United States Commerce Department ruled preliminarily on Oct. 26, 2026, that Perfiles LM keeps its former name’s anti-dumping deposit rate.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Department of Commerce ruled on Oct. 26, 2026, that Mexican steel tube maker Perfiles LM should keep its old name’s anti-dumping rate.<\/p>\n
Commerce’s International Trade Administration published the finding in the Federal Register as a combined start and preliminary result of a review1<\/a><\/sup>. The review covers the anti-dumping duty order on heavy-walled rectangular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from Mexico1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n In short, the company’s shipments should face the same duty deposit as before the name change. The change only fixes which name the deposit rate is attached to at the U.S. border.<\/p>\n Commerce found, for now, that Perfiles LM, S.A. de C.V. (PLM) is the successor-in-interest<\/strong> to Perfiles y Herrajes LM, S.A. de C.V. (PyH)1<\/a><\/sup>. A successor-in-interest is a company that takes the place of an earlier one and is treated as the same business.<\/p>\n This means PLM should receive the same anti-dumping cash deposit rate as PyH1<\/a><\/sup>. An anti-dumping duty is an extra import tax on goods sold abroad below their normal price. A cash deposit is the money an importer pays at entry to cover that duty.<\/p>\n The finding is preliminary. Commerce has invited interested parties to comment before it issues final results1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n On Aug. 19, 2026, PLM told Commerce it had changed its name from PyH to PLM1<\/a><\/sup>. The name change took effect on July 11, 2017<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. PLM asked Commerce to confirm it was the successor so that its deposits and duty liabilities would be set correctly1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The company used a procedure called a changed circumstances review. Commerce runs this kind of review when a party shows that facts have changed enough to look again at an order1<\/a><\/sup>. Commerce has used such reviews in the past after a company changed its name or structure, for example through a merger or a spinoff1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The name matters at the border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the border agency, applies duty rates to named producers and exporters. A shipment under a new company name could otherwise be treated as coming from a firm without its own rate.<\/p>\n Commerce did not accept the request at first. On Sept. 3, 2026, it declined to start the review and asked for more information1<\/a><\/sup>. It wanted details on any changes in management, production plants, customers and suppliers1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Commerce sent PLM a further questionnaire, and PLM answered on Sept. 21, 2026<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>. No other interested party commented on the request1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n To decide whether one company is the successor of another, Commerce looks at several factors1<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n No single factor decides the case. Commerce generally treats the new company as the successor if its operation is not materially different from the old one1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Commerce said the request rests only on a change of the company’s name1<\/a><\/sup>. The evidence showed PLM is otherwise the same business as PyH1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The name change did not bring significant changes in management, ownership, production, plants, suppliers or customers1<\/a><\/sup>. Commerce also found no sign of significant changes in the company’s operations, ownership or legal structure during the relevant period1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Because the record already held enough information, Commerce chose a faster route. Its rules allow it to combine the start of a review and the preliminary results when quick action is justified1<\/a><\/sup>. It did so in this case1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The order covers heavy steel tubes with a rectangular or square cross section, welded from carbon steel. They must have a nominal wall thickness of not less than 4 mm<\/strong>2<\/a><\/sup>. The goods include, but are not limited to, tubes made to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) A-500, grade B specification, or similar standards2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\nWhat did Commerce decide about Perfiles LM?<\/h2>\n
Why did the Mexican pipe maker ask for a review?<\/h2>\n
How did Commerce test the name change?<\/h2>\n
Steps in the Perfiles LM case<\/h4>\n
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What did the evidence show?<\/h2>\n
Which steel pipes and tubes are covered?<\/h2>\n
What makes a tube covered by the order<\/h4>\n