(Yicai Global) Sept. 7 -- The US Department of Commerce has started anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into stainless steel flanges imported from China and India, it said on Sept. 6.

The probe was made at the request of two private American firms, Core Pipe Products Inc. from Illinois and Maass Flange Corp. from Texas.

The two companies claim that the dumping margin rate of stainless steel flanges from China ranges between 99.23 percent and 257.11 percent, while that of India products varies from 78.49 percent to 145.25 percent. They believe the products received government subsidies but are unsure of the subsidy rate.

The International Trade Commission will make a preliminary ruling on Oct. 2. If the result affirms the products damaged the interests of American producers, the US commerce department will continue its investigation.

America imported USD16.3 million worth of stainless steel flanges from China last year and USD32.1 million from India, the Department of Commerce said.