The International Trade Commission recently voted unanimously in favor of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry and the Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute (CISPI) in their antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petition against imports of cast iron soil pipe fittings from the People’s Republic of China. Charlotte Pipe and CISPI filed the initial AD/CVD case with the ITC in July of 2017.

As part of the investigation, the U.S. Department of Commerce determined that Chinese exporters had undersold cast iron soil pipe fittings in the United States in a range of 22% to 360% less than fair value. Commerce also determined that China provides countervailable subsidies to its producers of cast iron soil pipe fittings at rates ranging from 7% to 134%t. The AD/CVD duties or penalties to counteract these unfair trade practices will go into effect immediately. 

“We are thrilled with winning this case so that we can protect American jobs against unfair trade practices,” said Roddey Dowd, Jr., CEO of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry.  “We finally have a presidential administration in Washington that is serious about enforcing existing U.S. trade law.  For my entire career at Charlotte Pipe, we have had presidents of both parties ignore the brazen cheating from the Chinese.  Those days are over.”

In addition to the fittings case, Charlotte Pipe and CISPI filed a similar AD/CVD case against Chinese producers of cast iron soil pipe on Jan. 26, 2018.  That investigation by the Commerce Department is proceeding.

Charlotte Pipe has seven plant locations across the United States and employs more than 1,400 associates. The company has been in continuous operation for 117 years and remains privately held.