Synalloy, others seek dumping duties on Indian steel pipes

(Reuters) - Steel products maker Synalloy Corp and its U.S. competitors have urged regulators to apply anti-dumping duties on welded stainless pressure pipes from India, the company said.

Imports of the pipes from India have increased at an "unbelievable rate" over the past three years at prices well below U.S. market prices, Synalloy said on Wednesday.

Synalloy's unit Bristol Metals LLC, along with Felker Brothers Corp, Outokumpu Stainless Pipe Inc and Marcegaglia USA, has petitioned the Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to take action.

Welded stainless pressure pipe imports from India jumped to 12,101 tons from 281 tons between 2012 and 2014.

ITC is required to make a preliminary ruling on the companies' petition within 45 days.

The Commerce Department will likely issue preliminary duty rulings in early 2016, with final rulings by both agencies due by late 2016, the company said.

A group of U.S. steel pipe producers had sought duties in July on imports of a certain type of welded carbon steel pipes from South Korea, Mexico and Turkey.

On Sept. 3, U.S. officials said they found reasonable evidence U.S. producers of steel pipes and tubes are injured by these imports, taking the complaint a step closer to import duties.

(Reporting by Amrutha Gayathri in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey and Don Sebastian)