FACT SHEET

Preliminary Determinations in the Antidumping Duty Investigations on
Bottle-Grade Polyethylene Terephthalate (BG PET) Resin
from India, Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand

On October 21, 2004, the Department of Commerce announced its preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty investigations on imports of bottle-grade polyethylene terephthalate (BG PET) resin from India, Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand.   We preliminarily find that Indian, Indonesian, and Thai producers/exporters have sold subject merchandise from in the U.S. market at less than fair value, with margins ranging from 21.23 to 52.54 percent for India, 0.74 to 27.61 percent for Indonesia, and 26.03 to 41.28 percent for Thailand.   We preliminarily find that Taiwanese producers/exporters have not sold subject merchandise in the U.S. market at less than fair value, as the preliminary margin for the sole respondent is de minimis .

Next Steps:   Interested parties are invited to submit comments on these preliminary determinations.   The Department will consider these comments along with all other record evidence before making its final determinations on January 3, 2005, in the investigation on Indonesian imports, and on or about March 11, 2005, in investigations on imports from India, Taiwan and Thailand.   If the Department makes a final affirmative determination in the Indonesia investigation, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to make its final injury determination on a date to be determined.   If the Department makes final affirmative determinations in the Indian, Taiwanese, and Thai cases, the ITC would then be scheduled to make final injury determinations on or about April 25, 2005.   If the ITC makes a final affirmative determination that imports are materially injuring, or threaten to materially injure, the domestic industry, the Department will issue antidumping duty orders and will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits on imports of subject merchandise.

Companion Countervailing Duty Investigations   The Department is also conducting companion countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of PET resin from India and Thailand, and announced its preliminary determinations on August 24.   The final determinations in both the AD and CVD investigations on imports from these countries have been aligned and are currently scheduled for March 11, 2005.

Petitioners:   The petition requesting these investigations was filed on March 24, 2004, by the United States PET Resin Producers Coalition , an ad hoc association of domestic producers of BG PET resin.   Individual members of the coalition include: DAK Americas, LLC (PA); Nan Ya Plastics Corporation America (SC); Voridian (TN); and Wellman, Inc.(NJ).

Product Description:   The merchandise covered by each of these investigations is BG PET resin.   BG PET resin is commonly used to manufacture bottles, sheet, and strapping, whose applications include packaging for consumer goods such as soft drinks, water, juice, fresh fruit, as well as cosmetics and household cleaners.

The scope includes BG PET resin that contains various additives introduced in the manufacturing process.   The scope of the investigations does not include post-consumer recycle or post-industrial recycle PET resin, waste and scrap PET resin, and fiber-grade PET resin.   Additional information on the scope of the investigations may be found in the Department's Notice of Preliminary Determination, to be published in the Federal Register .

The merchandise subject to these investigations is properly classified under subheading 3907.60.0010 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS); however, merchandise classified under HTSUS subheading 3907.60.0050 that otherwise meets the written description of the scope is also subject to these investigations.   Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise under investigation is dispositive.

Preliminary Margins: :

Case Calendar:

* This will take place only in the event of a final affirmative determination from the Department of Commerce.

** This will take place only in the event of a final affirmative determination from both the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission.

Import Statistics:

Source:   U.S. ITC Trade DataWeb