U.S. Producers of Carbon Steel Flanges, Weldbend Corporation and Boltex Mfg. Co., File Trade Petitions Against India, Spain and Italy

June 30, 2016 | By Business Wire News

ARGO, Ill. & HOUSTON

Two leading producers of carbon steel flanges, Weldbend Corporation (“Weldbend”) and Boltex Mfg. Co. (“Boltex”), today filed petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and International Trade Commision (ITC) charging that unfairly priced and subsidized imports of carbon steel flanges from India, Spain and Italy are causing material injury to the domestic industry.

The antidumping and countervailing petitions seek the enforcement and compliance of Indian, Spanish and Italian manufacturers with U.S. and international trade laws. Boltex and Weldbend charge that unfairly traded imports of carbon steel flanges from India, Spain, and Italy are causing material injury to the American industry of carbon steel flanges, as these foreign producers are selling their products in the American market at prices that are less than their fair value and are thereby significantly undercutting American market prices.

The countervailing duty petition also alleges that the Indian government has given significant subsidies to the Indian carbon steel flanges industry – to the severe detriment of American jobs and manufacturing.

“Together with Boltex, we are filing these petitions on behalf of American producers to offset the unfair advantage that Indian, Italian and Spanish producers have gained through actions that are in contravention of the law,” said James J. Coulas, Jr, owner and president of Weldbend Corporation.

“The prices at which these foreign-made flanges are coming into the U.S. market are unbelievably low, and they are consistently undercutting us.We can compete with anyone, as long as that competition takes place on a level playing field.However, it’s impossible for these flanges to be considered fairly priced,” said Frank Bernobich, president and chairman of the board of Boltex

American manufacturers have been increasingly injured by the unfair competition occurring in the U.S. carbon steel flanges market and American manufacturing jobs are being lost as a result.

The Subject Merchandise

The products covered by the petitions, carbon steel flanges, are forged rings of steel designed to join two sections of a piping system or to start a piping system from a pressure vessel, valve, or any other integrally flanged assembly.

The Procedure

The ITC generally initiates its investigations within days of filing a petition, while the DOC should initiate its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations within 20 days of filing of the domestic industry’s petition. The ITC’s preliminary injury determination is expected on August 15, 2016, and the DOC is anticipated to issue its preliminary countervailing duty determination by late September and its preliminary antidumping determinations by early December. After the issuance of DOC’s preliminary determinations, importers of covered Indian, Spanish and Italian carbon steel flanges will be required to make cash deposits in the amount of the DOC’s preliminary antidumping and countervailing duty margins. A final determination is expected within 75 days from the preliminary determinations.

About Weldbend Corporation

Weldbend is the industry leader with over 60 years of performance- proven reputation. Weldbend pioneered advance techniques and designed equipment uniquely capable of producing only the finest carbon steel weld flange and weld fitting products. From start to finish, Weldbend strives to be “The Standard” to which weld fittings and weld flanges are manufactured, stored, organized, and shipped. Weldbend manufactures stock for large inventories and prompt and precise shipments.

As a family business, Weldbend is committed to delivering a level of service and product that achieves complete customer satisfaction. Weldbend’s precision accuracy in machining and manufacturing makes it a prime source of fittings and flanges from ½” through 60” sizes. Further information about Weldbend can be found at www.weldbend.com.

About Boltex Mfg. Co., L.P.

Boltex is a vertically-integrated manufacturer of quality, American-made forged steel flanges for the oil and gas, petrochemical, transmission, engineering and construction industries. Our products are sold exclusively through wholesale distributors. This integrated approach allows Boltex to manage our in-house forging, heat treatment, metallurgical testing and robotic machining processes and thereby ensure the delivery of only the highest quality domestic flanges.

The Boltex commitment to quality is matched only by our on-time delivery performance made possible by our extensive finished flange and rough forging inventories. Further information about Boltex can be found at www.boltex.com.

Weldbend Corporation
6600 South Harlem Avenue
Argo, IL 60501-1930

Boltex Mfg. Co., L.P.
4901 Oates Road
Houston, TX 77013