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Jinlong Seamless Copper Pipe Co. and Hailiang, China's top two producers of seamless refined copper pipe and tube, are both included in the current US anti-dumping investigations into imports from China and Mexico. Jinlong (which exports to the US, Japan, South Korea, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa) last month opened a new plant in Mexico (annual production capacity 60,000 tonnes), designed to supply demand in North and South America. Hailiang's exports of pipe and tubes to the US in 2008 were15,479 tonnes (10.5% of total sales), and in 1H09 5,622 tonnes (7.9% of total). In total China exported 50,000 tonnes in 2008, and 30,000 tonnes in 1H09.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on 13 November took a unanimous vote to continue its anti-dumping duty investigations into imports of seamless refined copper pipe and tube from China and Mexico. Preliminary determinations are due 9 March 2010. On 21 October, the U.S. Commerce Department formally initiated anti-dumping investigations (petitioned by domestic manufacturers Cerro Flow Products Inc, KobeWieland Copper Products LLC and two divisions of Mueller Industries Inc), finding estimated dumping margins of 60.5% for China and 76.5% to 85.7% for Mexico.

Nissan Copper Ltd. plans to commence commercial production at its new tube plant in Silvassa in June. The plant has a total installed capacity of 12,000tonnes per year. The company plans to export around 60% of its production to the United Arab Emirates and the rest will be sold domestically.

Luvata officially opened its first copper tube plant in Mexico, aiming to fabricate tubes for the HVACR industry. The company sees the current downturn in the commercial tube market as a convenient time to establish its position in the marketplace and be ready when the market picks up. The Monterrey-based plant has started with small but steady deliveries since mid-June. Currently, the plant employs 180 staff with the plan to raise workforce to 250 when the full capacity level of 2,500t per month is reached in H1 2010. Luvata aims to supply several major clients but also expand its clientele to new and smaller Mexican customers. The company intends to differentiate itself by offering just-in-time deliveries, enabling its clients to run reduced inventory levels.

Golden Dragon, based in China's Hunan province, opened a new copper tube plant in the city of Monclova, northern Mexico. The investment of the project amounted to US$100 million and represents the biggest Chinese investment ever made in Mexico. The plant covers 200,000m2 and will employ 900 staff. Currently, annual output capacity is 60,000t of copper tube for air conditioners but the plan is to raise that to 120,000t. The new project will benefit from low industrial costs and a competitive exchange rate; it aims to supply the North American and European markets.

Wolverine Tube Inc. remained in the red for the year ended 31 December 2008, but cut its net loss to $48.5m, from last year's loss of $98.2m. Net sales in 2008 fell 19% y-o-y to $816m (from $1bn), primarily due to discontinuance of the manufacture of residential plumbing tube and other products at its Decatur facility in December 2007. Total shipment volumes of 160 million pounds were down 28.2% y-o-y. In 2008 the company established a JV with Wieland-Werke AG through sale of 50% of Wolverine Tube Shanghai, which will focus on growing Asia-Pacific markets and demand for high-performance tubes.

China exported 63,000t of copper tube in the first four months of this year, down 26.3% from the same period in 2008 due to falling overseas demand, according to statistics released by Chinese Customs. April exports fell 5.9% m-o-m to 16,000t, from 17,000t in March, and so ended the continuing rally shown over the first 3 months of the year. In the past two years, copper tube has accounted for nearly half of total Chinese copper semis exports.

Zhejiang Hailiang Co. Ltd., a Chinese copper processor, will construct a copper tube project in Vietnam. The investment will amount to US$47.2 million and will have production capacity if 71,000 tonnes per year, as a new 36,000-tonne facility will be added to the existing 35,000-tonne that has been relocated. It is anticipated that the project will be operational in 2010. The new project will benefit from the Vietnamese favourable investment policies as well as lower production costs.

The State Administration of Taxation in China announced that it will increase its export tax rebates on copper foil, plate and tube from 1st April. The policy was announced on 27th March and it aims to boost Chinese exports. Copper plate's export tax rebate will rise from 5% to 9%, copper foil's from 5% to 13%, and copper tube's from 9% to 13%. It is expected that the measure will support the copper semis market.

Standard & Poor has announced that it placed credit ratings for Wolverine Tube Inc. on CreditWatch. The decision includes its 'CC' corporate credit rating and 'C' senior unsecured debt. Wolverine Tube announced its decision regarding an exchange offer of senior notes due 2009 for new ones due 2012. Given the current market conditions and the financial position of the company, this decision raises default risk levels. Standard & Poor will monitor the exchange offer.

According to a recent report published by Global Industry Analysts, the global copper tube and pipe market will exceed 3.6 million tonnes by 2015. While mature regions such as North America, Western Europe and Japan exhibit flat or negative growth, emerging economies in Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe and the Middle East will generate significant prospects for the copper tube and pipe industry. The fastest growth will be realised in China because of its ongoing industrialisation and urbanisation activity.

SMS Meer GmbH, a company within the SMS Group, has recently taken over Schumag AG's machinery segment. Since the product ranges of the two companies are complementary, no jobs will be endangered as a consequence of the purchase, a member of the executive board of Schumag said. About 300 of the total 1,000 of Schumag employees will work for the new company, SMS Schumag GmbH & Co. KG. Through the purchase of the Schumag Machinery Segment SMS Meer is expanding its product range and opening up further potential for growth of the SMS group as part of its global presence.

Linderme Tube was a manufacturer of copper and aluminium products. The company was founded in 1927 and employed some 81 people, mostly residents of Euclid and Cleveland. According to a Linderme spokesman, the company has sold all its assets to Small Tube Products Co. and ended production on 1st October. Small Tube Products is a leading North American producer of copper and specialty alloy tubes. It was acquired by Wolverine Tube in July 1994 and was sold recently based on Wolverine's decision to focus on its core products.