US imposes duties on Chinese stainless steel sinks

The United States will impose duties on imports of drawn stainless steel sinks from China, US authorities said on Thursday.

The US International Trade Commission said on Thursday that a US industry is being materially injured by imports of Chinese drawn stainless steel sinks, adding that the US Department of Commerce has determined that the sinks are subsidized and sold in the US at less than their fair value.

All six commissioners at the US International Trade Commission voted in the affirmative, and as a result antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of these products from China will be issued.

The US Commerce Department alleged on Feb 20 that Chinese producers and exporters sold drawn stainless steel sinks in the US market at dumping margins ranging from 27.14 percent to 76.53 percent, and that those products also received countervailable subsidies ranging from 4.8 percent to 12.26 percent.

Imports of drawn stainless sinks from China were estimated at $119 million in 2011, according to the US International Trade Commission.