An official website of the United States government. 
News Release 19-082
Inv. No(s). 731-TA-731-TA-1455-1457 (Preliminary)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet from Korea and Oman that are allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value. The Commission further found that imports of this product from Mexico are negligible and voted to terminate the investigation concerning Mexico.
Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Jason E. Kearns, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the affirmative with respect to Korea and Oman and made a finding of negligibility with respect to Mexico. Commissioner Randolph J. Stayin voted in the affirmative with respect to all investigations.
As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue with its antidumping duty investigations concerning imports of this product from Korea and Oman, with its preliminary antidumping duty determinations due on or about January 6, 2020. As a result of the Commission’s finding of negligibility, the investigation concerning imports of this product from Mexico will be terminated.
The Commission’s public report Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Sheet from Korea, Mexico, and Oman (Inv. Nos. 731-TA-1455-1457 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 4970, September 2019) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.
The report will be available after October 11, 2019; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: https://www.usitc.gov/commission_publications_library.
UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20436
FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Sheet from Korea, Mexico, and Oman
Investigation Nos. 731‐TA‐1455‐1457 (Preliminary)
Product Description: PET of these investigations is a thermoplastic polymer that is manufactured into sheet form. The primary end use is a wide variety of food, beverage and retail packaging. PET sheet is used in the manufacture of products such as food trays and containers (e.g., cake and cookie containers, one‐time use school and hospital trays), carry‐out containers, fruit and vegetable clamshell containers and trays, drinking cups, medical trays, paint tray liners, consumer packaging, and packaging for electro‐static sensitive devices (such as integrated computer circuits). PET sheet covered by these investigations is raw, pretreated, or primed polyethylene terephthalate sheet, whether extruded or coextruded, in nominal thicknesses of equal to or greater than 7 mil (0.007 inches or 177.8 mm) and not exceeding 45 mil (0.045 inches or 1143 mm). The investigations include all PET sheet whether made from prime (virgin) inputs or recycled inputs, as well as any blends thereof. The investigations include all PET sheet meeting the above specifications regardless of width, color, surface treatment, coating, lamination, or other surface finish.
Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigation: Preliminary phase antidumping duty investigations.
2. Petitioners: Advanced Extrusion, Inc., Rogers, Minnesota; Ex‐Tech Plastics, Inc., Richmond, Illinois; and Multi‐Plastics Extrusions, Inc., Hazleton, Pennsylvania.
3. USITC Institution Date: Tuesday, July 9, 2019.
4. USITC Conference Date: Tuesday, July 30, 2019.
5. USITC Vote Date: Tuesday, September 10, 2019.
6. USITC Views to Commerce: Friday, September 20, 2019.
U.S. Industry in 2018:
1. Number of U.S. producers: 35.
2. Location of producers’ plants: Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Georgia, California, New York, Texas, Ohio, Wisconsin, Arizona, New Jersey, Washington, Florida, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Michigan.
3. Production and related workers: 1,467.
4. U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments: $710 million.
5. Apparent U.S. consumption: [1]
6. Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption: 1
U.S. Imports in 2018:
1. Subject imports: 1
2. Nonsubject imports: 1
3. Leading import sources: Oman.
[1] Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.