International Trade Law News

Published by Jacobson Burton Kelley PLLC

Today the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) announced the final determination in the antidumping duty investigation on wooden bedroom furniture from China. DOC found that Chinese producers/exporters sold wooden bedroom furniture to their U.S. customers at less than fair value, with margins ranging from de minimis to 198.08% for the seven individually investigated mandatory respondents (see rates below), 8.64% for the 115 companies qualifying for a “separate rate” (down from 12.91% in the second amended preliminary determination) and a PRC-wide rate of 198.08% applicable to "all other" importers. In most cases, these rates were lower than the rates found in the preliminary and amended preliminary determinations announced in June and July.

The rates for the seven mandatory respondents (comprising 35% of all imports) were as follows:

• Rui Feng Woodwork Co., Ltd., Rui Feng Lumber Development Co., Ltd., and Dorbest Limited (collectively, Dorbest Group) = 16.70% (up from 11.85% in the amended preliminary)
  
• Starcorp Furniture (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Orin Furniture (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Starcorp Furniture Co., Ltd. (collectively, Starcorp) = 15.24% (down from 30.52% in the amended preliminary)
  
• Tech Lane Wood Mfg. and Kee Jia Wood Mfg. (collectively, TechLane) = 198.08% (up from 29.72% in the amended preliminary)
  
• Dongguan Lung Dong Furniture Co., Ltd. and Dongguan Dong He Furniture Co., Ltd (Dongguan Lung Dong) = 2.22% (down from 7.04% in the preliminary)
  
• Lacquer Craft Manufacturing Company, Ltd. (Lacquer Craft) = 6.95% (up fro 4.90% in the preliminary)
  
• Markor International Furniture (Tianjin) Manufacture Co., Ltd.(Markor Tianjin) = 0.79% (de minimis) (down from 8.38% in the preliminary)
  
• Shing Mark Enterprise Co., Ltd., Carven Industries Limited (BVI), Carven Industries Limited (HK), Dongguan Zhenzin Furniture Co.,Ltd., and Dongguan Yongpeng Furniture Co., Ltd. (Shing Mark) = 5.07% (down from 6.59% in the preliminary)
  

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to issue its final injury determination on December 23, 2004. If the ITC finds that a U.S. industry is injured or threatened with material injury as a result of imports of wooden bedroom furniture from the PRC, the Department will issue an antidumping order and will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits on entries of subject merchandise at the applicable dumping duty rate.

Today the ITC held a hearing in the final phase antidumping investigation on wooden bedroom furniture from China. The list of witnesses testifying at today's hearing can be found at the following link: www.usitc.gov/er/wl/wl1_1108.pdf. Company executives from major U.S. retailing businesses, including Rooms To Go, Havertys and JCPenney told the ITC of how wooden bedroom imports -- based on quality, style and price -- have actually expanded the furniture market. They also discussed how the antidumping petition will not bring back any U.S. jobs, as petitioners have suggested.