Modular Cabinets Covered by AD/CVD Orders on Wooden Cabinets From China, Commerce Rules
Certain wooden cabinets imported by RST Brands are subject to antidumping duty and countervailing duty orders on wooden cabinets and vanities and components thereof from China, the Commerce Department said in an Aug. 25 scope ruling.
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The products the department considered were cabinet pieces -- wall cabinets, doors, bodies, work surfaces and accessories -- making up “a modular organizational system comprised of panels and attachment accessories.” The products had a “click-in design” allowing them to be reconfigured into multiple arrangements.
The AD/CVD orders cover wooden cabinets and vanities meant for “permanent installation,” as well as wooden components thereof. They defined cabinets and vanities as “consist[ing] of a cabinet box” sometimes combined with “a frame, door, drawers and/or shelves.”
The importer argued during the proceeding that its products weren’t meant for permanent installation because they didn’t have “backs or rear walls.” It noted that its cabinets weren’t designed to be “anchored to a wall” and that they instead “rest in place through gravity, and can be moved simply by being picked up.”
In its ruling, Commerce noted its cabinets and vanities investigation had determined that “the presence of mounting brackets, hand rails, and ‘French Cleats’” indicate a cabinet is meant to be a permanent installation. It said RST’s cabinets were meant to hang from spanner brackets connected to a panel that came with the cabinet kits, and that those spanners were similar to the hanging instruments considered in the investigation.
“Although RST argues that its Flow Wall cabinets are not mounted and are held in place by gravity, this is consistent with the installation of mounting brackets, hang rails, and ‘French Cleats,’” it said.