US to slap anti-dumping duties on Chinese, Vietnamese wind towers

Jul 30, 2012 - A preliminary decision of the US Department of Commerce (DoC) calls for the imposition of anti-dumping duties on utility-scale wind tower imports from China and Vietnam of up to 73% and 60%, respectively.

DoC said Friday its anti-dumping duty preliminary investigation found that Chinese manufacturers sold towers in the US at dumping margins of between 20.85% and 72.69%, while Vietnamese sector player -- at margins of 52.67% to 59.91%.

Among Chinese exporters, Chengxi Shipyard Co Ltd got a preliminary dumping margin of 30.93%, Titan Wind Energy Suzhou Co Ltd (SHE:002531) of 20.85%, three other companies -- CS Wind Corp, Guodian United Power Technology Baoding Co Ltd and Sinovel Wind Group Co Ltd (SHA:601558) -- of 26.25% and all other Chinese firms got a rate of 72.69%. In Vietnam, CS Wind received a margin of 52.67%, while all other companies -- 59.91%.

The investigation was triggered by a complaint by the Wind Tower Trade Coalition, which groups Broadwind Towers Inc, DMI Industries, Katana Summit LLC and Trinity Structural Towers Inc. DoC is set to make a final decision in December. Whether it will issue anti-dumping duty orders will also depend on the final decision of the US International Trade Commission, due in February next year.

In May DoC unveiled plans for tariffs of as much as 26% on towers from China as a compensation for government subsidies.

In 2011, the US imported an estimated USD 222 million (EUR 181m) of Chinese utility-scale wind towers, according to the announcement, while Vietnamese imports were valued at USD 79 million.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.815)

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