Subject: antidumping duties on China lighters

From: [email-masked] (Andy Nachbaur)
Date: Wed, 14 Dec 1994 03:12:00 GMT

*Far from the topic of Beekeeping, but since the US Honey Industry has
won favorable ruling from the US ITCH on honey imported from China here
is some news from a Company that has gone all the way and won tariff
implementations.   Andy-

Expires: Tue, 20 Dec 94 7:50:34 PST
ACategory: financial
Slugword: LIGHTERS

         MILFORD, Conn. (Reuter) - BIC Corp., the nation's only maker
of disposable lighters, said Tuesday the government will impose
antidumping duties on rival imports from China in response to a
petition by the company.
         In a preliminary ruling, the Department of Commerce imposed
duties of 197 percent on about half of the China-made lighters
sold in the United States, BIC said. Four companies that account
for the remainder of the Chinese imports will be charged duties
up to 63 percent.
         Importers of lighters from China will be forced to post
bonds or make cash deposits with the U.S. Customs Service to
cover the payment of additional duties, it said.
         BIC said it also asked the Department of Commerce to impose
the duties on a retroactive basis to Sept. 9. A decision is
expected by the end of the month, it said.
         The agency's latest ruling follows a similar action in
October on lighter imports from Thailand. In that ruling, the
Department imposed a 14.7 percent antidumping duty on top of the
current 10-percent duty.
         Importers of lighters from Thailand are now posting bonds or
making cash deposits with U.S. Customs to cover the payment of
the additional duties. A final ruling in the Thai case is
expected on March 8, 1995.
         ``As the only remaining U.S. manufacturer of disposable
lighters, BIC filed its petition to protect our competitive
position so that we can continue to provide consumers with 'Made
In The U.S.A.' quality and value,'' said president Raymond
Winter.
         ``There are serious questions as to whether the imported
lighters from China and Thailand meet the standards set by the
American Society for Testing and Materials Safety Specification
for Lighters,'' he said.
         ``Preliminary research by BIC has found, for example, that
many of the low-priced, imported lighters do not carry warning
labels, as required by the ASTM standard.''
         BIC, based in Milford, Conn., also makes ball point pens,
disposable razors and highlight markers.
         BIC's stock was off 12.5 cents at $25.875 early on the New
York Stock Exchange.