• Notice of Lifting of Suspension Date: Feb 18, 1993

MESSAGE NO: 3050111 DATE: 02 19 1993
CATEGORY: ADA TYPE: PRE
REFERENCE: REFERENCE DATE:
CASES: A - 570 - 820 - -
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PERIOD COVERED: TO

LIQ SUSPENSION DATE: 02 18 1993

TO: REGIONAL DIRECTORS, COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS
DISTRICT DIRECTORS, AREA AND PORT DIRECTORS

FROM: DIRECTOR, IMPORT SPECIALIST DIVISION

RE: PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION IN THE ANTIDUMPING DUTY
INVESTIGATION OF CERTAIN COMPACT DUCTILE IRON
WATERWORKS FITTINGS AND ACCESSORIES FROM PRC

1. THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER
ON FEBRUARY 18, 1993, NOTICE OF ITS PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION
THAT CERTAIN COMPACT DUCTILE IRON WATERWORKS FITTINGS AND
ACCESSORIES THEREOF FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARE BEING
SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES AT LESS THAN FAIR VALUE.

2. THE PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO THIS INVESTIGATION ARE 1) CERTAIN
COMPACT DUCTILE IRON WATERWORKS (CDIW) FITTINGS OF 3 TO 16 INCHES
NOMINAL DIAMETER REGARDLESS OF SHAPE, INCLUDING BENDS, TEES,
CROSSES, WYES, REDUCERS, ADAPTERS, AND OTHER SHAPES, WHETHER OR
NOT CEMENT LINE AND WHETHER OR NOT COVERED WITH BITUMEN OR
SIMILAR SUBSTANCE, CONFORMING TO AMERICAN WATER WORKS
ASSOCIATION/AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARD INSTITUTE (AWWA/ANSI)
SPECIFICATION C153/A21.53, AND RATED FOR WATER WORKING PRESSURE
OF 350 PSI; AND 2) CERTAIN CDIW FITTINGS ACCESSORIES WHICH
TYPICALLY CONSIST OF A STANDARD DUCTILE IRON GLAND, A STYRENE
BUTADIENE RUBBER (SBR) GASKET, THE REQUISITE NUMBER OF COR-TEN
STEEL OR DUCTILE IRON T-HEAD BOLTS, AND HEXAGONAL NUTS, FOR
FITTINGS IN SIZES 3 TO 16 INCHES, CONFORMING TO AWWA/ANSI
SPECIFICATION C111/A21.11, AND RATED FOR WATER WORKING PRESSURE
OF 350 PSI. GASKETS, BOLTS AND NUTS ARE ONLY INCLUDED IF THEY ARE
IMPORTED AS AN ACCESSORY PACK WITH A GLAND. HOWEVER, GLANDS
IMPORTED SEPARATELY ARE INCLUDED IN THE SCOPE OF INVESTIGATION.

THE TYPES OF CDIW FITTINGS COVERED BY THIS INVESTIGATION ARE
COMPACT DUCTILE IRON MECHANICAL JOINT WATERWORKS FITTINGS AND
COMPACT DUCTILE IRON PUSH-ON JOINT WATERWORKS FITTINGS, BOTH OF
WHICH ARE USED FOR THE SAME APPLICATIONS. CDIW FITTINGS ARE USED
TO JOIN WATER MAIN PRESSURE PIPES, VALVES, OR HYDRANTS IN
STRAIGHT LINES, AND CHANGE, DIVERT, DIVIDE, OR DIRECT THE FLOW OF
RAW AND/OR TREATED WATER IN PIPING SYSTEMS. CDIW FITTINGS ATTACH
TO THE PIPE, VALVE, OR HYDRANT AT A JOINT AND ARE USED
PRINCIPALLY FOR MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS.
CDIW FITTINGS ACCESSORIES ARE USED TO JOIN MECHANICAL JOINT
CDIW FITTINGS TO PIPES. THE ACCESSORIES ENSURE THE COMPLETENESS
OF THE SEAL BETWEEN THE CDIW FITTING AND PIPE. MECHANICAL JOINT
FITTINGS MUST BE USED WITH CDIW ACCESORIES. PUSH-ON FITTINGS DO
NOT REQUIRE CDIW ACCESSORIES OTHER THAN A SBR GASKET.
CDIW FITTINGS ARE CLASSIFIABLE UNDER SUBHEADING 7307.19.30.00,
OF THE HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE OF THE UNITED STATES (HTSUS).
STANDARD DUCTILE IRON GLANDS ARE CLASSIFIABLE UNDER HTSUS
SUBHEADING 7325.99.10.00.3, STYRENE BUTADIENE RUBBER GASKETS ARE
CLASSIFIABLE UNDER HTSUS SUBHEADING 7318.15.20.90.2, AND
HEXAGONAL NUTS ARE CLASSIFIABLE UNDER HTSUS SUBHEADING
7318.16.00.00.4.
CDIW FITTINGS WITH NOMINAL DIAMETERS GREATER THAN 16 INCHES AND
THE ACCESSORIES USED WITH CDIW FITTINGS WITH NOMINAL DIAMETERS
GREATER THAN 16 INCHES, ARE SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE SCOPE
OF THIS INVESTIGATION. NONMALLEABLE CAST IRON FITTINGS (ALSO
CALLED GRAY IRON FITTINGS) AND FULL-BODIED DUCTILE FITTINGS ARE
ALSO SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE SCOPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION.
NONMALLEABLE CAST IRON FITTINGS HAVE LITTLE DUCTILITY AND ARE
GENERALLY RATED ONLY 150 TO 250 PSI. FULL-BODIED DUCTILE
FITTINGS HAVE A LONGER BODY DESIGN THAN A COMPACT FITTING BECAUSE
IN THE COMPACT DESIGN THE STRAIGHT SECTION OF THE BODY IS OMITTED
TO PROVIDE A MORE COMPACT AND LESS HEAVY FITTING WITHOUT REDUCING
STRENGTH OR FLOW CHARACTERISTICS. IN ADDITION, THE FULL-BODIED
DUCTILE FITTINGS ARE THICKER WALLED THAN THE COMPACT FITTINGS.
FULL-BODIED FITTINGS ARE MADE OF EITHER GRAY IRON OR DUCTILE
IRON, IN SIZES OF 3 TO 48 INCHES, CONFORM TO AWWA/ANSI
SPECIFICATION C110/C21.10, AND ARE RATED TO A MAXIMUM OF ONLY 250
PSI. IN ADDITION, COMPACT DUCTILE IRON FLANGED FITTINGS ARE
EXCLUDED FROM THE SCOPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION, AS THEY HAVE
SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS AND USES THAN CDIW
FITTINGS.
ALTHOUGH THE HTSUS SUBHEADINGS ARE PROVIDED FOR CONVENIENCE
AND CUSTOMS PURPOSES, OUR WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THE SCOPE OF
THIS INVESTIGATION IS DISPOSITIVE.

3. FOR FURTHER REPORTING PURPOSES, THIS CASE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED
THE FOLLOWING COMMERCE INVESTIGATION NUMBER: A-570-820.


4. FOR ALL EXPORTS OF CDIW FITTINGS AND ACCESSORIES THEREOF FROM
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE CUSTOMS SERVICE SHALL SUSPEND
LIQUIDATION OF SUCH MERCHANDISE THAT IS ENTERED, OR WITHDRAWN
FROM WAREHOUSE FOR CONSUMPTION ON OR AFTER FEBRUARY 18, 1993 AND
SHALL REQUIRE A CASH DEPOSIT OR POSTING OF A BOND EQUAL TO THE
APPROPRIATE ESTIMATED PRELIMINARY MARGIN PERCENTAGE LISTED BELOW:

MANUFACTURER/PRODUCER/ IDENTIFICATION NO. WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
EXPORTER MARGIN PERCENTAGE

ALL MANUFACTURERS/PRODUCERS/
EXPORTERS A-570-820-000 127.38%

5. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS MATTER BY CUSTOMS
OFFICERS, THEY SHOULD BE REFERRED TO THE IMPORT SPECIALIST
DIVISION, OTHER AGENCY BRANCH, CUSTOMS HEADQUARTERS BY E-MAIL
ATTRIBUTE "HQ OAB." THE IMPORTING PUBLIC AND OTHER INTERESTED
PARTIES SHOULD CONTACT JAMES TERPSTRA OF THE OFFICE OF
ANTIDUMPING INVESTIGATIONS, IMPORT ADMINISTRATION, INTERNATIONAL
TRADE ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,
TELEPHONE (202) 482-3965.

THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON THE RELEASE OF THIS INFORMATION.

NANCY MCTIERNAN