Petition Filed for New AD Duties on Low-Melt Polyester Staple Fiber
Nan Ya Plastics America filed a petition on June 26 with the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping duties on low-melt polyester staple fiber from South Korea and Taiwan. Commerce will now decide whether to begin an AD duty investigation on low-melt polyester staple fiber, which is used in conjunction with other fibers to form a formable material used in automotive headliners, floors, trunks and engine hoods, where padding or barriers for insulation must fit precisely while maintaining a specific shape for long durations, the petition said.
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Any AD duty orders issued as a result of this investigation would come on top of AD duty orders on polyester staple fiber (i.e., non-low melt) from South Korea and Taiwan, issued in 2000, and from China, issued in 2007. In addition, there are ongoing AD/CV duty investigations on fine denier polyester staple fiber from China, India, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. The scope of these investigations on low-melt polyester staple fiber does not overlap, and specifically exempts merchandise covered by the other orders and investigations on polyester staple fiber, the petition said.
Proposed Scope
The petition proposes the following scope for the investigations:
The merchandise subject to this proceeding is synthetic staple fibers, not carded or combed, specifically bi-component polyester fibers having a polyester fiber component that melts at a lower temperature than the other polyester fiber component, used for bonding fibers together ("low-melt PSF"). The scope includes bi-component polyester staple fibers of any denier or cut length. The subject merchandise may be coated, usually with a finish or dye, or not coated.
The following merchandise is excluded from the scope: (1) polyester staple fiber equal to or greater than 3.3 decitex (greater than 3 denier, inclusive) that are not bi-component fiber, currently classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States at subheadings 5503.20.0045 and5503.20.0065; (2) polyester staple fiber of less than 3.3 decitex (less than 3 denier) that are not bi-component fiber, currently classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States at subheadings 5503.20.0025.
Low-melt PSF is classifiable under the HTSUS subheading 5503.20.0015. Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise under the order is dispositive.
Commerce Accepting Comments on Petition Support
The Commerce Department is accepting comments on domestic industry support for the petitions to determine whether the petitions meet the dual requirements of support by domestic producers or workers accounting for (1) at least 25% of the total production of the domestic-like product and (2) more than 50% of the production of the domestic-like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition. If the petitions meet these requirements, among others, Commerce will initiate an antidumping duty investigation. Comments are due July 18.
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the petition.