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Export's Dura-Bond takes partial credit for Trump's tariffs on steel, aluminum imports

Stephen Huba
gtrDuraBond1021817
Jared Wickerham | For The Tribune-Review
End grinder Joe Ashbaugh works inside the fusion epoxy mill at the Dura-Bond Coating facility in Duquesne in 2017.

An Export-based steel pipe producer is taking credit, at least partially, for President Trump's decision to impose stiff tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Dura-Bond Industries belongs to the American Line Pipe Producers Association, a coalition that sent a letter to Trump in September asking him to impose tariffs and take other actions to end the glut of foreign steel flooding the U.S. market.

"I do believe that our coalition letter was a major reason for the president's action," Dura-Bond President Jason Norris said in an email to the Tribune-Review. "We support President Trump's action … as the first step in bringing manufacturing back to the U.S."

Norris, who did not attend Thursday's signing ceremony at the White House, said he was "discouraged" that Canada was exempted from Trump's order.

"They are one of the worst offenders in our industry by shipping their excess capacity to the U.S. at dumped prices," he said.

Another country the coalition has singled out for criticism is China. In the 2017 letter, the coalition said Chinese producers had flooded the U.S. market with cheap steel and consequently hurt domestic producers such as Dura-Bond.

The company makes and coats large-diameter steel pipe mostly for use by the oil and gas industry at facilities in Export, Duquesne, McKeesport and Steelton.

The letter asked Trump to take action under the seldom-used Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. That provision authorizes the commerce secretary to investigate whether imports are having an adverse impact on national security.

In February, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross released a report saying he agreed with the pipe producers and recommending that Trump impose tariffs on steel and aluminum under Section 232.

Trump's action was welcomed by steelworkers and the Pittsburgh-based United Steelworkers, but criticized by Republicans in Congress who fear a counterproductive "trade war." It takes effect in 15 days.

On another front, Dura-Bond and four other producers have asked the Commerce Department to take action against six countries that import large-diameter welded pipe — Canada, China, Greece, India, South Korea and Turkey.

Producers from those countries are accused of "dumping" steel pipe in the United States — that is, selling the product at less than fair value — and of receiving unfair subsidies from foreign governments.

The Commerce Department's antidumping and countervailing duty investigations will continue now that the U.S. International Trade Commission has found in favor of the petitioners.

"The Commerce Department will now investigate and impose preliminary dumping duties by this summer. Final determination will come later this year, and we are confident we will be vindicated," Norris said.

"We have said many times we are not against trade, only unfair trade," he said.

Stephen Huba is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-850-1280, shuba@tribweb.com or via Twitter @shuba_trib.