Chromium Trioxide: New AD/CVD Investigations Deadlines & Scope
The Commerce Department issued notices in the Federal Register on its recently initiated antidumping duty investigations on chromium trioxide from India (A-533-944) and Turkey (A-489-856), as well as its countervailing duty investigation on chromium trioxide from India (C-533-945). The CVD investigation covers entries for calendar year 2024. The AD investigations cover entries July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
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The ITC has already made a preliminary determination finding a "reasonable indication" of injury in its concurrent investigation to determine whether imports of dumped and illegally subsidized chromium trioxide are injuring U.S. industry. That means the investigations will continue to their next phase. If Commerce finds dumping or illegal subsidization in the preliminary determinations of these investigations, due in March for CVD and May for AD, it will set AD and/or CVD cash deposit requirements for imports of merchandise subject to the investigation. If both Commerce and the ITC reach affirmative final determinations, Commerce will issue AD and/or CVD orders making duties permanent and beginning a process of annual administrative reviews to set final assessments of AD/CVD on importers and potentially change AD/CVD cash deposit rates.
AD/CVD Respondent Selection
For its AD/CVD investigations on India, as well as its AD investigation on India, Commerce has identified only one company from each country that produces or exports chromium trioxide, and will select those companies as the respondents. The companies are Vishnu Chemicals Limited for the AD/CVD investigations on India, and Turkiye Sise ve Cam Fabrikalari AS (Şişecam Dis Ticaret A.S) for the AD investigation on Turkey. Comments on the selection of these companies are due Jan. 8.
Scope of the AD/CVD Investigations
"The merchandise subject to these investigations is chromium trioxide (Chemical Abstracts Services (CAS) registry number 1333-82-0), regardless of form (dry or solution). Chromium trioxide is an inorganic compound with the molecular formula CrO3 in dry form and H2 CrO4 in solution form. All relevant formulas refer to same product with one unit of Chromium (as Cr+6) and three units of Oxygen, such as Cr4 O12; and Cr0.25 O0.75.
"The product in dry form is generally referred to as chromium trioxide, which is the acidic anhydride of chromic acid. Chromium trioxide in solution form may be referred to as chromic acid. However, the dry form may also be marketed under the name chromic acid.
"A non-exhaustive list of other names used for the subject merchandise includes: chromic anhydride, chromic trioxide, chromium (VI) oxide, monochromium trioxide, chromia, chromium (VI) trioxide, trioxochromium, and chromtrioxid. A non-exhaustive list of trade names for the subject merchandise includes: 11910080KROMSAV-ANHIDRID IP, Aktivkohle, imprägniert, Typ PLWK, Chromsaure, and Chroomzuur.
"All chromium trioxide is covered by the scope of these investigations irrespective of purity, particle size, or physical form. Chromium trioxide is generally imported in dry form, including in the form of pellets, flakes, powders, or beads, but the scope includes chromium trioxide in solution form.
"Chromium trioxide that has been blended with another product or products other than water is included in the scope if the resulting mix contains 90 percent or more of chromium trioxide by total formula weight, such as chromium trioxide mixed with a catalyst to make the product ready for use in metal finishing applications. If chromium trioxide is imported blended with another product, only the chromium trioxide content of the blend is included within the scope.
"Subject merchandise also includes chromium trioxide that has been processed in a third country into a product that otherwise would be within the scope of these investigations, i.e., if any such further processing would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigation it is included in the scope of the investigation, including blending, flaking, mixing with water, or packaging. For example, the dry form of the subject merchandise may be imported into a third country and then processed into solution before shipment to the United States. Such a solution would be subject to the scope.
"The subject merchandise is provided for in subheading 2819.10.0000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). In addition to 1333- 82-0, import documentation may also reflect CAS registry numbers 12324-05-9, 12324-08-2, and 1362947-20-3. Although the HTSUS subheading and CAS registry numbers are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope is dispositive."
Comments on the scope of the orders are due by 5 p.m. EDT on Jan. 20.
The Commerce Department fact sheet on the initiation of these investigations is (here). See 2509300021 for a summary of the petition requesting these investigations.