Commerce finds dumping of Vietnamese copper tube would likely resume at up to 8.35% if the 2021 order ended

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 07:58:31 -0500

The Commerce Department found that ending its antidumping duty order on seamless refined copper pipe and tube from Vietnam would likely bring back dumping at margins up to 8.35%. An antidumping duty is an extra duty on imports that Commerce finds are sold in the United States below fair value, and the dumping margin is that gap as a percentage of the price. The finding, published in the Federal Register on October 28, 2026, completes Commerce’s part of the first five-year review of the order, which took effect on August 13, 2021. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) runs a separate review of whether ending the order would likely lead to renewed injury to U.S. producers.

Commerce ran the review on an expedited 120-day schedule. A trade association whose members make the tube in the United States filed a full response, and Commerce received no substantive response from any Vietnamese producer, exporter or other respondent party.

What the import data show

Before the case, Vietnam was the largest foreign source of this tube. Census Bureau trade data show 29,092 metric tons of refined copper tube imported from Vietnam in 2020, 39.9% of the 72,848 tons that entered the United States under the two tariff numbers the order names. In 2021 the figure was 373 tons, or 0.5%. In 2025 it was 340 tons, 0.4% of the total.

The drop came within the investigation itself. Imports from Vietnam reached 6,537 tons in October 2020, two months after Commerce published the start of its investigation on August 4, 2020. They fell to 15 tons in November and to none from January through March 2021. Commerce’s preliminary determination came on February 1, 2021, and the order makes entries from that date subject to the duty.

Copper tube imports from Vietnam fell from 6,537 tons in October 2020 to 15 tons a month later

U.S. general imports of refined copper tubes and pipes (HTS 7411.10.1030 and 7411.10.1090), metric tons, monthly, January 2018 to August 2026

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. August 2026 is the latest month published. Source: api.census.gov

Total imports stayed near the 2020 level as other countries shipped more. The United States imported 71,679 tons in 2021, close to the 2020 total, and 90,547 tons in 2022, the most in the eight years shown. By 2025 South Korea supplied 21.0% of the tonnage, Thailand 19.8%, Canada 14.8% and Germany 11.0%.

The six largest sources of U.S. refined copper tube imports by weight, 2020 and 2025, HTS 7411.10.1030 and 7411.10.1090. Shares are of all imports in the year.
Rank	2020 source	2020 metric tons	2020 share (%)	2025 source	2025 metric tons	2025 share (%)
1	Vietnam	29092	39.9	South Korea	16067	21.0
2	Canada	13255	18.2	Thailand	15181	19.8
3	South Korea	7610	10.4	Canada	11351	14.8
4	Mexico	4706	6.5	Germany	8438	11.0
5	Thailand	4516	6.2	Brazil	5742	7.5
6	Greece	3078	4.2	Mexico	5225	6.8

Source: api.census.gov

Customs value per kilogram rose from $7.79 in 2020 to $11.69 in 2025. The Census Bureau’s customs value is the price paid for the goods, before U.S. duties, freight and insurance, and an average per kilogram moves with the copper price and with the mix of products and countries.

U.S. general imports of refined copper tube, HTS 7411.10.1030 and 7411.10.1090, by year. Average value is customs value divided by weight.
Year	All imports (metric tons)	From Vietnam (metric tons)	Vietnam share of tons (%)	All imports ($ million)	Average value ($ per kg)
2018	59009	18316	31.0	489.6	8.30
2019	60716	20246	33.3	483.2	7.96
2020	72848	29092	39.9	567.8	7.79
2021	71679	373	0.5	808.2	11.28
2022	90547	1133	1.3	1047.0	11.56
2023	64158	150	0.2	711.6	11.09
2024	82374	717	0.9	940.6	11.42
2025	76504	340	0.4	894.1	11.69

Source: api.census.gov

Imports so far this year are well below 2025. From January through August 2026 they came to 36,803 tons, 39.0% less than in the same months of 2025, and their customs value fell 24.4% to $529.7 million. Those months all fall under the Section 232 copper tariff described below. The trade figures do not separate the effect of the tariff from other causes.

U.S. general imports of refined copper tube, January through August of each year, HTS 7411.10.1030 and 7411.10.1090.
Year	January to August imports (metric tons)	From Vietnam (metric tons)	January to August imports ($ million)
2019	43158	15145.2	344.5
2020	46413	19194.9	343.1
2021	44520	181.9	491.9
2022	64572	1008.9	767.6
2023	43872	71.0	491.6
2024	56212	486.4	636.3
2025	60361	313.2	700.3
2026	36803	402.6	529.7

Source: api.census.gov

What the order covers

The order covers seamless circular refined copper pipe and tube at least 6 inches long and less than 12.130 inches in outside diameter, whatever the wall thickness, bore, finish, coating or insulation, straight or coiled. The scope names tube made to ASTM specifications including B88, the standard for copper water tube, and B280, the standard for air-conditioning and refrigeration field service tube. It also covers line sets, the paired copper tubes that connect an outdoor air conditioner or heat pump to the indoor coil, with or without fittings and insulation.

Refined copper here means metal of at least 99.85% copper, or at least 97.5% copper with limits on each other element. The order lists tariff numbers 7411.10.1030 and 7411.10.1090, and says covered tube may also enter under four others, including two for air-conditioner parts. Commerce states that the written description, not the tariff number, decides what is covered.

The 2021 order set the same estimated dumping margin, 8.35%, for the three exporters it named and for all other Vietnamese exporters. Customs collects a cash deposit at that rate when the tube enters, and the final duty is assessed later on Commerce’s instructions.

Estimated weighted-average dumping margins in the 2021 antidumping duty order on seamless refined copper pipe and tube from Vietnam.
Exporter and producer	Dumping margin in the 2021 order (%)
Hailiang (Vietnam) Copper Manufacturing Company Limited / Hongkong Hailiang Metal Trading Limited	8.35
Jintian Copper Industrial (Vietnam) Company Limited	8.35
Toan Phat Copper Tube Joint Stock Company	8.35
All other exporters (Vietnam-wide entity)	8.35

Source: federalregister.gov

How the duties stack

The antidumping order applies only to tube from Vietnam. The Section 232 copper tariff applies to imports from every country. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 lets the president adjust imports that threaten national security. Proclamation 10962 put a 50% tariff on semi-finished copper products from August 1, 2025, and its annex lists subheading 7411.10.10, the refined copper tube in this case. The proclamation says the tariff is in addition to any other duties unless it states otherwise. Proclamation 11021 lists the same tube in its Annex I-A, at 50% of the full customs value from April 6, 2026.

The antidumping case on copper pipe and tube from Vietnam and the Section 232 copper tariff, by date of publication or effect.
Date	Step
2020-08-04	Commerce publishes the start of its antidumping investigation
2021-02-01	Commerce publishes its preliminary determination; duties can apply to entries from this date
2021-06-24	Commerce publishes its final determination of sales at less than fair value
2021-08-05	The ITC notifies Commerce that imports injured the U.S. industry
2021-08-13	Commerce publishes the antidumping duty order
2025-08-01	Section 232 tariff of 50% on semi-finished copper products takes effect
2026-04-06	Proclamation 11021 sets the copper tariff at 50% of full customs value for Annex I-A articles
2026-07-02	Commerce and the ITC publish the start of the first five-year review
2026-10-28	Commerce publishes its final results: dumping likely to continue at up to 8.35%

Source: federalregister.gov

What to ask on a copper tube quote

Ask the supplier for the country of origin of the tube or line set, and whether the price includes the Section 232 duty. On tube from Vietnam, also ask whether it includes the antidumping cash deposit, and who is the importer of record, since that company owes the duties.
If you import tube yourself, a customs broker can confirm the tariff number, the cash deposit rate in force for the exporter and how the two duties apply to an entry. A trade attorney can advise on whether a product falls inside the scope.
Ask which copper price and which date a tube quote is built on, and how many days the quote holds.

Caveats

The ITC’s determination in its review had not appeared in the Federal Register when it was checked on November 2, 2026, so whether the order continues for another five years is still open. Commerce’s 8.35% is the margin it finds likely to prevail without the order. It matches the rate in the 2021 order, and the notice reports no new price comparison.

The Census figures are general imports under the two tariff numbers, as published when checked on November 2, 2026, and can be revised. They include tube from every country and leave out covered tube that enters under other numbers, such as line sets classified as air-conditioner parts. Customs value is before duties, freight and the distributor’s markup, so it says little about the price of a particular order, which also carries cutting, freight and any surcharge.

Tariffs and trade | Shark Metals

Commerce finds dumping of Vietnamese copper tube would likely resume at up to 8.35% if the 2021 order ended

What the import data show

What the order covers

How the duties stack

What to ask on a copper tube quote

Caveats