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News Release 20-096
Inv. No(s). 731-TA-1455, 731-TA-1457
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet from Korea and Oman that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.
Chair Jason E. Kearns, Vice Chair Randolph J. Stayin, and Commissioners David S. Johanson, Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the affirmative.
As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, Commerce will issue antidumping duty orders on imports of this product from Korea and Oman.
The Commission’s public report Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Sheet from Korea and Oman (Inv. Nos. 731-TA-1455 and 1457 (Final), USITC Publication 5111, August 2020) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.
The report will be available by September 21, 2020; 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
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Sheet from Korea and Oman
Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1455 and 731-TA-1457 (Final)
Product Description: The primary end use of PET sheet is a wide variety of food, beverage and retail packaging. The product 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 electrostatic sensitive devices (such as integrated computer circuits). PET sheet is also used to produce protective medical face shields needed in the COVID‐19 pandemic. The scope 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). Included is all PET sheet whether made from prime (virgin) inputs or recycled inputs, as well as any blends thereof. All PET sheet meeting the above specifications are included regardless of width, color, surface treatment, coating, lamination, or other surface finish.
Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigations: Final 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 09, 2019.
4. USITC Hearing Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2020.
5. USITC Vote Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2020.
6. USITC Notification to Commerce Date: Monday, August 31, 2020.
U.S. Industry in 2019:
1. Number of U.S. producers: 25.
2. Location of producers’ plants: Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
3. Production and related workers: 2,495.
4. U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments: $1.1 billion.
5. Apparent U.S. consumption: [1]
6. Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption: [1]
U.S. Imports in 2019:
1. Subject imports: [1]
2. Nonsubject imports: $40.6 million.
3. Leading import sources: Canada, Korea, Taiwan, and Oman.
[1] Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.