Senators press U.S. administration on China aluminum extrusion duties

The U.S. senators on November 18, Wednesday, urged the Obama administration to enforce duties on Chinese aluminium extrusions, the latest call for government action as the U.S. industry escalated calls to curb subsidized imports of the metal.

In a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske, the senators accused Chinese extruders of evading antidumping and countervailing duties.

The duties were imposed in 2011 on Chinese-made extrusions, which are shaped by forcing liquid aluminium through an opening in a die, for use in products ranging from car parts to window panes. U.S. companies accuse Chinese exporters of mislabeling their products to evade duties.

Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and Rob Portman, a Republican, wrote the letter, which was signed by 10 other senators.

"We urge you to take action to fully enforce the orders and ensure the viability of the U.S. aluminium extrusion industry," the letter read, highlighting four Ohio extrusion companies the senators said had been harmed by the alleged duty evasion.

Last month the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) filed a petition with the Commerce Department accusing Zhongwang Group, a large Chinese aluminium extruder, of evading U.S. countervailing and antidumping duties and asking for an investigation. The Department has until December 7 to initiate a probe.

Century Aluminum, which operates three U.S. primary alumiinum smelters and is controlled by Swiss trader and miner Glencore Plc, has launched an aggressive campaign to fight Chinese aluminium exports. The effort has drawn the support of the United Steelworkers union.

Century plans to idle its Mount Holly, South Carolina smelter at the end of the year if it does not obtain a favorable power deal. Alcoa Inc has said it plans to idle three of its four active U.S. smelters by the end of the first quarter of next year due to low alumiinum prices.