Columbia Aluminum Prod., LLC v. United States

2025 CIT 81
CourtUnited States Court of International Trade
DecidedJune 25, 2025
Docket19-00013
StatusPublished

This text of 2025 CIT 81 (Columbia Aluminum Prod., LLC v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of International Trade primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Columbia Aluminum Prod., LLC v. United States, 2025 CIT 81 (cit 2025).

Opinion

SlipȱOp.ȱNo.ȱ25Ȭ81ȱ

UNITEDȱSTATESȱCOURTȱOFȱINTERNATIONALȱTRADEȱ

COLUMBIAȱALUMINUMȱPRODUCTS,ȱ LLC,ȱ

Plaintiff,ȱ

v.ȱ

UNITEDȱSTATES,ȱ ȱȱBefore:ȱȱTimothyȱC.ȱStanceu,ȱJudgeȱ

Defendant,ȱ ȱȱCourtȱNo.ȱ19Ȭ00013ȱ

andȱ

ALUMINUMȱEXTRUSIONSȱFAIRȱ TRADEȱCOMMITTEEȱANDȱENDURAȱ PRODUCTS,ȱINC.,ȱ

DefendantȬIntervenors.ȱ

OPINIONȱ

[EffectuatingȱtheȱmandateȱofȱtheȱU.S.ȱCourtȱofȱAppealsȱforȱtheȱFederalȱCircuitȱbyȱ reinstatingȱaȱportionȱofȱaȱpreviousȱagencyȱdetermination]ȱ

Dated:ȱJuneȱ25,ȱ2025ȱȱ

PeterȱKoenigȱandȱJeremyȱW.ȱDutra,ȱSquireȱPattonȱBoggsȱ(US),ȱLLP,ȱofȱWashington,ȱ D.C.,ȱforȱplaintiffȱColumbiaȱAluminumȱProducts,ȱLLC.

AimeeȱLee,ȱAssistantȱDirector,ȱCommercialȱLitigationȱBranch,ȱCivilȱDivision,ȱU.S.ȱ DepartmentȱofȱJustice,ȱofȱNewȱYork,ȱN.Y.,ȱandȱPatriciaȱM.ȱMcCarthy,ȱDirector,ȱandȱTaraȱ K. Hogan,ȱAssistantȱDirector,ȱforȱdefendant.ȱȱOfȱcounselȱareȱNikkiȱKalbing,ȱAssistant ChiefȱCounsel,ȱandȱJonZacharyȱForbes,ȱAttorney,ȱOfficeȱofȱtheȱChiefȱCounselȱforȱTrade Enforcementȱ&ȱCompliance,ȱU.S.ȱDepartmentȱofȱCommerce,ȱofȱWashington,ȱD.C. CourtȱNo.ȱ19Ȭ00013ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱPageȱ2ȱ ȱ RobertȱE.ȱDeFrancesco,ȱIII,ȱAlanȱH.ȱPrice,ȱDerickȱG.ȱHolt,ȱElizabethȱS.ȱLee,ȱEnbarȱ Toledano,ȱandȱAdamȱM.ȱTeslik,ȱWileyȱReinȱLLP,ȱofȱWashington,ȱD.C.,ȱforȱdefendantȬ intervenorsȱAluminumȱExtrusionsȱFairȱTradeȱCommitteeȱandȱEnduraȱProducts,ȱInc.ȱ

Stanceu,ȱJudge:ȱThisȱlitigationȱconcernsȱcertainȱ“doorȱthresholds”ȱthatȱplaintiffȱ

ColumbiaȱAluminumȱProducts,ȱLLCȱ(“Columbia”)ȱimportedȱfromȱtheȱPeople’sȱ

RepublicȱofȱChinaȱ(“China,”ȱorȱtheȱ“PRC”),ȱeachȱofȱwhichȱcontainedȱanȱ“aluminumȱ

extrusion”ȱasȱaȱcomponentȱpart.ȱȱTheȱissueȱinȱthisȱlitigationȱwasȱwhetherȱthatȱ

componentȱpartȱisȱsubjectȱtoȱantidumpingȱ(“AD”)ȱandȱcountervailingȱdutyȱ(“CVD”)ȱ

ordersȱonȱcertainȱaluminumȱextrusionsȱfromȱChinaȱ(theȱ“Orders”).ȱ

BeforeȱtheȱCourtȱisȱtheȱmandateȱissuedȱbyȱtheȱU.S.ȱCourtȱofȱAppealsȱforȱtheȱ

FederalȱCircuitȱ(“CourtȱofȱAppeals”)ȱinȱWorldwideȱDoorȱComponents,ȱInc.ȱv.ȱUnitedȱStates,ȱ

119ȱF.4thȱ959ȱ(Fed.ȱCir.ȱ2024),ȱECFȱNo.ȱ98ȱ(“WorldwideȱV”).ȱȱMandateȱinȱAppealȱ

Nos.ȱ2023Ȭ1532,ȱ2023Ȭ1534ȱ(Nov.ȱ14,ȱ2024),ȱECFȱNo.ȱ100ȱ(“CAFCȱMandate”).ȱȱ

WorldwideȱVȱvacatedȱthisȱCourt’sȱjudgmentȱinȱColumbiaȱAluminumȱProds.,ȱLLC.ȱv.ȱUnitedȱ

States,ȱ46ȱCITȱ__,ȱ607ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱ1275ȱ(2022)ȱ(“ColumbiaȱIV”),ȱunderȱwhichȱtheȱ

aluminumȱextrusionȱcomponentȱinȱeachȱdoorȱthresholdȱwasȱheldȱtoȱbeȱoutsideȱtheȱ

scopeȱofȱtheȱOrders,ȱid.,ȱ46ȱCITȱatȱ__,ȱ607ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱatȱ1283.ȱȱWorldwideȱV,ȱ119ȱF.4thȱ

atȱ972.ȱȱWorldwideȱVȱreversedȱthisȱCourt’sȱremandȱorderȱinȱColumbiaȱAluminumȱProds.,ȱ

LLC.ȱv.ȱUnitedȱStates,ȱ45ȱCITȱ__,ȱ536ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱ1346,ȱ1348,ȱ1357ȱ(2021)ȱ(“ColumbiaȱII”),ȱ

andȱvacatedȱthisȱCourt’sȱsubsequentȱopinionsȱinȱColumbiaȱAluminumȱProds.,ȱLLC.ȱv.ȱ

UnitedȱStates,ȱ46ȱCITȱ__,ȱ587ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱ1375ȱ(2022)ȱ(“ColumbiaȱIII”)ȱandȱColumbiaȱIV.ȱȱId.ȱ CourtȱNo.ȱ19Ȭ00013ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱPageȱ3ȱ ȱ InȱWorldwideȱV,ȱtheȱCourtȱofȱAppealsȱdirectedȱthisȱCourtȱtoȱ“reinstateȱtheȱnonȬ

protestedȱportions”ȱofȱanȱearlierȱagencyȱdecision,ȱtheȱ“FirstȱRemandȱRedetermination”ȱ

ofȱtheȱInternationalȱTradeȱAdministration,ȱU.S.ȱDepartmentȱofȱCommerceȱ(“Commerce”ȱ

orȱtheȱ“Department”).ȱȱId.;ȱseeȱFinalȱResultsȱofȱRedeterminationȱPursuantȱtoȱCt.ȱRemand:ȱ

AluminumȱExtrusionsȱfromȱtheȱPeople’sȱRepublicȱofȱChinaȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱAdmin.ȱDec.ȱ23,ȱ

2020),ȱECFȱNo.ȱ48Ȭ1ȱ(“FirstȱRemandȱRedetermination”).1ȱȱWorldwideȱV,ȱ119ȱF.4thȱatȱ972.ȱȱInȱ

theȱnonȬprotestedȱportionȱofȱtheȱFirstȱRemandȱRedetermination,ȱCommerceȱdeterminedȱ

thatȱtheȱaluminumȱextrusionȱcomponentȱinȱeachȱofȱtheȱdoorȱthresholds,ȱbutȱnotȱtheȱ

otherȱcomponents,ȱwereȱwithinȱtheȱscopeȱofȱtheȱOrders.ȱȱFirstȱRemandȱ

Redeterminationȱ1–2,ȱ10,ȱ49.ȱ

I.ȱȱBACKGROUNDȱ

Columbiaȱcommencedȱthisȱactionȱinȱ2019.ȱȱSummonsȱ(Jan.ȱ18,ȱ2019),ȱECFȱNo.ȱ1,ȱ

Compl.ȱ(Jan.ȱ18,ȱ2019),ȱECFȱNo.ȱ3.ȱȱTheȱAluminumȱExtrusionsȱFairȱTradeȱCommitteeȱ

(theȱ“petitioner”)ȱandȱEnduraȱProducts,ȱInc.ȱ(“Endura”)ȱwereȱdefendantȬintervenors.2ȱ

ȱ 1 ȱTheȱappealȱbeforeȱtheȱU.S.ȱCourtȱofȱAppealsȱforȱtheȱFederalȱCircuitȱ(“Courtȱofȱ Appeals”)ȱwasȱconsolidatedȱwithȱanȱappealȱbroughtȱbyȱdefendantȬintervenorȱ AluminumȱExtrusionsȱFairȱTradeȱCommitteeȱinvolvingȱcertainȱdoorȱthresholdsȱ importedȱbyȱWorldwideȱDoorȱComponents,ȱInc.ȱ(“Worldwide”).ȱȱWorldwideȱDoorȱ Components,ȱInc.ȱv.ȱUnitedȱStates,ȱ119ȱF.4thȱ959,ȱ961ȱ(Fed.ȱCir.ȱ2024).ȱȱInȱitsȱopinion,ȱtheȱ CourtȱofȱAppealsȱnotedȱthatȱ“[f]orȱsimplicity,ȱweȱciteȱonlyȱtheȱagencyȱscopeȱordersȱandȱ trialȱcourtȱdecisionsȱwhereȱWorldwideȱappearsȱasȱtheȱcaptionedȱparty.”ȱȱId.ȱatȱ964ȱn.3.ȱȱȱ ȱ 2ȱEnduraȱProducts,ȱInc.ȱwithdrewȱitsȱpositionȱasȱdefendantȬintervenorȱonȱ

Marchȱ23,ȱ2023.ȱȱOrderȱ(Mar.ȱ23,ȱ2023),ȱECFȱNo.ȱ97.ȱ ȱ CourtȱNo.ȱ19Ȭ00013ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱPageȱ4ȱ ȱ BackgroundȱofȱthisȱlitigationȱisȱdescribedȱinȱtheȱpriorȱopinionsȱofȱthisȱCourtȱandȱ

theȱopinionȱofȱtheȱCourtȱofȱAppealsȱandȱisȱsummarizedȱbrieflyȱherein.ȱȱSeeȱColumbiaȱ

AluminumȱProds.,ȱLLCȱv.ȱUnitedȱStates,ȱ44ȱCITȱ__,ȱ__,ȱ470ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱ1353,ȱ1354–56ȱ(2020)ȱ

(“ColumbiaȱI”);ȱColumbiaȱII,ȱ45ȱCITȱatȱ__,ȱ536ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱatȱ1348–49;ȱColumbiaȱIII,ȱ46ȱCITȱ

atȱ__,ȱ587ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱatȱ1377;ȱColumbiaȱIV,ȱ46ȱCITȱatȱ__,ȱ607ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱatȱ1277;ȱ

WorldwideȱV,ȱ119ȱF.4thȱatȱ962–68.ȱ

A.ȱȱIssuanceȱofȱtheȱOrdersȱ

CommerceȱissuedȱtheȱOrdersȱinȱ2011.ȱȱAluminumȱExtrusionsȱfromȱtheȱPeople’sȱ

RepublicȱofȱChina:ȱAntidumpingȱDutyȱOrder,ȱ76ȱFed.ȱReg.ȱ30,650ȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱAdmin.ȱ

Mayȱ26,ȱ2011)ȱ(“ADȱOrder”);ȱAluminumȱExtrusionsȱFromȱtheȱPeople’sȱRepublicȱofȱChina:ȱ

CountervailingȱDutyȱOrder,ȱ76ȱFed.ȱReg.ȱ30,653ȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱAdmin.ȱMayȱ26,ȱ2011)ȱ(“CVDȱ

Order”).ȱ

B.ȱȱColumbia’sȱImportedȱDoorȱThresholdsȱ

Atȱissueȱinȱthisȱlitigationȱareȱtenȱmodelsȱofȱdoorȱthresholds,ȱeachȱofȱwhichȱ“isȱanȱ

assemblyȱconsistingȱofȱvariousȱcomponents,ȱincludingȱaȱcomponentȱfabricatedȱfromȱanȱ

aluminumȱextrusionȱandȱvariousȱcomponentsȱthatȱareȱnotȱmadeȱofȱaluminum.”ȱȱ

ColumbiaȱI,ȱ44ȱCITȱatȱ__,ȱ470ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱatȱ1355ȱ(citationȱomitted).ȱȱTheȱnonȬaluminumȱ

componentsȱareȱmadeȱofȱsuchȱmaterialsȱasȱpolyvinylȱchlorideȱ(“PVC”)ȱandȱwoodȬfilledȱ

plasticȱsubstrateȱorȱanȱextrudedȱPVCȱsubstrate.ȱȱId.ȱ(citationȱomitted).ȱȱ“Itȱisȱuncontestedȱ

thatȱtheȱsingleȱcomponentȱinȱeachȱdoorȱthresholdȱthatȱisȱfabricatedȱfromȱanȱaluminumȱ CourtȱNo.ȱ19Ȭ00013ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱPageȱ5ȱ ȱ extrusionȱisȱmadeȱofȱanȱaluminumȱalloyȱidentifiedȱinȱtheȱscopeȱlanguageȱofȱtheȱOrders.”ȱȱ

Id.ȱ(citationȱomitted).ȱ

C.ȱȱTheȱContestedȱScopeȱRulingȱ

ColumbiaȱbroughtȱthisȱactionȱtoȱcontestȱtheȱDepartment’sȱdeterminationȱonȱitsȱ

importedȱdoorȱthresholdsȱ(theȱ“ScopeȱRuling”),ȱwhichȱCommerceȱissuedȱinȱ2018.ȱȱ

AntidumpingȱandȱCountervailingȱDutyȱOrdersȱonȱAluminumȱExtrusionsȱfromȱtheȱPeople’sȱ

RepublicȱofȱChina:ȱFinalȱScopeȱRulingsȱonȱWorldwideȱDoorȱComponents,ȱInc.,ȱMJBȱWoodȱ

GroupȱInc.,ȱandȱColumbiaȱAluminumȱProductsȱDoorȱThresholdsȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱAdmin.ȱDec.ȱ19,ȱ

2018),ȱP.R.ȱDoc.ȱ39,ȱECFȱNo.ȱ39ȱ(“ScopeȱRuling”)3.ȱȱTheȱScopeȱRulingȱconstruedȱtheȱscopeȱ

ofȱtheȱOrdersȱtoȱincludeȱtheȱaluminumȱextrusionȱcomponentȱofȱeachȱdoorȱthreshold,ȱbutȱ

notȱtheȱotherȱcomponents.ȱȱId.ȱatȱ37–38.ȱȱCommerceȱissuedȱtheȱScopeȱRulingȱinȱresponseȱ

toȱaȱrequestȱColumbiaȱsubmittedȱonȱMarchȱ14,ȱ2018.ȱȱColumbiaȱI,ȱ44ȱCITȱatȱ__,ȱ470ȱ

F.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱatȱ1355ȱ(citationȱomitted).ȱȱ

TheȱcourtȱorderedȱCommerceȱtoȱreconsiderȱitsȱScopeȱRulingȱthreeȱtimes.ȱȱ

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