(Yicai Global) May 23 -- Two American gas cylinder makers have requested the United States Department of Commerce and International Trade Commission launch anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into steel propane tanks imported from Asia.

Worthington Industries Inc. and Manchester Tank & Equipment Co. filed the complaint, China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. It wants the DOC and ITC to probe the possibility that China dumped the cylinders in the US and or benefited from export subsidies, and to investigate the need for anti-dumping duty on tanks imported from Taiwan and Thailand.

China exported around USD90 million worth of propane tanks to the US last year, according to American data. The DOC will decide whether or not to pursue the matter around June 11 this year.

Editor: James Boynton