Commerce imposes import duties on aluminum solar racking from 14 countries

On Friday, the U.S. Dept. of Commerce made final determinations that producers in 14 countries — China, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam — have sold, dumped and subsidized aluminum extrusions into the United States in violation of international trade rules. As a result, Commerce has imposed antidumping duties at rates ranging from 2.02% up to 376.85%, and countervailing duties at rates ranging from 1.44% up to 168.81%.

Commerce has included extruded solar panel racking rails within the group of products affected by these impending import duties. This includes imported aluminum solar panel mounting systems, which fall into the subassembly category within these duties, and solar tracker assemblies. Additionally, electric vehicle battery trays and charging station parts or assemblies are included in subject merchandise.

Aluminum framing on imported solar modules will not be affected by these trade duties.

These antidumping/countervailing duty (AD/CVD) cases were filed on behalf of the U.S. Aluminum Extruders Coalition, a coalition of 14 aluminum extruders in the United States, and the USW.

“These final determinations are another key step in remedying the harm caused by illegal dumping by foreign producers of aluminum extrusions, many of which have also benefited from unfair subsidies,” said Robert DeFrancesco, trade counsel to the U.S. Aluminum Extruders Coaltion and the USW, and a partner in the International Trade Practice at Wiley Rein LLP. “The U.S. industry looks forward to relief from these unfairly traded imports when the U.S. International Trade Commission issues its final determination in November 2024.”

These new anti-dumping/countervailing duties will receive a final assessment a year following Friday’s determination. The initial determinations set a cash deposit rate for these duties, and this final administrative review process from Commerce could increase those rates, requiring U.S. importers to pay retroactive duties.

News item from the U.S. Aluminum Extruders Council