WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2007 -- Significant antidumping duties on imports of steam activated carbon from China were announced today by the U.S. government, according to U.S. producers of the product.
The U.S. Department of Commerce imposed the final duties ranging between 62.08% and 228.11% as a result of an anti-dumping petition filed in March 2006 by Pittsburgh-based Calgon Carbon Corp. and NORIT Americas Inc., Marshall, TX. The duties, collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, could be imposed for up to five years if the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determines that the domestic industry is being injured by the massive dumping.
An affirmative ITC decision will initiate the prompt application of the duties, which are intended to offset the amount by which activated carbon imports from China are sold at less than fair value in the United States. The ITC vote is scheduled for March 29, 2007.
John Stanik, Calgon Carbon's president and chief executive officer commented, "We are very pleased with today's announcement and look forward to the market moving toward fair prices that more accurately reflect both demand and manufacturing costs for our products."
Ron Thompson, president of NORIT Americas Inc., Marshall, Texas, stated, "With today's final determination, we are optimistic that fair pricing and competition will return to the marketplace."
"The volume of low-priced imports of activated carbon from China, entering at prices that are the lowest in the market and that consistently and substantially undersell domestic producers, have caused material injury to U.S. producers," said David A. Hartquist, lead counsel to the petitioners. "The domestic industry needs imports to be fairly priced to prevent further erosion of profitability."
Typical uses of steam activated carbon include removing objectionable tastes and odors from drinking water; reducing organic compounds in waste water; removing color and impurities from foods and chemicals; and removing mercury and dioxins from flue gas emissions.
David A. Hartquist is head of the International Trade and Customs Practice of Kelley Drye Collier Shannon in Washington, D.C.
NORIT Americas Inc. (www.norit-americas.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of NORIT N.V. of the Netherlands, a world leader in purification technologies established in 1918. It has provided purification solutions since the early 1920s from its headquarters and activated carbon manufacturing facility in Marshall, TX, and manufacturing and reactivation facilities in Pryor, OK. It's the world's largest producer of activated carbon and related services with over 150 different grades of activated carbon produced from peat, wood, lignite coal, bituminous coal, and coconut and olive pits.
Calgon Carbon Corp. (www.calgoncarbon.com), with headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA, is a global leader in services and solutions for making air and water cleaner and safer.
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Also see:
-- "Calgon Carbon delays release of financial results"
-- "Norit Americas Inc. hikes prices"
-- "U.S. government imposes preliminary duties on activated carbon from China"
-- "U.S. activated carbon industry charges China with unfair trade practices"
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