commission’s notice of institution that “substantial antidumping and 

countervailing duties significantly constrain the volume of subject imports,” but that “there is 

every reason to believe Chinese producers continue to have substantial excess production 

capacity.”50 According to U.S. producers, the U.S market remains attractive and the number 

and diversity of non-subject import sources establishes that the U.S. market remains an 

attractive market for imports generally. Moreover, they contend, Chinese circular welded pipe 

producers continue to solicit sales opportunities, even from U.S. producers, notwithstanding 

the subject orders.

51

Table I-7 presents the quantity, value, unit value, and share of quantity for the top ten 

sources of U.S. imports as well as China. Imports of circular welded pipe from China decreased 

from 12,081 short tons in 2008 to 3,778 short tons in 2012. In 2012, Thailand was the largest 

source of imports, having increased from 85,760 to 115,189 short tons between 2008 and 2012. 

 

49 The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, p. 9.

50 Ibid, pp. 10-11. 51 Ibid, p. 13-15.
I-27

Imports from Thailand now account for 19.7 percent of total U.S. imports of circular welded 

pipe.

Table I-7 

Circular welded pipe: U.S. imports, by source, 2008-12

Source

Calendar year

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Quantity (short tons)

China 12,081 2,105 3,196 3,244 3,778

Nonsubject 

countries:

 Thailand 85,760 31,399 28,751 47,696 115,189

 Turkey 53,583 26,032 37,225 31,723 67,266

 Mexico 52,245 66,813 63,151 66,017 66,490

 Korea 123,952 38,833 75,857 48,054 56,972

 Oman 24,404 18,888 33,442 35,378 48,295

 Vietnam 29,734 22,417 35,678 55,079 42,155

 UAE 18,579 17,461 33,188 63,996 40,319

 Pakistan 10,404 562 2,203 2,060 26,048

 Philippines 135 42 4,773 23,882 23,943

 Canada 46,561 23,859 14,136 14,435 17,087

All other 

sources

231,408 107,246 152,074 120,812 76,678

 Subtotal 

nonsubject

676,765 353,552 480,478 509,132 580,442

Total 688,846 355,657 483,674 512,376 584,220
I-28

Table I-7 —Continued

Circular welded pipe: U.S. imports, by source, 2008-12

Source

Calendar year

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Value (1,000 dollars)

China 17,079 2,813 4,285 4,892 5,805

Nonsubject 

countries:

 Thailand 89,599 30,594 26,785 46,506 110,495

 Turkey 58,346 23,730 30,399 30,124 62,282

 Mexico 58,379 49,111 52,473 63,669 59,873

 Korea 126,894 33,714 68,177 51,189 61,550

 Oman 24,125 15,833 27,245 31,956 44,779

 Vietnam 33,459 17,747 30,561 49,827 37,564

 UAE 20,964 14,631 27,700 57,524 38,041

 Pakistan 11,322 408 2,213 2,108 26,205

 Philippines 199 41 3,841 19,505 21,375

 Canada 53,159 22,787 13,616 15,762 19,578

All other 

sources 267,499 122,476 159,681 147,349 106,302

Subtotal 

nonsubject 743,945 331,072 442,691 515,519 588,044

Total 761,024 333,885 446,976 520,411 593,849

Unit value (dollars per short ton)

China 1,144 1,336 1,341 1,508 1,537

Nonsubject 

countries:

 Thailand 1,045 974 932 975 959

 Turkey 1,089 912 817 950 926

 Mexico 1,117 735 831 964 901

 Korea 1,024 868 899 1,065 1,080

 Oman 989 838 815 903 927

 Vietnam 1,125 792 857 905 891

 UAE 1,128 838 835 899 944

 Pakistan 1,088 727 1,005 1,023 1,006

 Philippines 1,479 995 805 817 893

 Canada 1,142 955 963 1,092 1,146

 All other 

sources 1,156 1,142 1,050 1,219 1,386

 Average 

nonsubject 1,099 936 921 1,012 1,013

Average all 

countries 1,104 939 924 1,015 1,016

Table continued on the following page.
I-29

Table I-7 —Continued 

Circular welded pipe: U.S. imports, by source, 2008-12

Source

Calendar year

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Share of quantity (percent)

China 1.8 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.6

Nonsubject 

countries:

 Thailand 12.4 8.8 5.9 9.3 19.7

 Turkey 7.8 7.3 7.7 6.2 11.5

 Mexico 7.6 18.8 13.1 12.9 11.4

 Korea 18.0 10.9 15.7 9.4 9.8

 Oman 3.5 5.3 6.9 6.9 8.3

 Vietnam 4.3 6.3 7.4 10.7 7.2

 UAE 2.7 4.9 6.9 12.5 6.9

 Pakistan 1.5 0.2 0.5 0.4 4.5

 Philippines 0.0 0.0 1.0 4.7 4.1

 Canada 6.8 6.7 2.9 2.8 2.9

 All other 

sources 33.6 30.2 31.4 23.6 13.1

 Subtotal 

nonsubject 98.2 99.4 99.3 99.4 99.4

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Source: Compiled from official Commerce statistics for statistical reporting numbers 7306.30.1000, 7306.30.5025, 

7306.30.5032, 7306.30.5040, 7306.30.5055, 7306.30.5085, and 7306.30.5090. Official Import Statistics of 

Commerce, as adjusted. Canada, subtotal nonsubject, and total imports are adjusted based on Statistics Canada 

export data to exclude nonsubject mechanical tube shipments. Canadian export data for 2011 and 2012 are 

suppressed; therefore data for 2011-12 are estimated based on the ratio of Canadian exports of standard pipe to 

exports of all pipe from 2010. The data for the value of all imports (combined) are adjusted accordingly.

Ratio of imports to U.S. production

Imports of circular welded pipe from China ranged from 27.6 percent to 51.3 percent of 

reported U.S. production during 2005-07. Imports from nonsubject sources ranged from 43.3

percent to 27.9 percent of reported U.S. production. Total imports ranged from 70.9 percent in 

2005, to 99.5 percent in 2006, before dropping to 79.2 percent of total U.S. production in 

2007.52 

According to the response to the notice of institution from the domestic producers, U.S. 

imports from China are equivalent to *** percent of U.S. production while imports from 

nonsubject imports are equivalent to *** percent. The ratios of imports from China and 

nonsubject countries during 2005-07 and 2012 are shown in table I-8 below.

 

52 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, Table IV-9.
I-30

Table I-8 

Circular welded pipe: Ratio of imports to U.S. production, 2005-07 and 2012

Item Calendar year

2005 2006 2007 2012

Ratio of imports to U.S. production

China 27.6 51.7 51.3 ***

Nonsubject 

countries

43.3 47.7 27.9 ***

 Total 70.9 99.5 79.2 ***

Source: The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, exh. 17; Circular 

Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Final), USITC 

Publication 4019, July 2008; Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 

and 731-TA-1116 (Final), official Commerce statistics. 

Apparent U.S. consumption and market shares

Table I-9 presents U.S. shipments of domestic product, U.S. imports and apparent U.S. 

consumption in 2005-07 and 2012. Table I-10 shows U.S. market share during 2005-07 and 

2012. U.S. consumption in terms of quantity increased from 2.4 million short tons in 2005 to 2.7 

million short tons in 2006, before decreasing to 2.6 million short tons in 2007. Since then, 

consumption has ***. The responding producers’ share of consumption was 55.2 percent in 

2007 and *** percent in 2012.

Table I-9 

Circular welded pipe: U.S. shipments of domestic product, U.S. imports, and apparent U.S. 

consumption, 2005-07 and 2012

Item 2005 2006 2007 2012

Quantity (short tons)

U.S. producers’ 

U.S. shipments 1,381,578 1,338,934 1,422,667 ***

China 382,122 715,728 748,181 3,778

All other 600,574 660,381 406,280 580,442

 Total imports 982,696 1,376,109 1,154,462 584,220

Apparent U.S. 

consumption 2,364,274 2,715,043 2,577,129 ***

Value (1,000 dollars)

U.S. producers’ 

U.S. shipments 1,362,886 1,314,637 1,350,791 ***

China 245,357 415,197 470,787 5,805

All other 490,728 507,222 363,801 588,044

 Total imports 736,086 922,419 834,588 593,849

Apparent U.S. 

consumption 2,098,972 2,237,056 2,185,379 ***

Source: Compiled from Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe From China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 

731-TA-1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, table C-1, and The Domestic Industry’s Substantive 

Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, exh. 17.
I-31

Table I-10

Circular welded pipe: U.S. market shares, 2005-07 and 2012

Item 2005 2006 2007 2012

Quantity (short tons)

Apparent U.S. 

consumption 

2,364,274 2,715,043 2,577,129 ***

Value (1,000 dollars)

Apparent U.S. 

consumption

2,098,972 2,237,056 2,185,379 ***

Share of quantity (percent)

Producer’s share 58.4 49.3 55.2 ***

Importer’s share

China 16.2 26.4 29.0 ***

All other sources 25.4 24.3 15.8 ***

 Total imports 41.6 50.7 44.8 ***

Share of value (percent)

Producer’s share 64.9 58.8 61.8 ***

Importer’s share

China 11.7 18.6 21.5 ***

All other sources 23.4 22.7 16.6 ***

 Total imports 35.1 41.2 38.2 ***

Source: Compiled from data presented in the original investigation; The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response 

To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, exh. 17; Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, 

Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, Table C-1.

In its original determination, the Commission found that demand for CWP is largely 

derived from nonresidential construction.53 The domestic industry attributed the decrease in 

U.S. consumption to a decrease in nonresidential consumption. According to the domestic 

industry, nonresidential construction levels decreased in 2009 and continue to remain well 

below the 2007 levels.54 Figure I-6, shows the levels of private nonresidential construction since

2005. 

 

53 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Inv. Nos. 701-447 and 731-TA-1116 (Final), 

p.11. 54 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China: The Domestic Industry’s Substantive 

Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, p. 22-23.
I-32

Figure I-6 

Value of private nonresidential construction put in place, January 2005-July 2013

Source: Data gathered from U.S. Census Bureau at: http://www.census.gov/construction/c30/c30index.html.

THE INDUSTRY IN CHINA

Background

During the final phase of the original investigations, the Commission issued

questionnaires to 52 firms that were identified as possible producers or exporters of circular 

welded pipe from China. Chinese producers and exporters of circular welded pipe supplied

15 questionnaires, accounting for an estimated 51.5 percent of production in China in 2007,

and an estimated 65.1 percent of 2007 Chinese exports of circular welded pipe to the

United States.

55 Respondents to the original questionnaire included:

Benxi Northern Steel Pipe Co., Ltd. ("Benxi");

Guangdong Walsall Steel Pipe Industrial Co., Ltd. ("Guangdong 

Walsall"); Hengshui Jinghua Steel Pipe Co., Ltd. ("Hengshui");

Huludao Steel Pipe Industrial Co., Ltd. ("Huludao");

Jiangsu Guoqiang Zinc-Plating Industrial Co., Ltd. ("Jiangsu

Guoqiang"); Liaoning Northern Steel Pipe Co., Ltd. ("Liaoning

Northern");

Shanghai Alison Steel Pipe Co., Ltd. ("Shanghai Alison");

 

55 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, p. VII-2 .

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

Jan-05

May-05

Sep-05

Jan-06

May-06

Sep-06

Jan-07

May-07

Sep-07

Jan-08

May-08

Sep-08

Jan-09

May-09

Sep-09

Jan-10

May-10

Sep-10

Jan-11

May-11

Sep-11

Jan-12

May-12

Sep-12

Jan-13

May-13

Value of Private Nonresidential Construction Put in Place January 2005- July 

2013
I-33

Shanghai Metals and Minerals Import and Export Co. ("Shanghai Metals"); 56

Shanghai Zhongyou TIPO Steel Pipe Co., Ltd. ("Shanghai Zhongqing");

Shijiazhuang Zhongqing Import & Export Co., Ltd. and Bazhoushi Zhuofa Steel

Pipe Co., Ltd. ("Shijiazhuang")

57

;

Tai Feng Qiao Metal Products Co., Ltd. ("Tai Feng");

Tianjin Lifengyuanda Steel Group Co., Ltd. ("Tianjin 

Lifengyuanda"); Tianjin Shuangjie Steel Pipe Co., Ltd.

("Tianjin Shuangjie");

Weifang East Steel Pipe Co., Ltd. ("Weifang");

Zhejiang Kingland Pipeline and Technologies Co., Ltd. ("Zhejiang Kingland") 

The Commission did not receive any responses to the notice of inquiry from foreign 

producers or exporters. The domestic industry identified fifty-two known producers or 

exporters of circular welded pipe.

58

Capacity and production

During the original investigations, 15 respondents provided data on their individual 

capacity and production in 2007. The largest firms, ***, accounted for approximately one-half

of reported production and capacity in China in 2007. The capacity of the 15 respondents 

was reported to be *** short tons with reported production of *** short tons. This was 

estimated to account for about 51.5 percent of total production in China.

59

Since no Chinese producers responded to the notice of institution, no further data are 

available specific to the production or capacity of subject circular welded pipe in China. Table I11 shows Chinese production of all welded pipe during both 2005-07 and 2008-11, the most 

recent period available. Production of all welded pipe in China has increased by almost 17 

million metric tons (19 million short tons) since 2007.

60 

 

56 Shanghai Metals was an exporter of circular welded pipe produced by ***. 57 Shijiazhuang was an exporter of circular welded pipe produced by ***. 58 The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, Exhibit 2.

59 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008. Table VII-1.

60 According to China’s National Bureau of statistics, welded pipe capacity exceeded 53 million short 

tons in 2012, The Domestic Industry’s Substantive Response To The Notice Of Institution, June 28, 2013, 

Exhibit 6.
I-34

Table I-11

Welded pipe: Chinese production of all welded pipe 

Quantity (thousand metric tons)

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

China 17,468 21,213 23,711 27,068 31,425 32,555 40,487

**Source: All data gathered from the World Steel Association, Steel Statistical Yearbook 2012, Economics 

Committee, Brussels 2012.

Exports

The top 20 markets for Chinese welded pipe (non-energy tubular products) since 2008 

are presented in Table I-12. Australia has been the largest market for Chinese circular welded 

pipe since 2008 with a current quantity of 51,607 short tons. Other major markets for Chinese 

circular welded pipe include Indonesia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the 

Philippines.

Table I-12 

Circular welded pipe: Chinese exports of welded non-energy tubular products to partner counties

Partner country

Quantity (short tons)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Australia 82,154 39,482 72,950 76,113 51,607

Indonesia 30,525 24,543 33,577 36,841 48,154

Singapore 15,408 28,101 35,787 34,563 41,578

UAE 27,797 21,991 33,792 36,302 39,998

Philippines 37,405 31,618 73,216 58,341 37,270

Hong Kong 20,025 25,928 30,550 36,097 35,467

Chile 12,951 10,065 22,229 36,352 34,801

Myanmar 2,560 6,109 15,807 19,324 27,554

Malaysia 3,521 8,557 13,372 17,453 26,104

Angola 31,754 26,490 25,378 21,331 24,385

Thailand 2,758 7,655 13,450 16,483 24,055

Nigeria 9,702 15,239 18,175 24,025 23,781

Mongolia 2,299 7,305 13,082 23,278 22,486

Peru 2,364 2,588 17,540 16,701 18,290

Brazil 771 1,900 15,704 11,155 15,072

Panama 5,661 5,477 13,547 16,495 13,996

United Kingdom 19,941 3,504 21,583 21,600 13,292

India 3,168 5,025 11,213 14,007 13,129

Colombia 1,933 1,937 7,636 10,334 12,544

Russia 2,283 2,891 7,425 10,957 12,388

All others 230,884 193,727 244,258 240,467 284,033

Total 545,864 470,132 740,271 778,219 819,984

Table continued on the following page.
I-35

Table I-12 —Continued

Circular welded pipe: Chinese exports of welded non-energy tubular products to partner counties

Partner country

Value ($1,000)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Australia 83,300 28,400 53,611 63,856 43,135

Indonesia 22,522 19,433 27,453 34,309 40,069

Singapore 13,132 18,708 24,286 28,057 31,281

UAE 24,044 14,435 24,378 29,948 30,454

Philippines 36,315 19,560 48,667 44,337 26,568

Hong Kong 20,872 20,577 23,882 31,660 30,052

Chile 11,341 7,132 16,167 28,715 26,081

Myanmar 2,122 4,023 10,243 14,240 18,384

Malaysia 3,056 5,781 9,634 14,978 19,613

Angola 24,418 17,511 16,084 15,478 16,967

Thailand 2,086 6,440 12,047 16,078 22,154

Nigeria 8,570 9,869 13,408 20,464 18,696

Mongolia 1,736 3,748 6,141 16,941 13,212

Peru 1,941 1,676 11,504 12,703 13,590

Brazil 917 2,288 12,730 12,031 14,568

Panama 5,595 3,509 9,505 12,890 10,229

United Kingdom 18,011 3,347 17,281 19,435 12,651

India 2,684 6,201 11,452 16,182 15,100

Colombia 1,760 1,791 5,736 9,073 10,036

Russia 1,601 2,852 11,142 19,706 22,293

All others 198,263 140,356 193,063 220,463 247,454

Total 484,286 337,637 558,414 681,544 682,587

Table continued on the following page.
I-36

Table I-12 —Continued

Circular welded pipe: Chinese exports of welded non-energy tubular products to partner counties

Partner country

Unit value (dollars per short ton)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Australia 1,014 719 735 839 836

Indonesia 738 792 818 931 832

Singapore 852 666 679 812 752

UAE 865 656 721 825 761

Philippines 971 619 665 760 713

Hong Kong 1,042 794 782 877 847

Chile 876 709 727 790 749

Myanmar 829 659 648 737 667

Malaysia 868 676 720 858 751

Angola 769 661 634 726 696

Thailand 756 841 896 975 921

Nigeria 883 648 738 852 786

Mongolia 755 513 469 728 588

Peru 821 647 656 761 743

Brazil 1,190 1,204 811 1,079 967

Panama 988 641 702 781 731

United Kingdom 903 955 801 900 952

India 847 1,234 1,021 1,155 1,150

Colombia 910 925 751 878 800

Russia 701 986 1,501 1,799 1,800

All others 858 724 790 916 871

Average 887 718 754 876 832

Note.--Data include exports classified under HTS heading 7306.30.

Note.--Data include exports of pipe outside the scope of the reviews such as pipe for boilers and heat exchangers, 

pipe hollows for redrawing, and pipe made of alloy steel.

Note.—The quantity (short tons) of exports to the United States for 2008-12 were:

United States 12,566 4,946 4,455 7,349 7,780

The total value ($1,000) for the same years was: 

United States 13,883 4,093 4,166 8,375 9,980

The unit value (dollars per short ton) for the same years was: 

United States 1,105 828 935 1,140 1,283

Source: Global Trade Information Service, Global Trade Atlas.
I-37

Tariff or non-tariff barriers to trade

During the original investigations, Chinese questionnaire respondents reported that

circular welded pipe was subject to an antidumping duty order in Australia imposed on June

25, 2006. At this time, Australia maintains duties on hollow structural sections (including 

circular sections) from China.61 Canada and the European Union also initiated investigations 

on carbon steel welded pipe from China in early 2008. In August 2013, the Canadian

International Trade Tribunal (CITT) continued its 2008 finding covering carbon steel welded 

pipe, 6 inches or less in diameter.

62 The European Union imposed definitive antidumping duties 

on Chinese welded pipe and tube not exceeding 6 5/8 inches.

63 An expiry review is ongoing at 

this time.

64 One Chinese producer, ***, reported in the original investigations that circular

welded pipes from China are subject to antidumping findings or remedies in Dubai, Fiji, and

the Philippines.

65 Chinese respondents reported no additional barriers to their exports of

circular welded pipe.66

THE GLOBAL MARKET

Table I-13 shows the top 10 largest exporters of circular welded pipe (broadly defined)

in the world. Although these data include nonsubject merchandise, they reflect broader trends 

in CWP production. Total exports decreased sharply between 2008 and 2009. Between 2009 

and 2012, exports gradually recovered and are now greater than 2008 levels.

 

61 Dumping Commodity Register, May 13, 2013, pp. 1-4.

62 Dumping and Subsidizing, Order and Reasons, Canadian International Trade Tribunal Publication, 

Carbon Steel Welded Pipe Expiry Review No. RR-2012-003, pp. 19-20.

63 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1256/2008, Official Journal of the European Union Publication, 

December 2008, pp. L343/1 – L343/5.

64 Notice of the impending expiry of certain anti-dumping measures, Official Journal of the European 

Union Publication, May 2013, pp. 1.

65 No additional is available regarding these proceedings.

66 Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe from China, Investigation Nos. 701-TA-447 and 731-TA1116 (Final), USITC Publication 4019, July 2008, pp. VII- 12-13.
I-38

Table I-13 

Circular welded pipe: Exports of welded non-energy tubular products by reporting country, 2008-

12 

Country

Quantity (short tons)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Italy 896,246 759,804 923,449 962,614 970,387

China 545,864 470,132 740,271 778,219 819,984

Turkey 384,543 327,960 427,953 446,014 547,335

United States 345,383 266,709 343,559 453,085 476,664

Germany 401,534 296,411 336,247 355,168 414,956

South Korea 333,467 249,007 278,683 326,949 405,028

Spain 204,908 158,283 220,793 234,183 235,377

Canada 412,699 209,034 255,024 236,738 231,186

Switzerland 208,857 132,468 178,416 197,958 186,289

Thailand 143,198 53,929 95,060 88,634 160,581

All other 2,131,281 1,514,060 1,727,355 1,890,454 1,806,915

Total 6,007,980 4,437,797 5,526,810 5,970,016 6,254,702

Note.--Data include exports classified under HTS heading 7306.30.

Source: Global Trade Information Source, “Global Trade Atlas”

Table I-14 shows the top 10 importers for circular welded pipe (broadly defined). These 

data cover a broader scope than that of subject imports. The United States since 2008 has 

been the largest importer of CWP and continues to rank first among the top ten importers in 

2012 at 874,159 short tons. Germany consistently has ranked as the second largest importer 

since 2008, reaching 650,550 short tons in 2012. Canada was the third largest importer in 

2012. 
I-39

Table I-14

Circular welded pipe: Imports of welded non-energy tubular products by reporting country, 2008-

12 

Country

Quantity (short tons)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

United States 1,116,579 603,755 787,836 808,696 874,159

Germany 776,722 496,394 599,729 682,846 650,550

Canada 394,694 296,152 335,099 493,466 496,769

France 335,111 232,090 274,646 283,135 281,874

United Kingdom 213,588 121,441 168,074 187,436 206,214

Netherlands 164,299 126,273 148,831 187,624 184,647

Mexico 84,734 63,067 113,715 136,495 161,855

Egypt 243,519 3,377 3,167 5,486 158,978

Australia 146,744 79,402 134,766 122,547 148,062

Japan 52,568 65,370 90,434 124,160 141,969

All other 2,774,736 1,849,117 2,150,665 2,259,028 2,207,555

Total 6,303,294 3,936,438 4,806,962 5,290,919 5,512,632

Note.--Data include exports classified under HTS heading 7306.30.

Source: Global Trade Information Service, "Global Trade Atlas."