The U.S. Sets Anti-dumping Duties on Chinese Wood Flooring

The decision is a victory for U.S. manufacturers Anderson Hardwood Floors, Award Hardwood Floors and Shaw Industries Group, who make easy-to-assemble wood floor planks like those sold at U.S. retailers Home Depot and Lowe's.

Earlier this year, the Commerce Department set preliminary countervailing duties of up to 27.01 percent on the same wood products to offset Chinese government subsidies.

In both cases, the Commerce Department did not set any anti-dumping duties on Chinese wood flooring supplied by Zhejiang Yuhua Timber Co and Zhejiang Layo Wood Industry Co.

It set a 10.88 percent duty on the Samling Group and 73 other Chinese producers or exporters. All other Chinese wood flooring companies face an 82.65 percent anti-dumping duty in addition to any countervailing duty previously announced.

U.S. imports of wood flooring from China total nearly US$120 million in 2009, down from US$148 million in 2008.

U.S. manufacturers said the U.S. recession was the cause of the decline and have argued that without protective duties China was positioned to grab a bigger share of the U.S. market as the economy recovered.

The Commerce Department will issue its final decision on duty levels in August.