June 14, 2023
News Release 23-055
Inv. No(s). 701-TA-682 and 731-TA-1592
Contact: Lawrence Jones, 202-205-1819
CORRECTED--CERTAIN FREIGHT RAIL COUPLERS FROM CHINA INJURE U.S. INDUSTRY, SAYS USITC

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of certain imports of freight rail couplers and parts thereof from China that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value and subsidized by the Government of China.

Commissioners Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Jason E. Kearns, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the affirmative. Chairman David S. Johanson voted in the negative. Commissioner Randolph J. Stayin did not participate.

As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, Commerce will issue antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of this product from China. 

The Commission also made a negative critical circumstances finding with respect to imports of this product from China. As a result, these imports will not be subject to retroactive antidumping or countervailing duties. 

The Commission’s public report, Certain Freight Rail Couplers and Parts Thereof from China (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-682 and 731-TA-1592 (Final), USITC Publication 5438, July 2023) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

The report will be available by July 31, 2023; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: https://www.usitc.gov/commission_publications_library.

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20436

FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Certain Freight Rail Couplers and Parts Thereof from China
Investigation Nos: 701-TA-682 and 731-TA-1592 (Final)

Product Description: Certain freight rail couplers and parts thereof ("FRCs") are metal structures used to connect freight rail cars together. FRCs are comprised of two main metal components: knuckles and coupler bodies; in addition to ancillary parts (e.g., coupler locks, coupler lock lifters, knuckle pins, knuckle throwers, and rotors). Knuckles are typically metal castings in the shape of a hook that pivot on a vertical hinge between a "locked" and an "unlocked" position to allow for interlocking with knuckles of adjacent FRCs. Coupler bodies are a metal casting that hold the knuckle and allow it to pivot. FRCs are designed to connect two freight cars together by automatically interlocking the knuckles of both freight rail coupler systems when the freight cars are pushed together.

Status of Proceedings:

  1. Type of investigation:  Final antidumping and countervailing duty investigations
  2. Petitioners:  McConway and Torley, LLC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; United Steel, Paper & Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC
  3. USITC Institution Date:  Wednesday, September 28, 2022
  4. USITC Hearing Date:  Thursday, May 18, 2023
  5. USITC Vote Date:  Wednesday, June 14, 2023
  6. USITC Notification to Commerce Date:  Monday, July 03, 2023

U.S. Industry in 2022:

  1. Number of U.S. producers:  2
  2. Location of producers’ plants:  Illinois and Pennsylvania
  3. Production and related workers:  1
  4. U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments:  1
  5. Apparent U.S. consumption:  1
  6. Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption:  1

U.S. Imports in 2022:

  1.  Subject imports:  1
  2. Nonsubject imports:  1
  3. Leading import sources:  China and Mexico
     

1 Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.

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