Wire Decking from China

INSTRUCTION BOOKLET
GENERAL INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND
DEFINITIONS FOR COMMISSION QUESTIONNAIRES

WIRE DECKING FROM CHINA
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-466 and 731-TA-1162 (Preliminary)

Further information.--If you have any questions concerning the enclosed
questionnaire(s) or other matters related to these investigations, you may contact
the following members of the Commission=s staff (Fax 202-205-3205):
Chris Cassise, investigator (202-708-5408; E-mail chris.cassise@usitc.gov)
regarding general questions and trade and related information;
Justin Jee, auditor (202-205-3186; E-mail justin.jee@usitc.gov)
regarding financial information; and
Craig Thomsen, economist (202-205-3226; E-mail craig.thomsen)
regarding pricing, market, and related information.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.--These investigations were instituted in response to a petition filed on June 5, 2009
by AWP Industries, Inc., Frankfort, KY; ITC Manufacturing, Inc., Phoenix, AZ; J&L Wire Cloth,
Inc., St. Paul, MN; and Nashville Wire Products Mfg. Co., Inc., Nashville, TN. Antidumping and
countervailing duties may be assessed on the subject imports as a result of these investigations if
the Commission makes an affirmative determination of injury, threat, or material retardation, and
if the U.S. Department of Commerce makes an affirmative determination of subsidization by the
government of China and/or dumping.
Questionnaires and other information pertinent to these investigations are available at
http://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/investigations/active/index.htm
Address all correspondence to the United States International Trade Commission, Washington,
DC 20436. Hearing-impaired individuals can obtain information regarding these investigations
via the Commission=s TDD terminal (202-205-1810).
Due date of questionnaire(s).--Return the completed questionnaire(s) to the United States
International Trade Commission by no later than June 22, 2009. Use of an overnight mail
service may be necessary to ensure that your response actually reaches the Commission by June
22, 2009. Please make sure the completed questionnaire is sent to the attention of Chris Cassise.
Return only one copy of the completed questionnaire(s), but please keep a copy for your
records so that you can refer to it if the Commission staff contacts you with any questions
during the course of the investigations.
Service of questionnaire response(s).--In the event that your firm is a party to these investigations,
you are required to serve a copy of the questionnaire(s), once completed, on parties to the
proceeding that are subject to administrative protective order (see 19 CFR ' 207.7). A list of such
parties is maintained by the Commission=s Secretary and may be obtained by calling
202-205-1803. A certificate of service must accompany the copy of the completed questionnaire(s)
you submit (see 19 CFR ' 207.7).
Confidentiality.--The commercial and financial data furnished in response to the enclosed
questionnaire(s) that reveal the individual operations of your firm will be treated as confidential by
the Commission to the extent that such data are not otherwise available to the public and will not
be disclosed except as may be required by law (see 19 U.S.C. ' 1677f). Such confidential
information will not be published in a manner that will reveal the individual operations of your
firm; however, nonnumerical characterizations of numerical business proprietary information
(such as discussion of trends) will be treated as confidential business information only at the
request of the submitter for good cause shown.
Verification.--The information submitted in the enclosed questionnaire(s) is subject to audit
and verification by the Commission. To facilitate possible verification of data, please keep
all your workpapers and supporting documents used in the preparation of the questionnaire
response(s).

2

GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
Release of information.--The information provided by your firm in response to the
questionnaire(s), as well as any other business proprietary information submitted by your firm to
the Commission in connection with the investigations, may become subject to, and released under,
the administrative protective order provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. ' 1677f) and
section 207.7 of the Commission=s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR ' 207.7). This means
that certain lawyers and other authorized individuals may temporarily be given access to the
information for use in connection with these investigations or other import-injury investigations
conducted by the Commission on the same or similar merchandise; those individuals would be
subject to severe penalties if the information were divulged to unauthorized individuals. In
addition, if your firm is a U.S. producer, the information you provide on your production and
imports of wire decking and your responses to the questions in Part I of the producer questionnaire
will be provided to the U.S. Department of Commerce, upon its request, for use in connection with
(and only in connection with) its requirement pursuant to sections 702(c)(4) and 732(c)(4) of the
Act (19 U.S.C. '' 1671a(c)(4) and 1673a(c)(4)) to make a determination concerning the extent of
industry support for the petition requesting these investigations. Any information provided to
Commerce will be transmitted under the confidentiality and release guidelines set forth above.
Your response to these questions constitutes your consent that such information be provided to
Commerce under the conditions described above.

INSTRUCTIONS
Answer all questions.--Do not leave any question or section blank unless a questionnaire
expressly directs you to skip over certain questions or sections. If the answer to any question is
Anone,@ write Anone.@ If information is not readily available from your records in exactly the
form requested, furnish carefully prepared estimates--designated as such by the letter
AE@--and explain the basis of your estimates. Answers to questions and any necessary
comments or explanations should be supplied in the space provided or on separate sheets attached
to the appropriate page of the questionnaire(s). If your firm is completing more than one
questionnaire in connection with these investigations (i.e., a producer, importer, and/or purchaser
questionnaire), you need not respond to duplicated questions in the questionnaires.
Consolidate all U.S. establishments.--Report the requested data for your establishment(s) located
in the United States. Firms operating more than one establishment should combine the data
for all establishments into a single report.
Filing instructions.—Questionnaires may be filed either in paper form or electronically.

3

OPTIONS FOR FILING IN PAPER FORM
• Overnight mail service.—Mail to the following address:
United States International Trade Commission
Office of Investigations, Room 615
500 E Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
• Fax.—Fax to 202.205.3205.
• U.S. mail.—Mail to the address above, but use zip code 20436. This option is not recommended.
U.S. mail sent to government offices undergoes additional processing to screen for hazardous
materials; this additional processing results in substantial delays in delivery.
OPTIONS FOR FILING ELECTRONICALLY
This questionnaire is available as a “fillable” form in MS Word format on the
Commission’s website at:
http://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/investigations/active/in
dex.htm
Please do not attempt to modify the format or permissions of the questionnaire
document. You may complete the questionnaire electronically, print it out, and
submit it in paper form as described above, or you may submit it electronically
through one of the following means:
• Compact disc (CD).—Copy your questionnaire onto a CD, include a signed certification page
(page 1) (either in paper form or scanned PDF copied onto CD), and mail to the address above. It
is strongly recommended that you use an overnight mail service. U.S. mail sent to government
offices undergoes additional processing which not only results in substantial delays in delivery but
may also damage CDs.
• E-mail.—E-mail your questionnaire to the investigator identified on page 1 of the Instruction
Booklet; include a scanned PDF of the signed certification page (page 1). Please note that
submitting your questionnaire by e-mail may subject your firm’s business proprietary information
to transmission over an unsecure environment and to possible disclosure. If you choose this
option, the Commission warns you that any risk involving possible disclosure of such information
is assumed by the submitter and not by the Commission.
Note: If you are a party to the investigations, and service of the questionnaire is required,
such service should be made in paper form.

4

DEFINITIONS
Wire Decking.—is defined as welded-wire rack decking for industrial and other
commercial storage racks or pallet rack systems. It is produced from carbon or alloy steel
wire that has been welded into a square or rectangular mesh pattern. The wire may be
galvanized or plated (e.g., chrome, zinc or nickel coated), coated with paint, epoxy, or
plastic, or uncoated (“raw”). Wire decking is sold in a variety of wire gauges. The wire
gauges used in the decking mesh are 0.105 inches (12 gauge) or greater. The wire may be
drawn or rolled and may have a round, square or other profile.
Wire mesh decking is reinforced with structural supports that may include sheet metal
support channels or additional wire or other structural supports. It is produced to various
profiles, including, but not limited to, a flat (flush) profile, an upward curved back edge
profile (“backstop”) or downward curved edge profile (“waterfalls”), depending on the
rack storage system. Wire decking may also be referred to as “pallet rack decking,” “wire
rack decking,” “wire mesh decking,” or “bulk storage shelving.” The wire decking may or
may not be anchored to the rack storage system.
Wire decking’s open mesh design is intended to provide a low weight, high-strength
storage platform that allows light to pass through it. It also allows water to pass through for
fire protection systems, and as a result wire decking is usually mandated by insurance
companies and building codes for use in commercial and industrial storage systems.
The scope does not cover the metal rack system on which the wire decking is ultimately
installed. Also excluded from the scope is other wire mesh shelving that specifically lacks
any structural supports welded or otherwise affixed to it. Such wire mesh shelving is
known as “storage shelving” and might be used in a home or small business to store files
or other non-load bearing items.
Wire decking enters the United States through several basket categories in the Harmonized
Tariff Schedule of the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a
ruling (NY F84777) that wire decking is to be classified under HTS 9403.90.8040. Wire
decking may also be entered under HTS 7217.10, 7217.20, 7326.20, 7326.90 and
9403.20.0020. HTS numbers are provided for convenience purposes only; the physical
description provided above controls the scope coverage.
Firm.--An individual proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation
(including any subsidiary corporation), business trust, cooperative, trustee in bankruptcy, or
receiver under decree of any court.
Related firm.--A firm that your firm solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled; a
firm that solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled your firm; and/or a firm that
was solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled by a firm that also solely or jointly
owned, managed, or otherwise controlled your firm.

5

Establishment.--Each facility of a firm in the United States involved in the production,
importation, and/or purchase of wire decking (as defined above), including auxiliary facilities
operated in conjunction with (whether or not physically separate from) such facilities.
United States.--For purposes of these investigations, the 50 States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin
Islands, and the District of Columbia.
Importer.--Any person or firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary,
in importing wire decking (as defined above) into the United States from a foreign manufacturer
or through its selling agent.
Imports.--Those products identified for Customs purposes as imports for consumption for which
your firm was the importer of record (i.e., was responsible for paying any import duty) or
consignee (i.e., to which the merchandise was first delivered).
Import quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Import values.--Values reported should be landed, duty-paid values at the U.S. port of
entry, including ocean freight and insurance costs, brokerage charges, and import duties (i.e., all
charges except inland freight in the United States).
Purchaser.--Any person or firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or
subsidiary, in purchasing wire decking (as defined above) from another firm that produces,
imports, or otherwise distributes wire decking. A retail firm that is the importer of record may be
considered a purchaser.
Purchases.--Purchases from all sources, NOT including direct imports from foreign producers
(which should be reported in an importer questionnaire).
Purchase quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Purchase values.--Values reported should be net values (i.e., gross purchase values less all
discounts, allowances, rebates, and the value of returned goods), delivered to your U.S.
receiving point.
Shipments.--Shipments of products produced in or imported by your U.S. establishment(s).
Include shipments to the contracting firm of product produced by your firm under a toll agreement.
Shipment quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Shipment values.--Values reported should be net values (i.e., gross sales values less all
discounts, allowances, rebates, prepaid freight, and the value of returned goods), f.o.b.
your U.S. point of shipment. The value of domestic shipments to the contracting firm
under a toll agreement is the conversion fee (including profit).

6

Types of shipments:
U.S. shipments.--Commercial shipments, internal consumption, and transfers to related
firms within the United States.
Commercial shipments.--Shipments, other than internal consumption and transfers
to related firms, within the United States.
Internal consumption.--Product consumed internally by your firm.
Transfers to related firms.--Shipments made to related domestic firms.
Export shipments.--Shipments to destinations outside the United States, including
shipments to related firms.
Inventories.--Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work-in-progress.
The following definitions apply only to the PRODUCER QUESTIONNAIRE.
Average production capacity.--The level of production that your establishment(s) could
reasonably have expected to attain during the specified periods. Assume normal operating
conditions (i.e., using equipment and machinery in place and ready to operate; normal operating
levels (hours per week/weeks per year) and time for downtime, maintenance, repair, and cleanup;
and a typical or representative product mix).
Toll agreement.--Agreement between two firms whereby the first firm furnishes the raw materials
and the second firm uses the raw materials to produce a product that it then returns to the first firm
with a charge for processing costs, overhead, etc.
Production.--All production in your U.S. establishment(s), including production consumed
internally within your firm and production for another firm under a toll agreement.
PRWs.--Production and related workers, including working supervisors and all nonsupervisory
workers (including group leaders and trainees) engaged in fabricating, processing, assembling,
inspecting, receiving, storage, handling, packing, warehousing, shipping, trucking, hauling,
maintenance, repair, janitorial and guard services, product development, auxiliary production for
plant=s own use (e.g., power plant), recordkeeping, and other services closely associated with the
above production operations.
Average number employed.--Add the number of employees, both full-time and part-time, for the
12 pay periods ending closest to the 15th of the month and divide that total by 12. For the
January-March periods, calculate similarly and divide by 3.
Hours worked.--Include time paid for sick leave, holidays, and vacation time. Include overtime
hours actually worked; do not convert overtime pay to its equivalent in straight-time hours.
7

Wages paid.--Total wages paid before deductions of any kind (e.g., withholding taxes, old-age and
unemployment insurance, group insurance, union dues, bonds, etc.). Include wages paid directly
by your firm for overtime, holidays, vacations, and sick leave.
Fiscal year.--The 12-month period between settlement of your firm=s financial accounts.
Purchases other than direct imports.--Purchases from U.S. producers, U.S. importers, and other
U.S. sources.

8