SKF USA Inc. v. United States

19 Ct. Int'l Trade 54, 874 F. Supp. 1395, 19 C.I.T. 54
CourtUnited States Court of International Trade
DecidedJanuary 20, 1995
DocketCourt No. 92-07-00513
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 19 Ct. Int'l Trade 54 (SKF USA Inc. 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
SKF USA Inc. v. United States, 19 Ct. Int'l Trade 54, 874 F. Supp. 1395, 19 C.I.T. 54 (cit 1995).

Opinion

Opinion

Tsoucalas, Judge:

Plaintiffs, SKF USA Inc. and SKF Industrie, S.p.A. (“SKF”), commenced this action challenging certain aspects of the Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration’s (“Commerce” or “ITA”) final results of its administrative review concerning antifriction bearings (“AFB”) (other than tapered roller bearings) and parts thereof from Italy. Antifriction Bearings (Other [55]*55Than Tapered Roller Bearings) and Parts Thereof From France; et al.; Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Reviews (“Final Results”), 57 Fed. Peg. 28,360 (June 24, 1992)

Specifically, plaintiffs contest Commerce’s (1) imposition of a difference in merchandising adjustment cap (“difmer”) as a test for identifying similar merchandise; (2) disregarding plaintiffs’ claim that U.S. inland insurance expense was insignificant and application of the reported insurance rate to U.S. price (“USP”) when the rate reported was based upon inventory value, thereby resorting to best information available (“BIA”); (3) disallowance of early payment cash discounts as an adjustment to foreign market value (“FMV”); (4) rejection of plaintiffs’ reporting of domestic presale inland freight on its U.S. sales and punitive resorting to best information available; (5) failure to account for discounts and rebates in its profit calculation on further manufactured merchandise; and (6) disallowance of certain billing adjustments as a direct adjustment to foreign market value.

Background

On May 15,1989, Commerce published antidumping duty orders on ball bearings, cylindrical roller bearings and spherical plain bearings and parts thereof. Antidumping Duty Orders: Ball Bearings, Cylindrical Roller Bearings, and Spherical Plain Bearings and Parts Thereof From the Federal Republic of Germany, 54 Fed. Reg. 20,900 (May 15, 1989). On June 28,1991, July 19,1991 and August 14,1991, Commerce initiated administrative reviews with respect to various manufacturers and exporters from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Romania, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand and the United Kingdom, including SKF Industrie, S.p.A., for the period May 1, 1990 through April 30, 1991. Antifriction Bearings (Other Than Tapered Roller Bearings) and Parts Thereof From the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Romania, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, and the United Kingdom; Initiation of Antidumping Administrative Reviews, 56 Fed. Reg. 29,618 (June 28, 1991); Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews, 56 Fed. Reg. 33,251 (July 19, 1991); Initiation of Anti-dumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews, 56 Fed. Reg. 40,305 (August 14,1991).

On March 31, 1992, Commerce published the preliminary results of its second administrative reviews. Antifriction Bearings (Other Than Tapered Roller Bearings) and Parts Thereof From France; Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Reviews and Partial Termination of Administrative Reviews, 57 Fed. Reg. 10,859 (March 31, 1992)

On June 24,1992, Commerce published one joint final determination for the nine administrative reviews. Antifriction Bearings (Other Than Tapered Roller Bearings) and Parts Thereof From France; et al.; Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Reviews, 57 Fed. Reg. 28,360 (June 24, 1992).

[56]*56On July 24,1992, SKF filed its summons in this case, challenging the final results with respect to Italy.

Discussion

This Court must uphold final results of an ITA administrative review unless the ITA determination is “unsupported by substantial evidence on the record, or otherwise not in accordance with law.” 19 U.S.C. § 1516a(b)(l)(B)(1988). Substantial evidence is defined as “relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” Consolidated Edison Co. v. NLRB, 305 U.S. 197, 229 (1938); Alhambra Foundry Co. v. United States, 12 CIT 343, 345, 685 F. Supp. 1252, 1255 (1988). It is “not within the Court’s domain either to weigh the adequate quality or quantity of the evidence for sufficiency or to rej ect a finding on grounds of a differing interpretation of the record.” Timken Co. v. United States, 12 CIT 955, 962, 699 F. Supp. 300, 306 (1988), aff'd, 894 F.2d 385 (Fed Cir. 1990).

1. Difference in Merchandise Adjustment Cap:

SKF challenges Commerce’s use of a 20% difference in merchandise adjustment cap, in addition to a family model match methodology which takes eight physical criteria into account, to determine what constitutes similar merchandise. According to SKF, Commerce’s institution of a dif-mer cap, after a hearing which followed the second review preliminary results, is a last-minute change which undermines the ability of parties to predict Commerce’s actions and to alter their pricing behavior. SKF also alleges that Commerce failed to sufficiently explain its change in methodology. In sum, SKF challenges Commerce’s imposition of the dif-mer cap in the second review where there was no difmer cap in the first review. Brief in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgement Upon the Agency Record (“SKF’s Brief”) at 20-30.

Commerce argues that the application of the difmer cap was a proper exercise of its discretion and was meant to ensure that a reasonable comparison of merchandise would be made. Commerce asserts that it has broad discretion in its selection of what constitutes “similar” merchandise and may refine its methodology in succeeding reviews. Since the two tests employed in the final determination of the second review are complimentary, the cap minimizes the effects of distortions where there is a difference in the variable costs of production and there are no circumstances in this case to warrant disregarding the cap, Commerce claims its decision was in accordance with law. Commerce states that as this is only the second review, SKF cannot claim a significant reliance on the fact that Commerce had not applied the 20% difmer cap in the original investigation or in the first administrative review. Defendant’s Memorandum in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment Upon the Agency Record (“Defendant’s Brief”) at 6-16.

Defendant-intervenor The Torrington Company (“Torrington”) agrees with SKF that the difmer cap should not be applied and additionally, contests the use of the family model match methodology. [57]*57Torrington alleges that Commerce’s definition of “similar merchandise” was impermissibly narrow and limiting. Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Opposition to Plaintiffs’Motion for Judgment on the Agency Record (“Torrington’s Brief”) at 7-15.

Defendant-intervenor Federal-Mogul Corporation (“Federal-Mogul”) opposes SKF on grounds that SKF failed to show that the use of the dif-mer cap had any effect on the margin calculations. Opposition of Federal-Mogul Corporation, Defendant-intervenor, to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment Upon the Agency Record (“Federal-Mogul’s Brief”) at 25-27.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Chemetals, Inc. v. United States
138 F. Supp. 2d 1338 (Court of International Trade, 2001)
Bethlehem Steel Corp. v. United States
24 Ct. Int'l Trade 375 (Court of International Trade, 2000)
Makita Corp. v. United States
974 F. Supp. 770 (Court of International Trade, 1997)
Torrington Co. v. United States
20 Ct. Int'l Trade 632 (Court of International Trade, 1996)
Skf USA Inc. v. United States
876 F. Supp. 275 (Court of International Trade, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
19 Ct. Int'l Trade 54, 874 F. Supp. 1395, 19 C.I.T. 54, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/skf-usa-inc-v-united-states-cit-1995.