CSMS Message: 19-000128

On March 13, 2019, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated its less-than-fair-value and countervailing duty investigations on “Carbon and Alloy Steel Threaded Rod from India, Taiwan, Thailand, and the People's Republic of China (China)” (Initiation Notices). These investigations have been assigned the following case numbers: A-533-887 and C-533-888 (India), A-583-865 (Taiwan), A-549-840 (Thailand), and A-570-104 and C-570-105 (China).

The Scope of Merchandise covered by these investigations reads as follows:

The merchandise covered by the scope of these investigations is carbon and alloy steel threaded rod. Steel threaded rod is certain threaded rod, bar, or studs, of carbon or alloy steel, having a solid, circular cross section of any diameter, in any straight length. Steel threaded rod is normally drawn, cold-rolled, threaded, and straightened, or it may be hot-rolled. In addition, the steel threaded rod, bar, or studs subject to these investigations are non-headed and threaded along greater than 25 percent of their total actual length. A variety of finishes or coatings, such as plain oil finish as a temporary rust protectant, zinc coating (i.e., galvanized, whether by electroplating or hot-dipping), paint, and other similar finishes and coatings, may be applied to the merchandise.

Steel threaded rod is normally produced to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specifications ASTM A36, ASTM A193 B7/B7m, ASTM A193 B16, ASTM A307, ASTM A329 L7/L7M, ASTM A320 L43, ASTM A354 BC and BD, ASTM A449, ASTM F1554-36, ASTM F1554-55, ASTM F1554 Grade 105, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) specification ASME B18.31.3, and American Petroleum Institute (API) specification API 20E. All steel threaded rod meeting the physical description set forth above is covered by the scope of these investigations, whether or not produced according to a particular standard.

Subject merchandise includes material matching the above description that has been finished, assembled, or packaged in a third country, including by cutting, chamfering, coating, or painting the threaded rod, by attaching the threaded rod to, or packaging it with, another product, or any other finishing, assembly, or packaging operation that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigations if performed in the country of manufacture of the threaded rod.

Carbon and alloy steel threaded rod are also included in the scope of these investigations whether or not imported attached to, or in conjunction with, other parts and accessories such as nuts and washers. If carbon and alloy steel threaded rod are imported attached to, or in conjunction with, such non-subject merchandise, only the threaded rod is included in the scope.

Excluded from the scope of these investigations are: (1) threaded rod, bar, or studs which are threaded only on one or both ends and the threading covers 25 percent or less of the total actual length; and (2) stainless steel threaded rod, defined as steel threaded rod containing, by weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 percent or more of chromium, with our without other elements.

Excluded from the scope of the antidumping investigation on steel threaded rod from the People's Republic of China is any merchandise covered by the existing antidumping order on Certain Steel Threaded Rod from the People's Republic of China. See Certain Steel Threaded Rod from the People's Republic of China: Notice of Antidumping Duty Order, 74 FR 17154 (April 14, 2009).

Steel threaded rod is currently classifiable under subheadings 7318.15.5051, 7318.15.5056, and 7318.15.5090 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Subject merchandise may also enter under subheading 7318.15.2095 and 7318.19.0000 of the HTSUS. The HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and U.S. Customs purposes only. The written description of the scope is dispositive.

Requirements For Submitting Comments On The Scope Of The Investigations: Please be sure to comply with all three requirements established below.

Deadline for Submitting Comments:
As announced in the Initiation Notices, Commerce is setting aside a period for interested parties to raise issues regarding product coverage (scope). The period for scope comments is intended to provide Commerce with ample opportunity to consider all comments and to consult with parties prior to the issuance of the preliminary determinations, as appropriate. If scope comments include factual information (see 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21)), all such factual information should be limited to public information. Commerce requests that all such comments be filed by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on April 2, 2019, which is 20 calendar days from the signature date of this notice. Any rebuttal comments, which may include factual information, must be filed by 5:00 p.m. ET on April 12, 2019, which is 10 calendar days after the initial comments deadline. Commerce requests that any factual information the parties consider relevant to the scope of the investigations be submitted during this time period. However, if a party subsequently finds that additional factual information pertaining to the scope of the investigations may be relevant, the party may contact Commerce and request permission to submit the additional information. All such comments must be filed on the records of each of the concurrent AD and CVD investigations identified above.

Required Entry of Appearance:
Parties wishing to participate in this segment and be included on the public service list must file a letter of appearance. Section 351.103(d)(1) of Commerce's regulations states that “with the exception of a petitioner filing a petition in an investigation, to be included on the public service list for a particular segment, each interested party must file a letter of appearance.” The letter of appearance must be filed separately from any other document (with the exception of an application for APO access). Note, the letter of appearance must state how the party qualifies as an interested party (e.g., an exporter, producer, importer of the subject merchandise) and must include a point of contact, including address, telephone/fax number and email address.

All submissions to Commerce must be filed electronically using Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). An electronically-filed document must be received successfully in its entirety by the time, typically 5 p.m., and date when it is due. Documents excepted from the electronic submission requirements must be filed manually (i.e., in paper form) with Enforcement and Compliance's APO/Dockets Unit, Room 18022, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, and stamped with the date and time of receipt by the applicable deadlines.

For your convenience, Commerce has the following resources available online to assist you in complying with these electronic filing procedures:

ACCESS: Help Link
https://access.trade.gov/help.aspx

ACCESS: External User Guide https://access.trade.gov/help/ACCESS%20User%20Guide.pdf

ACCESS: Handbook on Electronic Filing Procedures
https://access.trade.gov/help/Handbook%20on%20Electronic%20Filling%20Procedures.pdf

Federal Register notice: Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings: Electronic Filing Procedures; Administrative Protective Order Procedures, 76 FR 39263 (July 6, 2011)
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-07-06/pdf/2011-16352.pdf

Enforcement and Compliance: Change of Electronic Filing System Name, 79 FR 69046 (November 20, 2014)
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-11-20/pdf/2014-27530.pdf

Enforcement and Compliance: General Filing Requirements http://enforcement.trade.gov/filing/index.html

Required Certifications:
Please note that the following certification requirements are in effect for company / government officials as well as their representatives. In all segments of antidumping duty or countervailing duty proceedings initiated on or after August 16, 2013, parties submitting factual information must use the formats for the certifications provided at the end of the Final Rule. See Certification of Factual Information to Import Administration During Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 78 FR 42678 (July 17, 2013) (Final Rule). See also the frequently asked questions regarding the Final Rule, available at http://enforcement.trade.gov/tlei/notices/factual_info_final_rule_FAQ_07172013.pdf.

For Further Information Contact:
AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230:

Annathea Cook at (202) 482-0250 (Antidumping Duty Investigation from India); Nicholas Czajkowski at (202) 482-1395 (Antidumping Duty Investigation from Taiwan); Kabir Archuletta at (202) 482-2593 (Antidumping Duty Investigation from Thailand); Andre Gziryan at (202) 482-2201 (Antidumping Duty Investigation from China); Ryan Mullen at (202) 482-5260 (Countervailing Duty Investigation from India); and Thomas Schauer at (202) 482-0410 (Countervailing Duty Investigation from China).