U.S. importers of certain stationary and portable air compressors from China, Malaysia and Vietnam now face preliminary countervailing duty (CVD) deposits following affirmative preliminary determinations by the U.S. Department of Commerce, published October 1, 2026.
The requirements apply to covered merchandise entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after October 1, 2026. Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation and collect cash deposits at the applicable producer or exporter rate. The case numbers are C-570-233 (China), C-557-837 (Malaysia) and C-552-857 (Vietnam).
Preliminary Countervailing Duty Rates
Commerce announced the following preliminary rates:
| Country | Producer or exporter | CVD deposit rate |
| China | FNA (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd. | 3.84% |
| China | Shanghai Aote E-Commerce; Shanghai Greeloy Industry; Suzhou Alton Electrical & Mechanical Industry; Suzhou Honbase Machinery; Taizhou Huanyang Electric & Machinery; Yancheng Dafeng Zhenlian Machinery (adverse facts available) | 112.29% |
| China | All others | 3.84% |
| Malaysia | Alton Intelligent Technology; Panasonic Industrial Device Sales; Puma Air Compressors; Samlin International; Sinppa Industrial (adverse facts available) | 92.86% |
| Malaysia | All others | 92.86% |
| Vietnam | Hybest-Vietnam, Limited Liability Company | 0.35% (de minimis) |
| Vietnam | Faraday Products; Fusheng Da Nang Branch; Fusheng (Vietnam) Industrial; Jinfeida (Viet Nam); Hongkong Sun Rise Trading; TTI (Vietnam); Tu-Seiki Air Compressor; Victor Auto Appliance (adverse facts available) | 74.39% |
| Vietnam | All others | 37.20% |
Rates marked “adverse facts available” were assigned because Commerce found those companies did not fully cooperate. In Malaysia, every individually examined company received that rate, so the all-others rate is the same 92.86%. In Vietnam, the 37.20% all-others rate is a simple average of the rates for Hybest Vietnam and Hongkong Sun Rise Trading.
Because Hybest Vietnam’s preliminary rate is de minimis, Commerce will not direct CBP to suspend liquidation or collect CVD deposits on entries from Hybest Vietnam at this stage.
Importers should confirm both the producer and exporter for each shipment. Using the all-others rate without reviewing the supplier combination can result in an incorrect deposit.
Which Air Compressors Are Covered?
The investigations cover certain stationary and portable air compressors, whether electric, gas or battery powered. Only reciprocating (piston) compressors are covered. Covered compressors include products with:
- Oil-free or oil-lubricated reciprocating pumps
- Integrated pressure vessels ranging from 1 to 80 gallons
- Power designations between 373 watts (0.5 horsepower) and 22.37 kilowatts (30 horsepower)
- Direct-drive or belt-drive configurations
Covered stationary compressors are classified under HTSUS subheadings 8414.80.1615, 8414.80.1625 and 8414.80.1635. Covered portable compressors are classified under 8414.80.1685. The written scope controls, not the tariff classification alone.
Unfinished Compressors and Kits May Be Covered
The scope extends beyond fully assembled compressors. Covered merchandise can include:
- Unfinished compressors exported from China, Malaysia or Vietnam, meaning compressors that still require further processing such as labeling, packaging or kitting with accessories
- Finished and unfinished compressors that undergo further processing in a third country
- Compressors imported with accessories as part of a package or kit
Accessories packaged with a covered compressor may include:
- Hoses and fittings
- Tool kits
- Oils
- Nail guns
- Pneumatic paint sprayers
- Air ratchet wrenches
- Air grease guns
- Air drills and air hammers
- Air sanders
- Air inflators
- Air impact drivers
Accessories imported separately from a covered compressor are not covered.
Importers sourcing unfinished products or using third-country processing should not assume that work done outside China, Malaysia or Vietnam removes the merchandise from the investigations.
Which Products Are Excluded?
The scope excludes AC, DC and battery-powered inflators without an integrated air tank or reservoir that have an output of 1 cubic foot per minute or less. It also excludes:
- Rotary compressors: rotary-screw, rotary-vane and scroll
- Dynamic compressors: centrifugal and axial
Product specifications are essential. A commercial description such as “inflator,” “portable compressor” or “air system” may not be enough to determine whether the merchandise is covered.
Additional Antidumping Deposits May Follow
The current deposits arise from the preliminary CVD investigations. Commerce is also conducting companion antidumping (AD) investigations of air compressors from China (A-570-232), Malaysia (A-557-836) and Vietnam (A-552-856). The preliminary AD determinations were postponed and are now due no later than November 27, 2026.
If Commerce reaches affirmative preliminary AD determinations, covered imports may become subject to AD deposits on top of the CVD deposits.
The final CVD determinations are aligned with the final AD determinations and are currently scheduled for no later than February 10, 2027, unless postponed.
CVD provisional measures generally cannot last more than four months, which would run out in late January 2027, before the scheduled final determinations. Entries made after that point and before any CVD order is issued would generally not be subject to CVD deposits.
Importers should not evaluate the current deposits in isolation. The eventual combined AD/CVD exposure may be substantially higher.
What Importers Should Do Now
Importers of air compressors should:
- Review product specifications against the written scope.
- Confirm the producer, exporter and country of origin for every shipment.
- Identify unfinished compressors, kits and third-country processing arrangements.
- Verify the applicable preliminary deposit rate before entry.
- Provide customs brokers with accurate producer and exporter information.
- Recalculate landed costs and review customs-bond sufficiency.
- Review supplier and customer contracts for responsibility for AD/CVD duties.
- Retain records supporting any claim that a product qualifies for an exclusion.
- Monitor the companion AD investigations, with preliminary determinations due by November 27, 2026.
- Review whether imported packages or kits contain a covered compressor.
ASK Alba™: Contact the Alba team for assistance reviewing product scope, identifying the applicable deposit rate or evaluating the landed-cost impact of the air-compressor investigations.
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References
- U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration. Stationary and Portable Air Compressors From the People’s Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination and Alignment of Final Determination With Final Antidumping Duty Determination. 91 FR 62474 (October 1, 2026). Case C-570-233.
- U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration. Stationary and Portable Air Compressors From Malaysia: Preliminary Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination and Alignment of Final Determination With Final Antidumping Duty Determination. 91 FR 62468 (October 1, 2026). Case C-557-837.
- U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration. Stationary and Portable Air Compressors From the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Preliminary Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination, and Alignment of Final Determination With Final Antidumping Duty Determination. 91 FR 62471 (October 1, 2026). Case C-552-857.
- U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration. Stationary and Portable Air Compressors From the People’s Republic of China, Malaysia, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations. 91 FR 44800 (July 17, 2026).
- International Trade Administration. Initiation of AD/CVD Investigations of Stationary and Portable Air Compressors from China, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Fact sheet.
