The challenges put forth in today's ultra-competitive Engineering/ Procurement/ Construction (EPC) marketplace allow for very little room for error and uncertainty, especially so when related to the great complexities involving specification, design, fabrication, installation, and service life of pressure-containing components and systems.
IPSCO Inc. announced it will construct a second pipe finishing facility at its Red Deer, Alberta Pipeworks. The line will be fully operational in the second quarter of 2004, and will significantly expand IPSCO's finishing capability for casing and line pipe.
Fortunes of domestic producers of carbon and alloy tubular pipe and fittings have improved a little since the controversial section 203 steel tariffs were enacted in March 2002, but not much. Moreover, it's unclear how much, if any, of the slight improvement can be attributed to the 203 remedies.
On October 21, the Department of Commerce announced its final determination in the antidumping duty investigation on imports of certain malleable iron pipe fittings from the People's Republic of China (PRC), finding that Chinese producers/exporters have sold malleable iron pipe fittings in the U.S. market at less than fair value, with margins ranging from 7.35% to 14.32% for respondent companies, and a rate of 111.36% for all other producers/exporters.