On September 8, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Enforcement and Compliance unit (within the International Trade Administration) published the preliminary results of its administrative review of the antidumping duty (AD) order on brass rod from Brazil (Federal Register Doc 2026-18248, 91 FR 57134). For the period of review of December 1, 2023, through May 31, 2025, Commerce preliminarily determines that Termomecanica Sao Paulo S.A., the producer/exporter under review, sold brass rod in the United States at less than normal value, and preliminarily assigns an estimated weighted-average dumping margin of 22.07 percent. The notice also confirms that the all-others cash-deposit rate of 22.78 percent from the original less-than-fair-value investigation continues to apply to other manufacturers and exporters. Brass rod is a primary raw material for free-cutting screw machining and CNC turning, so the ruling touches the landed cost of both rod feedstock and finished brass components. This article separates confirmed, dated facts from buyer implications, which are the author’s analysis.
The Factual Core, in Dated Terms
Several confirmed facts anchor this story. First, the underlying AD order on brass rod from Brazil — issued together with orders covering brass rod from India, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, and South Africa — was published June 13, 2024 (89 FR 50263). Second, Commerce initiated this administrative review of Termomecanica on July 25, 2025 (90 FR 35268, 35276). Third, after Federal Government shutdown tolling in November 2025 and several deadline extensions in 2026, the review proceeded to these preliminary results. Fourth, the preliminary results are applicable September 8, 2026 and were published the same day; the notice itself is dated August 31, 2026. Fifth, Commerce preliminarily calculates a weighted-average dumping margin of 22.07 percent for Termomecanica for the reviewed period, and confirms that the all-others cash-deposit rate remains 22.78 percent.
Two procedural dates matter for parties that wish to comment: case briefs are due no later than 21 days after publication, hearing requests within 30 days, with final results expected no later than 120 days after publication unless extended (sections 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930 and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(1)).
Why This Matters to Precision Manufacturing Buyers
Brass rod in grades such as C36000 free-cutting brass is a common feedstock for screw machining and CNC turning of bushings, fittings, valve stems, and terminals. An AD review of brass rod therefore touches the material that enters those machines. What matters most to buyers is the rate that will govern cash deposits and duties at entry — and this notice gives a preliminary figure for the reviewed producer while holding the all-others baseline at 22.78 percent.
The order’s scope is also broader than one company. The Brazilian order is one of five parallel AD orders on brass rod (Brazil, India, Mexico, Republic of Korea, South Africa), so whether a given “brass rod” sits inside a country-specific duty order depends on where it was produced. The producing country and exporter of record — not the alloy alone — determine AD treatment.
Impact on Materials, Cost, Compliance, and Supplier Choice
Bar and feedstock sourcing. For a shop or OEM buying brass rod to run through its own turning cells, the key question is the rod’s producing country and supplier, and whether the goods fall within the order’s scope. A preliminary 22.07 percent finding for Termomecanica, if affirmed, sets that producer’s company-specific rate; buyers sourcing from that exporter should price conservatively until the final results confirm the figure and the cash-deposit basis.
Landed cost of brass parts. The all-others cash-deposit rate of 22.78 percent remains in force from the original investigation for manufacturers and exporters not covered by this review. Any sourcing plan that quoted Brazilian brass rod or imported finished brass parts on the assumption of a lower rate should be revisited, because the applicable rate turns on the specific producer, the stage of processing, and the country of origin documented at entry — not on the alloy family.
Compliance documentation. Importers bear the burden of proving origin and scope. The notice reiterates that importers must file a certificate regarding reimbursement of antidumping duties before liquidation; failure can lead to Commerce’s presumption of reimbursement and the assessment of double antidumping duties. Buyers of brass rod or brass components should keep producer declarations, country-of-origin evidence, and importer-of-record documentation in order — the same paper trail that protects across other steel, aluminum, and copper derivative-article scope decisions.
Material grade relevance. The order covers brass rod regardless of exact alloy, but it lands most directly on the free-machining grades shops turn. Grade-linked process behavior — chip control, tool life, finish — is unchanged by the measure; what changes is feedstock cost and the verification a buyer must complete before relying on a quoted delivered price.
What Buyers Should Verify Before the Next Purchase
- Confirm the producing country and exporter of record. Before quoting or ordering brass rod — or finished brass parts machined from it — ask the supplier to state in writing the country of origin and the producing/exporter identity, and check whether that route sits inside the multi-country brass rod order.
- Re-price on the correct duty basis. Do not assume a uniform duty rate across all brass sources. Confirm with your customs broker whether your goods fall under a producer-specific rate, the all-others rate, or no order at all, and include the cash-deposit basis in your landed-cost model.
- Decide whether to wait for the final results. These are preliminary figures applicable September 8, 2026, with final results expected within 120 days unless extended. For large or committed orders, build in the possibility that a preliminary 22.07 percent figure is affirmed or adjusted in the final results.
- Hold importer reimbursement certificates. Maintain the required certification before liquidation to avoid a presumption of reimbursement and a doubling of duties at assessment.
- Revalidate multi-country sourcing for related parts. The same scope discipline applies to other duty-restricted fittings and components, as shown in the recent stainless steel flange review.
Material Notes for Brass Turning
It is worth restating what the measure does not change. Free-cutting brass such as C36000 is chosen largely for chip breakage and tool life, but achievable finish, tolerance, and cutting speed still depend on the specific alloy and temper, the machine and tooling, coolant, and the geometry being cut; they are not fixed values that transfer between setups. The review changes the delivered price of the material, not those process facts. For alloy selection beyond free-cutting grades, this C68700 aluminum brass guide looks at a corrosion-resistant grade.
Limited Conclusions
What is established and dated: on September 8, 2026, Commerce published the preliminary review results (91 FR 57134; Doc 2026-18248), applicable that day, preliminarily assigning Termomecanica an estimated weighted-average dumping margin of 22.07 percent for the December 1, 2023 – May 31, 2025 period, while the all-others cash-deposit rate remains 22.78 percent. The order dates to June 13, 2024 and is one of five parallel AD orders on brass rod from Brazil, India, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, and South Africa.
The durable lesson is specificity about source and rate. Duty treatment attaches to a particular producing country and exporter of record, not to the alloy family or to the fact that a part is simply “brass.” Before relying on a brass rod or brass machined-part quotation, confirm origin, confirm which rate applies, and hold the documentation that protects that claim at entry.
References
- U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration. “Brass Rod From Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2023-2025.” Federal Register Doc 2026-18248, 91 FR 57134, September 8, 2026. Retrieved September 8, 2026. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/08/2026-18248/
- Official Federal Register PDF, govinfo.gov (U.S. Government Publishing Office). FR Doc 2026-18248, pages 57134-57136, published September 8, 2026. Retrieved September 8, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-09-08/pdf/2026-18248.pdf
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