US trade panel OKs duties on China aluminum goods

U.S. duties on certain aluminum goods from China can go forward after a trade panel decided Thursday that U.S. aluminum producers were being threatened by the imports.

The International Trade Commission voted to back countervailing and antidumping duties on most imports of aluminum extrusions from China, with the exception of finished heat sinks. Extrusions are shapes squeezed out of aluminum alloys and often used in construction, as well as a number of other commercial products.

That clears the way for Commerce to start imposing antidumping duties of between 32.79% and 33.28%, having determined the imports from China are being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value. In retaliation for alleged government subsidization in the production or exportation of the goods, it also plans to impose countervailing duties of 8.02% to 374.15%.

Commerce estimates that China sold about $502.9 million worth of aluminum extrusions in the U.S. last year, down from $513.6 million in 2009.

The decision is a victory for U.S. groups that had pushed the case, including the United Steelworkers union and a number of aluminum companies that sought redress as part of the Aluminum Extrusions Fair Trade Committee.