"If the ITC makes a final affirmative determination that imports were materially injuring, or threatening to materially injure, the domestic industry, the Department will issue an antidumping duty order and will instruct Customs to collect cash deposits on imports of subject merchandise"

The US Department of Commerce announced today its preliminary determination in the antidumping duty investigation of wooden bedroom furniture from the People's Republic of China (PRC).   The department determined that producers/exporters have sold wooden bedroom furniture from China in the U.S. market at less than fair value, with margins ranging from 4.90 percent to 198.08 percent.

According to the DOC, upon publication of the preliminary determination in the Federal Register, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Customs) will begin to suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise and to collect a bond or cash deposit based on the margins in the Department's preliminary determination.

Interested parties are invited to submit comments on this preliminary determination.   The Department will consider all submitted comments along with record evidence before making its final determination later this fall.   If the Department makes a final affirmative determination, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to make its final injury determination on or about December 20, 2004.   If the ITC makes a final affirmative determination that imports were materially injuring, or threatening to materially injure, the domestic industry, the Department will issue an antidumping duty order and will instruct Customs to collect cash deposits on imports of subject merchandise.  

The petition requesting this investigation was filed by the American Furniture Manufacturers Committee for Legal Trade and its individual members and the Cabinet Makers, Millmen, and Industrial Carpenters Local 721, UBC Southern Council of Industrial Worker's Local Union 2305, United Steel Workers of American Local 193U, Carpenters Industrial Union Local 2093, and Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helper Local 991, on behalf of the domestic industry and workers producing wooden bedroom furniture.  

Mandatory Respondents:  Given its limited resources and the extraordinary scope and complexity of the investigation, the Department selected seven mandatory respondents in this investigation.   These seven companies, which are listed along with their respective preliminary dumping margins, below, represent roughly 40 percent of all imports of wooden bedroom furniture from China to the United States.

Preliminary Dumping Margins: