Notice of a preliminary determination in an antidumping duty investigation of forged steel fittings from Italy (A-475-839)

1. On 05/17/2018, Commerce published in the Federal Register its affirmative preliminary determination of sales at less than fair value and postponement of the final determination in the antidumping duty investigation of forged steel fittings from Italy (83 FR 22954). 2. The merchandise covered by this investigation is carbon and alloy forged steel fittings, whether unfinished (commonly known as blanks or rough forgings) or finished. Such fittings are made in a variety of shapes including, but not limited to, elbows, tees, crosses, laterals, couplings, reducers, caps, plugs, bushings, unions, and outlets. Forged steel fittings are covered regardless of end finish, whether threaded, socket-weld or other end connections. While these fittings are generally manufactured to specifications ASME B16.11, MSS SP-79, MSS SP-83, MSS SP-97, ASTM A105, ASTM A350, and ASTM A182, the scope is not limited to fittings made to these specifications. The term forged is an industry term used to describe a class of products included in applicable standards, and does not reference an exclusive manufacturing process. Forged steel fittings are not manufactured from casting. Pursuant to the applicable specifications, subject fittings may also be machined from bar stock or machined from seamless pipe and tube. All types of fittings are included in the scope regardless of nominal pipe size (which may or may not be expressed in inches of nominal pipe size), pressure rating (usually, but not necessarily expressed in pounds of pressure/PSI, e.g., 2,000 or 2M; 3,000 or 3M; 6,000 or 6M; 9,000 or 9M), wall thickness, and whether or not heat treated. Excluded from this scope are all fittings entirely made of stainless steel. Also excluded are flanges, butt weld fittings, butt weld outlets, nipples, and all fittings that have a maximum pressure rating of 300 pounds of pressure/PSI or less. Also excluded are fittings certified or made to the following standards, so long as the fittings are not also manufactured to the specifications of ASME B16.11, MSS SP-79, MSS SP-83, MSS SP-97, ASTM A105, ASTM A350, and ASTM A182: • American Petroleum Institute (API) API 5CT, API 5L, or API 11B • Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) SAE J476, SAE J514, SAE J516, SAE J517, SAE J518, SAE J1026, SAE J1231, SAE J1453, SAE J1926, J2044 or SAE AS 35411 • Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) certified electrical conduit fittings • ASTM A153, A536, A576, or A865 • Casing Conductor Connectors 16-42 inches in diameter made to proprietary specifications • Military Specification (MIL) MIL-C-4109F and MIL-F-3541 • International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ISO6150-B To be excluded from the scope, products must have the appropriate standard or pressure markings and/or accompanied by documentation showing product compliance to the applicable standard or pressure, e.g., “API 5CT” mark and/or a mill certification report. Subject carbon and alloy forged steel fittings are normally entered under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) 7307.99.1000, 7307.99.3000, 7307.99.5045, and 7307.99.5060. They also may be entered under HTSUS 7307.92.3010, 7307.92.3030, 7307.92.9000, and 7326.19.0010. The HTSUS subheadings and specifications are provided for convenience and customs purposes; the written description of the scope is dispositive. 3. This proceeding has been assigned case number A-475-839. 4. For imports of forged steel fittings from Italy, CBP shall suspend liquidation of such shipments entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 05/17/2018. Effective 05/17/2018, CBP shall require, for such entries, a cash deposit equal to the margins for the producers and/or exporters listed below: Producer and/or Exporter: M.E.G.A. S.p.A. Case number: A-475-839-001 Cash deposit rate: 80.20% Producer and/or Exporter: I.M.L. Industria Meccanica Ligure S.p.A. Case number: A-475-839-002 Cash deposit rate: 80.20% All Others Case Number: A-475-839-000 Cash Deposit Rate: 49.43% 5. If any entries of this merchandise are exported by a firm other than the producer, then the following instructions apply: A. If the exporter of the subject merchandise does not have its own rate but the producer has its own rate, the cash deposit rate will be the producer's rate. B. Where neither the exporter nor the producer has its own rate or the producer is unknown, use the all-others rate of 49.43 percent to establish the cash deposit. 6. If there are any questions by the importing public regarding this message, please contact the Call Center for the Office of AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce at (202) 482-0984. CBP ports should submit their inquiries through authorized CBP channels only. (This message was generated by OVIII:DU.) 7. There are no restrictions on the release of this information. Alexander Amdur