November 8, 2017
News Release 17-161
Inv. No(s). 731-TA-1387-1391 (Preliminary)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
USITC Votes to Continue Investigations Concerning Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Resin from Brazil, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, and Taiwan

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) resin from Brazil, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, and Taiwan that are allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value.  

Chairman Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Vice Chairman David S. Johanson, and Commissioners Irving A. Williamson and Meredith M. Broadbent voted in the affirmative. 

As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue with its antidumping duty investigations, with its preliminary antidumping duty determinations due on or about March 5, 2017.

The Commission’s public report Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Resin from Brazil, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, and Taiwan (Inv. Nos. 731-TA-1387-1391 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 4740, November 2017) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

The report will be available after December 11, 2017; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at:  http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20436

FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Certain Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Resin from Brazil, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, and Taiwan
Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1387-1391 (Preliminary)

Product Description:  PET resin is a large‐volume, commodity‐grade thermoplastic polyester polymer that is primarily sold in bulk form as chips or pellets to downstream end users/converters. Converters use PET resin to manufacture bottles and other sterile containers that house liquid and solid products for human consumption or contact. Articles manufactured with PET resin are clear, transparent, sterile, lightweight, and thermally stable.  The PET resin covered in these investigations has an intrinsic viscosity of at least 0.70, but not more than 0.88, deciliters per gram. Included are blends of virgin PET resin and recycled PET resin containing 50 percent or more virgin PET resin content by weight, provided such blends meet the intrinsic viscosity requirements above. The products covered include all PET resin meeting the above specifications regardless of additives introduced in the manufacturing process.  Major end‐use applications for bottle grade PET resin include carbonated soft drink bottles, water bottles, and other containers such as for juices, peanut butter, jams and jellies, salad dressings, cooking oils, household cleaners, and cosmetics.

Status of Proceedings:

  1. Type of investigations: Preliminary antidumping duty.
  2. Petitioners: DAK Americas, LLC, Charlotte, NC; M&G Chemicals, Houston, TX; Indorama Ventures USA, Inc., Decatur, Alabama; and Nan Ya Plastics Corporation, America, Lake City, SC.
  3. Investigations instituted by USITC: September 26, 2017.
  4. USITC conference: October 17, 2017.
  5. USITC vote: November 8, 2017.
  6. USITC views to the U.S. Department of Commerce: November 20, 2017.

U.S. Industry:

  1. Number of U.S. producers in 2016:  4.
  2. Location of producers’ plants:  Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Texas.
  3. Employment of production-related workers in 2016: 886.                     
  4. U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments in 2016: 5.5 million pounds
  5. Apparent U.S. consumption in 2016: [1]
  6. Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption in 2016: 1 

U.S. Imports in 2016:

  1. From the subject countries during 2016:  1 
  2. From other countries during 2016:  1
  3. Leading sources during 2016: Mexico, Taiwan, and Canada (in terms of total value).
 

[1] Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.

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