News Release 20-134
Inv. No(s). 731-TA-1546-1549 (Preliminary)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that there is a reasonable indication that U.S. industries are materially injured by reason of imports of thermal paper from Germany, Japan, Korea, and Spain that are allegedly 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, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue its investigations of imports of thermal paper from Germany, Japan, Korea, and Spain, with its preliminary antidumping duty determinations due on or about March 16, 2021.
The Commission’s public report Thermal Paper from Germany, Japan, Korea, and Spain (Inv. Nos. 731-TA-1546-1549 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 5141, December 2020) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.
The report will be available after December 22, 2020; 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
Thermal Paper from Germany, Japan, Korea, and Spain
Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1546-1549 (Preliminary)
Product Description: Thermal paper is a paper coated with chemicals that react to form images when exposed to heat. These investigations cover thermal paper in the form of ''jumbo rolls'' and certain ''converted rolls.'' Included are jumbo rolls and converted rolls of thermal paper with or without a base coat on one or both sides; with thermal active coating(s) and/or like materials on one or both sides; with or without a top coat, and without an adhesive backing. Jumbo rolls are rolls with an actual width of 4.5 inches or more, an actual weight of 65 pounds or more, and an actual diameter of 20 inches or more. All jumbo rolls are included regardless of the basis weight of the paper. Also included are ''converted rolls'' with an actual width of less than 4.5 inches, and with an actual basis weight of 70 grams per square meter (gsm) or less. Thermal paper can be used in special printers to create an image without ribbons or other consumables (other than the paper itself). Thermal paper is used to make point‐of‐sale ("POS") products, such as ATM receipts, coupons, credit card receipts, gas pump receipts, kiosk receipts, parking receipts, portable printer receipts, prescription receipts, and retail receipts as well as to make thermal labels and a broad variety of tickets and tags.
Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigation: Preliminary antidumping duty investigations.
2. Petitioners: Appvion Operations, Inc., Appleton, WI, and Domtar Corporation, Fort Mill, SC.
3. USITC Institution Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2020.
4. USITC Conference Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2020.
5. USITC Vote Date: Friday, November 20, 2020.
6. USITC Notification to Commerce Date: Monday, November 23, 2020.
U.S. Industry in 2019:
1. Number of U.S. producers: 6.
2. Location of producers’ plants: Arizona, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
3. Production and related workers: [1]
4. U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments: 1
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: 1
3. Leading import sources: Germany, Japan, Korea, and Spain.
[1] Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.