U.S. Schedules Final Phase of Trade Investigation on Temporary Steel Fencing From China

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The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has announced the scheduling of the final phase for investigations No. 701-TA-754 and 731-TA-1732. These are countervailing duty and antidumping duty investigations. The investigations seek to find out if an industry in the U.S. is being hurt by imports of temporary steel fencing from China.

The temporary steel fencing is covered under subheading 7308.90.95 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The Department of Commerce (Commerce) found that these products are subsidized and sold at prices lower than fair value.

Definition and Scope

Commerce defines the merchandise under investigation as temporary steel fencing. This includes both temporary steel fence panels and stands. The panels are held together by stands or other kinds of supports to make a fence. The panels are included in the scope whether or not they are attached to a stand.

Temporary steel fence panels have welded steel tube frames and an inside made of chain link, steel wire mesh, or other steel materials. The inside materials are not more than ten millimeters wide. The panels can have steel tubing all around or just on two sides. All panels with two framed sides are included, no matter the number of edges framed.

Most panels are between 10 and 12 feet long and 6 to 8 feet high. All panels are included, regardless of size or weight, if they have:

  • More than 7.5 square feet of surface area
  • A weight above 4 pounds
  • A weight below 1.92 pounds per square foot

Panels can be square, rectangular, or rounded and may have gates, wheels, doors, or other features. All are covered. The panels may also have extra reinforcing tubes, extensions, pins, tubes, or holes at the bottom. All are included no matter these features.

Steel fence stands are flat pieces with one or two tubes or pins for holding panels up. Stands are covered no matter how they are made or shaped.

Panels and stands are covered regardless of coating, painting, or finish. All panels and stands are covered if imported together or separately, assembled or unassembled.

Inclusions and Exclusions

Material that matches the description but has been finished, packed, or put together in other countries is included. This includes painting, coating, or assembly in other places.

Temporary steel fencing is included even if attached to other parts like hooks, brackets, or latches. Only the fencing itself is part of this investigation.

Excluded are decorative steel fence panels. These are panels where:

  • the long side is 48 inches or less;
  • the short side is 38 inches or less;
  • the panel weighs 7 pounds or less;
  • all sides have steel tubing no wider than 10 mm;
  • the inside is a decorative pattern (not square, diamond, or hexagonal mesh) covering at least 5% of the surface.

Background

The investigation was started because Commerce found that Chinese companies get subsidies for temporary steel fencing and are selling these products in the U.S. for less than fair value. ZND US Inc., based in Statesville, North Carolina, started this process with a petition on January 15, 2025.

Procedures and Participation

Anyone who wants to take part in the final phase as a party must file an entry of appearance no later than 21 days before the hearing. Those who already appeared in the preliminary phase do not need to file again. All filings must be made electronically using the Electronic Document Information System (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.

Business proprietary information (BPI) will only be shared with authorized parties under the administrative protective order (APO). Applications for BPI access must be submitted at least 21 days before the hearing.

Schedule and Hearings

  • The prehearing staff report will be on the nonpublic record by December 1, 2025. A public version will follow.
  • The hearing starts at 9:30 a.m. on December 18, 2025. Requests to appear must be filed by December 11, 2025.
  • Requests to testify via videoconference must include a reason. Remote witness requests are accepted for illness or a positive COVID-19 test up until 3:00 p.m. the day before the hearing.
  • A prehearing conference, if needed, will be on December 16, 2025.
  • Written testimony and presentation slides are due by noon on December 17, 2025.

Written Submissions

  • Prehearing briefs are due December 8, 2025.
  • Posthearing briefs and written statements from the public are due January 5, 2026.
  • Parties will get access to all information not previously shared on January 22, 2026. Final comments are due by January 26, 2026.

All documents must follow the Commission’s rules. A certificate of service is required for every filing.

The investigations are conducted under the authority of Title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930.

This notice was issued by Sharon Bellamy, Supervisory Hearings and Information Officer, and published on September 11, 2025.


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