08-2-2672 US Importer Questionnaire (Final)

Information collections for import injury investigations (producers, importers, purchasers, and foreign producer questionnaires and institution notices for 5-year reviews)

731-1135 - Imp Q

Sodium Metal from France (Final)

OMB: 3117-0016

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OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 08-2-2577; Expiration Date: 6/30/11
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IMPORTERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
SODIUM METAL FROM FRANCE

This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by no later than August 15, 2008
See page 4 of the Instruction Booklet for filing instructions.
The information called for in this questionnaire is for use by the United States International Trade Commission in
connection with its antidumping investigation concerning sodium metal from France (inv. No. 731-TA-1135 (Final)). The
information requested in the questionnaire is requested under the authority of the Tariff Act of 1930, title VII. This report
is mandatory and failure to reply as directed can result in a subpoena or other order to compel the submission of records or
information in your possession (19 U.S.C. § 1333(a)).

Name of firm
Address
State

City

Zip Code

World Wide Web address
Has your firm imported sodium metal (as defined in the instruction booklet) from any country at any time since
January 1, 2005?

(Sign the certification below and promptly return only this page of the questionnaire to the Commission)

YES

(Read the instruction booklet carefully, complete all parts of the questionnaire, and return the entire
questionnaire to the Commission so as to be received by the date indicated above)

CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information herein supplied in response to this questionnaire is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge
and belief and understand that the information submitted is subject to audit and verification by the Commission.
By means of this certification I also grant consent for the Commission, and its employees and contract personnel, to use the
information provided in this questionnaire and throughout this investigation in any other import-injury investigations conducted
by the Commission on the same or similar merchandise.
I acknowledge that information submitted in this questionnaire response and throughout this investigation may be used by the
Commission, its employees, and contract personnel who are acting in the capacity of Commission employees, for developing or
maintaining the records of this investigation or related proceedings for which this information is submitted, or in internal audits
and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the Commission pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3. I understand that
all contract personnel will sign non-disclosure agreements.

Name of Authorized Official

Title of Authorized Official
Phone: (

Signature

Date

)
E-mail address

Fax (

)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 2

PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
The questions in this questionnaire have been reviewed with market participants to ensure that issues of
concern are adequately addressed and that data requests are sufficient, meaningful, and as limited as
possible. Public reporting burden for this questionnaire is estimated to average 40 hours per response,
including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering the data needed,
and completing and reviewing the questionnaire. Send comments regarding the accuracy of this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the
burden, to the Office of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20436.
I-1a.

Please report below the actual number of hours required and the cost to your firm of preparing the
reply to this questionnaire and completing the form.
hours

dollars

I-1b.

We are interested in any comments you may have for improving this questionnaire in general or
the clarity of specific questions. Please attach such comments to your response or send them to
the above address.

I-2.

Provide the name and address of establishment(s) covered by this questionnaire (see page 3 of the
instruction booklet for reporting guidelines). If your firm is publicly traded, please specify the
stock exchange and trading symbol.

I-3.

Is your firm owned, in whole or in part, by any other firm?
No

Firm name

Yes--List the following information

Address

Extent of
ownership

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 3

PART I.--GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
I-4.

Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in
importing sodium metal from France into the United States or which are engaged in exporting
sodium metal from France to the United States?
No

Yes--List the following information

Firm name

I-5.

Address

Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in the
production of sodium metal?
No

Yes--List the following information

Firm name

I-6.

I-7.

Affiliation

Address

Affiliation

Please indicate the nature of your firm’s importing operations on sodium metal. More than one
answer may be applicable.
Importer of record

Takes title to the imported product(s)

Consignee of the imported products(s)

Customs broker or freight forwarder.

If your firm is an importer of record of sodium metal but is not the consignee, please list the
consignees below (firm name, address, telephone number, and individual to contact).

Firm name

Address

Contact person and phone
number

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 4

PART I.--GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
I-8.

I-9.

Please indicate whether your firm enters sodium metal into, or withdraws such merchandise from,
foreign trade zones or bonded warehouses.
Foreign trade zones

Yes

Bonded warehouses

Yes

Please indicate whether your firm imports sodium metal under the TIB (temporary importation
under bond) program.
No

I-10.

Yes

To your knowledge, have the products subject to these investigations been the subject of any
other import relief investigations in the United States or in any other countries?
No

Yes–Please specify.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 5

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION
Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Nathanael Comly, Investigator
(202-205-3174, nathanael.comly@usitc.gov). Supply all data requested on a calendar-year basis.
II-1.

Who should be contacted regarding the requested trade and related information?
Company contact:
Name and title
(
)
Phone number

II-2.

E-mail address

Please indicate whether your firm has experienced any of the following changes in relation to the
importation of sodium metal since January 1, 2005.
(check as many as appropriate)
plant/warehouse openings ........

plant/warehouse closings..........

relocations ................................

expansions ................................

acquisitions...............................

consolidations...........................

prolonged shutdowns or
importation curtailments ................
other..........................................

(please describe)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 6

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
II-3.

Has your firm imported or arranged for the importation of sodium metal from France for delivery
after June 31, 2008?
No

Yes–Indicate when such orders are to be delivered and the quantities
involved.
Item

April-June 2008

July-September October-December
2008
2008

January-June
2009

Quantity (1,000 pounds)

II-4.

If your firm also produces sodium metal in the United States, please indicate your reasons for
importing this product. If your reasons differ by source, please elaborate.

II-5

Please provide complete technical specifications and sample certifications for each of the grades
of sodium metal your firm imported. Please also state when your company imported each grade.
If there have been any changes to the specifications for the grade(s) over time, please provide the
date of the change(s) in specifications, and how the specification(s) changed.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 7

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
II-6. IMPORTS FROM SUBJECT SOURCES.–Report your firm’s imports and your firm’s
shipments and inventories of sodium metal imported from France by your firm during the
specified periods. (See definitions in the instruction booklet.)

FRANCE
Quantity (in 1,000 pounds), value (in $1,000)
Calendar years
Item

2005

2006

January-June
2007

2007

2008

Beginning-of-period inventories (quantity)
Imports:1
Quantity of imports
Value of imports
U.S. shipments:
Commercial shipments:
Quantity of commercial shipments
Value of commercial shipments
Internal consumption/company transfers:
Quantity of internal consumption/transfers
Value2 of internal consumption/transfers
Export shipments:3
Quantity of export shipments
Value of export shipments
End-of-period inventories4 (quantity)
Channels of distribution:
U.S. shipments to distributors (quantity)
U.S. shipments to end users (quantity)
1

Please identify the foreign producers, if known:

2
Sales to related firms (including internal consumption) must be valued at fair market value. In the event that you use a
different basis for valuing these sales within your company, please specify that basis (e.g., cost, cost plus, etc.) and provide
value data using that basis for 2005, 2006, 2007, January-June 2007, and January-June 2008 below:

Identify your principal export markets:

Reconciliation of data.--Please note that the quantities reported above should reconcile as follows: beginning-of-period
inventories, plus production, less total shipments, equals end-of-period inventories. Do the data reported reconcile?
Yes

No--Please explain:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 8

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
II-7.

IMPORTS FROM NONSUBJECT SOURCES.–Report your firm’s imports and your firm’s
shipments and inventories of sodium metal imported from all other sources combined by your
firm during the specified periods. (See definitions in the instruction booklet.)

ALL OTHER SOURCES COMBINED
Quantity (in 1,000 pounds), value (in $1,000)
Calendar years
Item

2005

2006

January-June
2007

2007

2008

Please identify the foreign producers, if known:

Sales to related firms (including internal consumption) must be valued at fair market value. In the event that you use a
different basis for valuing these sales within your company, please specify that basis (e.g., cost, cost plus, etc.) and provide
value data using that basis for 2005, 2006, 2007, January-June 2007, and January-June 2008 below:

Identify your principal export markets:

No--Please explain:

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U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 9

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
II-8.

Report your firm’s U.S. shipments of imports by type. (See definitions in the instruction booklet.)
Quantity (in 1,000 pounds) and value (in $1,000)
Calendar years
Item

2005

2006

January-June
2007

2007

2008

Imports from France:
S+ grade:
Quantity
Value
Sopure grade:
Quantity
Value
Refined grade:
Quantity
Value
Extra Refined grade:
Quantity
Value
Other: 1
Quantity
Value
Total:
Quantity
Value
All other imports:
With a Ca content of more than 400 ppm:
Quantity
Value
With a Ca content of between 200-400 ppm:
Quantity
Value
With a Ca content of less than 200ppm:
Quantity
Value
Other: 2
Quantity
Value
Total:
Quantity
Value
1
2

: Identify your firm’s “other” grades or forms of sodium metal
: Identify your firm’s “other” grades or forms of sodium metal

Note.--Totals should reconcile with II-5 and II-6.

.
.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 10

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION
Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Craig Thomsen, Economist
(202-205-3226 or e-mail: craig.thomsen@usitc.gov).
III-1.

Who should be contacted regarding the requested pricing and related information?
Company contact:
Name and title
(
)
Phone number

E-mail address

Section III-A.–PRICE DATA
This section requests total quarterly selling quantity and value data concerning your firm’s U.S.
commercial shipments to U.S. customers unrelated to your firm of its imported sodium metal from
France during January 2005-June 2008. Report the requested pricing data for the following products
shipped to U.S. customers during this period:
(1) Bulk sodium metal shipped by iso-container, rail tank cars, and/or tank trucks:
Product 1.–Sodium metal (Na) in bulk form with maximum calcium (Ca) levels equal to, or
less than 400 ppm, and shipped by iso-containers, rail tank cars, and/or tank trucks. This pricing
product refers to MSSA’s Technical (S+) grade.
Product 2.–Sodium metal (Na) in bulk form with maximum calcium (Ca) levels equal to, or
less than 200 ppm, subject to secondary filtration, and shipped by iso-containers, rail tank cars,
and/or tank trucks. This pricing product refers to MSSA’s Sopure grade.
Product 3.–Sodium metal (Na) in bulk form with maximum calcium (Ca) levels equal to, or
less than, 10 ppm, and shipped by iso-containers, rail tank cars, and/or tank trucks. This pricing
product refers to MSSA’s Refined grade.
(2) Bulk sodium metal shipped by pipeline:
Product 4.–Sodium metal (Na) in bulk form with maximum calcium (Ca) levels equal to, or
less than 400 ppm, and shipped by pipeline. This pricing product refers only to MSSA’s Technical
(S+) grade.
Product 5.–Sodium metal (Na) in bulk form with maximum calcium (Ca) levels equal to, or
less than 200 ppm, subject to secondary filtration, and shipped by pipeline. This pricing product
refers to and MSSA’s Sopure grade.
Product 6.–Sodium metal (Na) in bulk form with maximum calcium (Ca) levels equal to, or
less than 10 ppm, and shipped by pipeline. This pricing product refers to MSSA’s Refined grade.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 11

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA--Continued
Please note that total dollar values should be reported two ways: (1) delivered to your U.S.
customers, and (2) f.o.b., U.S. point(s) of shipment where this latter value does not include U.S.inland transportation costs to your customers.
Do not report transactions where your firm cannot report values, either actual or adjusted, on both a
delivered and a f.o.b. U.S. point(s) of shipment bases.
To develop delivered U.S. prices for any sales your firm made on a f.o.b., U.S.
point(s) of shipment basis, add to the f.o.b. U.S. price the U.S.-inland freight and
shipping charges from your firm’s U.S. shipping point(s) to its U.S. customers and
report the resulting effective U.S. delivered value.
To develop f.o.b. U.S. prices for any sales your firm made on a delivered basis,
deduct from the delivered price any U.S.-inland freight and shipping charges from
your firm’s U.S. shipping point(s) to its U.S. customers and report the resulting
effective f.o.b., U.S. point of shipment value.
The total quarterly quantities should correspond to sales values shown on BOTH delivered and
f.o.b. U.S. point(s) of shipment bases. Total dollar values should reflect the FINAL NET amount
paid to you (i.e., should be net of all deductions for discounts or rebates). See instruction booklet.
Report the requested pricing data in the tables, beginning after the following page, for sales to U.S.
customers unrelated to your firm for the specified sodium metal products that your firm imported
from France and from your firm’s largest (in pounds imported) nonsubject country source (copy
the table as necessary to report the pricing data separately for each of the specified sodium metal
products for each country of origin).
Please report the requested price data in the tables beginning on the next page for all customers
combined, as well as your top eight customers in 2007. Report for all sodium metal sold and
shipped during the relevant period. However, in cases where your firm cannot access delivery costs
for a particular time period, please indicate so with an “(E)” and provide a brief summary of your
adjustment methodology..
Please report below the average Ca level during January 2005-June 2008 for each grade of sodium metal
that your firm imported from France for which it reported the requested price data and that corresponds
to the maximum Ca level shown in the respective product descriptions.
Imported from France
Grade

Form

Maximum Ca level

Average Ca level

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 12

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA—Continued
1) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 1 from France, shipped
by iso-container, rail tank cars, and/or tank trucks to ALL U.S. customers unrelated to your firm and to
your single-largest customer.
ALL CUSTOMERS
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

LARGEST CUSTOMER DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
1

Net values (i.e., gross sales values less all discounts, allowances, rebates, prepaid freight, and the value of returned
goods), delivered to your customers.
2
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.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 13

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.--PRICE DATA--Continued
1) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 1 from France, shipped
by iso-container, rail tank cars, and/or tank trucks to your second- through eighth-largest U.S.
customers unrelated to your firm, based on 2007 shipments.
SECOND-THROUGH-EIGHTH LARGEST CUSTOMERS DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
Second-Largest Customer:

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

2005
2006
2007
Third-Largest Customer:
2005
2006
2007
Fourth-Largest Customer:
2005
2006
2007
Fifth-Largest Customer:
2005
2006
2007
Sixth-Largest Customer:
2005
2006
2007
Seventh-Largest
Customer:
2005
2006
2007
Eighth-Largest Customer:
2005
2006
2007
1

Additional Notes:

____________________________________________________________

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 14

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA—Continued
2) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 2 from France, shipped
by iso-container, rail tank cars, and/or tank trucks to ALL U.S. customers unrelated to your firm and to
your single-largest customer.
ALL CUSTOMERS
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

LARGEST CUSTOMER DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
1

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 15

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.--PRICE DATA--Continued
2) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 2 from France, shipped
by iso-container, rail tank cars, and/or tank trucks to your second- through eighth-largest U.S.
customers unrelated to your firm, based on 2007 shipments.
SECOND-THROUGH-EIGHTH LARGEST CUSTOMERS DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
Second-Largest Customer:

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

Additional Notes:

____________________________________________________________

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 16

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA—Continued
3) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 3 from France, shipped
by iso-container, rail tank cars, and/or tank trucks to ALL U.S. customers unrelated to your firm and to
your single-largest customer.
ALL CUSTOMERS
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

LARGEST CUSTOMER DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
1

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 17

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.--PRICE DATA--Continued
3) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 3 from France, shipped
by iso-container, rail tank cars, and/or tank trucks to your second- through eighth-largest U.S.
customers unrelated to your firm, based on 2007 shipments.
SECOND-THROUGH-EIGHTH LARGEST CUSTOMERS DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
Second-Largest Customer:

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

Additional Notes:

____________________________________________________________

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 18

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA—Continued
4) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 4 from France, shipped
by pipeline to ALL U.S. customers unrelated to your firm and to your single-largest customer.
ALL CUSTOMERS
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

LARGEST CUSTOMER DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
shipment value2

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
1

Net values (i.e., gross sales values less all discounts, allowances, rebates, prepaid freight, and the value of returned
goods), delivered to your customers .
2
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.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 19

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.--PRICE DATA--Continued
4) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 4 from France shipped
by pipeline to your second- through eighth-largest U.S. customers unrelated to your firm, based on 2007
shipments.
SECOND-THROUGH-EIGHTH LARGEST CUSTOMERS DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
Second-Largest Customer:

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

Additional Notes:

____________________________________________________________

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 20

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA—Continued
5) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 5 from France, shipped
by pipeline to ALL U.S. customers unrelated to your firm and to your single-largest customer.
ALL CUSTOMERS
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

LARGEST CUSTOMER DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
shipment value2

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
1

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 21

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.--PRICE DATA--Continued
5) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 5 from France shipped
by pipeline to your second- through eighth-largest U.S. customers unrelated to your firm, based on 2007
shipments.
SECOND-THROUGH-EIGHTH LARGEST CUSTOMERS DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
Second-Largest Customer:

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

Additional Notes:

____________________________________________________________

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 22

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA—Continued
6) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 6 from France, shipped
by pipeline to ALL U.S. customers unrelated to your firm and to your single-largest customer.
ALL CUSTOMERS
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

LARGEST CUSTOMER DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
2005
Jan-Mar
Apr-June

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
shipment value2

July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2006
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2007
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
July-Sept
Oct-Dec
2008
Jan-Mar
Apr-June
1

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 23

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.--PRICE DATA--Continued
6) Report the requested price data for your firm’s shipments of imported Product 6 from France shipped
by pipeline to your second- through eighth-largest U.S. customers unrelated to your firm, based on 2007
shipments.
SECOND-THROUGH-EIGHTH LARGEST CUSTOMERS DURING 2007
(Quantity in pounds, value in dollars)
Period of shipment
Second-Largest Customer:

Quantity

Delivered value1

F.o.b. U.S. point(s) of
2
shipment value

Additional Notes:

____________________________________________________________

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 24

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA–Continued
III-A-1.

If your firm uses/issues price lists for its imported sodium metal from France, please enclose a
copy of the most recent price list, if possible, with your submission; if your price list is large,
please submit sample pages. Note if the price list differs by type of customer (e.g., distributor,
end user, type of end user, etc.).

III-A-2.

a) Please indicate when your firm began selling in the U.S. market its imported Sopure grade
of sodium metal from France, explain the reasons for introducing this product, and the timing
of its introduction in the U.S. market.

b) Since January 2005, have any of your firm’s U.S. customers requested a sodium metal
product lower in calcium than your firm’s imported technical grade product from France?
No

Yes--Please identify each such customer, the approximate dates when such
requests were made, the downstream products that they produced with
the sodium metal, and the reason(s) for such requests.

c) Please identify and discuss the threshold concentration at which calcium will not precipitate
out.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 25

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA–Continued
III-A-3.

Please specify any price premium your firm expected to receive for its imported Sopure grade
of sodium metal from France vis-à-vis its subject imported technical grade during January
2005-June 2008, and identify the reason(s) for any such expected price premium. Discuss
separately cost factors and demand factors (the latter including reasons why U.S. customers
would be willing or unwilling to pay a price premium for the Sopure grade of sodium metal).
Expected premium:

Cost factors:

Demand factors:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 26

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA–Continued
III-A-4.

Have any changes to U.S. national/state/local security, environmental, health, or safety
regulations since January 2005 altered costs to your firm to import, ship, and/or store sodium
metal in the United States?
No

Yes--Please describe any such changes and provide estimates of the associated
costs. Have any such changes resulted in changes in your U.S. production
of sodium metal or U.S. demand for sodium metal? Please explain.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 27

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-A.–PRICE DATA–Continued
III-A-5.

For contracts that were either (1) negotiated during January 2005-June 2008 for deliveries
occurring in 2005-2009, or (2) negotiated prior to January 2005 if the contract delivery period
extended into 2005-2009, please describe the following stipulations of the contract. Please
copy this pages as needed to report for more than a single long-term and/or short-term
purchase contract/agreement. For each additional contract, manually copy and paste this
page into new pages as necessary. (At the end of this page, insert a page break (Menu:
Insert-Break-Page break); copy the contents of this page and paste in the new page. Repeat
as necessary for your eight largest contracts.

Purchaser name
Country of origin
Reason for selecting
supplier
Product specification(s)
Date signed
Beginning/end dates
Extension clause (please
describe)
Contracted price
Price escalators (include
basis, frequency and other
factors)
Additional price terms (if
any)
Quantity
Payment terms
Delivery terms or provisions
(include U.S. receiving
location and transport
method)
Inventory provisions (if any)
Hardship/meet-or-release
provisions (if any)
Most favored customer
provision (if any)
Other considerations (if any)
Product(s) produced with
contracted sodium metal
Provide for supply of
sodium metal to other
countries also?

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 28

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS
Unless otherwise instructed, please answer all questions in the rest of part III based on your firm’s total
U.S. sales of its imported sodium metal from France to all U.S. customers and, where specified, from
nonsubject countries, during January 2005-June 2008. If your responses differ by sales to different types
of U.S. customers (distributors, end users, or types of end users), or by product specifications of the
sodium metal that you imported from France and, where specified, from nonsubject countries, please
explain in a separate response. Please respond fully to the questions and attach additional pages of
discussion as needed; identify attached responses with the question number.
III-B-1.

Please estimate below the approximate shares of your firm’s total U.S. commercial shipment
quantity during 2007 of its imported sodium metal from France that were on a (1) long-term
basis (multiple deliveries for more than 12 months after the purchase agreement), (2) shortterm basis (multiple deliveries up to and including 12 months), and (3) spot sales basis
(usually one-time delivery, within 30 days of the purchase agreement). The three different
sales bases include both written contracts and verbal agreements.
Type of Sale:

Share of 2007 U.S. commercial shipments (percent)

Long-term contracts
Short-term contracts
Spot sales
Total
III-B-2.

100.0%

Please discuss the following provisions of your firm’s U.S. sales on a typical long-term basis
that involved your imported sodium metal from France.
(a) What is the average duration of a contract?
(b) Can prices be renegotiated during the contract period?
(c) Does the contract fix quantity, price, or both?
(d) Does the contract have a meet or release provision?

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 29

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued
III-B-3.

Please discuss the following provisions of your firm’s U.S. sales on a typical short-term basis
that involved your imported sodium metal from France.
(a) What is the average duration of a contract?
(b) Can prices be renegotiated during the contract period?
(c) Does the contract fix quantity, price, or both?
(d) Does the contract have a meet or release provision?

III-B-4.

Please identify and discuss below, for your firm’s U.S. sales of its imported sodium metal
from France during January 2005-June 2008, the factors considered by your firm and its
process in negotiating/determining the prices that it charged for long-term and short-term sales
of sodium metal to its U.S. customers (e.g., the role of quantity sold in arriving at prices, the
role of any bid process, the use/role of price lists, use of follow-up price quotes, the role of
sodium metal bundled with other products your firm supplies, etc.).
Long-term:

Short-term:

III-B-5.

Please explain how your firm established prices during January 2005-June 2008 for U.S. sales
of its imported sodium metal from France on a spot basis.

III-B-6.

What were your firm’s typical payment terms it offered on sales of its sodium metal imported
from France and shipped to U.S. customers during January 2005-September 2008 (e.g., 2/10
net 30 days, net 30 days, etc.)?

III-B-7.

Report below for your firm’s U.S. shipments, during January 2005-June 2008, of its imported
sodium metal from France.
a) On what basis did your firm typically quote prices to its U.S. customers:
or delivered
? (Check one)
f.o.b. U.S. warehouse/port of entry
b) If U.S. f.o.b., did your customers typically arrange the freight
arrange the freight
? (Check one)

or did your firm

c) If your firm arranged freight on its U.S. f.o.b. sales, did it typically prepay the freight
or send the products freight collect
? (Check one)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 30

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued
IV-B-8

Please describe your firm’s discount policy (check all that apply).
Quantity discounts

Annual total volume discounts

No discount policy

Other--Please describe:

III-B-9.

Report below for your firm’s U.S. shipments, during January 2005-September 2008, of its
imported sodium metal from France.
a) What was the approximate percentage of the total delivered cost of your firm’s subject
imported sodium metal that was accounted for by U.S. inland transportation costs?
percent.
b) Who generally arranged the transportation to your customers’ locations?
Your firm

or purchaser

(check one).

c) What was the approximate percentage of your sales that occurred within 100 miles of your
U.S. storage or production facility?
percent. 101 to 1,000 miles?
percent.
percent.
Over 1,000 miles?
III-B-10.

What was(were) the geographic market area(s) in the United States served by your firm’s
U.S.-produced sodium metal during January 2005-June 2008?
Northeast

Mid-Atlantic

Midwest

Southeast

Southwest

Rocky Mountains

West Coast

Northwest

National

Other (describe:

Note any changes in your U.S. market area(s) since January 2005.

)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 31

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued
III-B-11. a) What was the average lead time (in days) between your firm’s U.S. customers’ orders and
the date of delivery for your firm’s 2007 U.S. commercial shipments of its imported sodium
metal from France from (1) its U.S. inventory, and, if applicable, (2) directly from French
production or inventory? Also report the percentage share of your firm’s total 2007 U.S.
shipment quantity that was from U.S. inventory and from French production/inventory.

Source

Share of U.S.
commercial shipment
quantity (percent)

Lead time (days)

From U.S. inventory
Direct from French production/inventory
Total

100 %

b) Have the average lead times changed since January 2005?
No

Yes—Please note dates of any changes and explain how and why lead times
changed and the effect it had on your ability to compete with the U.S.produced sodium metal (respond separately, as appropriate, for lead
times from your firm’s U.S. inventory and direct from French
production/ inventory).

U.S. Inventory:

French production/inventory:

III-B-12. Does your firm sell its imported sodium metal from France in the U.S. market over the
internet?
No

Yes—Please describe below, noting the estimated share of your firm’s total
U.S. commercial shipment quantity in 2007 of its imported sodium
metal from France that was accounted for by internet sales.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 32

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued
III-B-13. Have there been any significant changes in the product range or marketing of sodium metal in
the United States since January 2005?
No

Yes—Please describe below such changes, the time periods such changes
occurred, and the impact such changes had on your firm’s U.S. sales
prices and quantities of its imported sodium metal from France.

III-B-14. Based on your firm’s sales of its imported sodium metal from France to its two largest U.S.
customers during January 2005-June 2008, identify, to the extent possible, the principal
downstream product that each customer produced with the sodium metal, and the percentage
share of the total cost to produce the downstream product that is accounted for by sodium
metal.
Downstream product

Share of total cost accounted for by sodium metal (percent)

III-B-15. Was the sodium metal market in the United States subject to business cycles, product cycles,
or conditions of competition distinctive to sodium metal during January 2005-June 2008?
No

Yes—Please explain and provide estimates of the duration of any such cycle
and identify any other factors affecting U.S. demand for sodium metal.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 33

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued
III-B-16. a) Please explain if your firm’s U.S. inventories of its imported sodium metal from France
during January 2005-June 2008 were committed to customers by supply agreements, or other
reasons that would have prevented your firm from using some or all of this inventory to
increase shipments in the U.S. market within a 12-month period.

b) Estimate the percentage share of the total quantity of your firm’s 2007 U.S. end-of-period
inventories of its imported sodium metal from France that could have been used to increase
shipments in the U.S. market in a 12-month period in response to an increase in U.S. demand.

III-B-17. How has the demand for sodium metal in the United States and outside the United States, if
known, changed since January 1, 2005? What principal factors affected any changes in
demand?
a) United States:
Increased

Unchanged

Decreased

Fluctuated

b) Outside the United States: (Identify below the specific countries/areas, including France).
Increased

Unchanged

Decreased

Fluctuated

III-B-18. Please provide as separate attachments to this request any studies, surveys, etc., that you are
aware of that quantify and/or otherwise discuss sodium metal demand and supply in the (1)
United States, (2) each of the major producing/consuming countries, including France, China,
and other major countries, and (3) the world as a whole. Of particular interest is such data on
an annual basis from January 2005 to the present and forecasts for the future.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 34

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued
Substitution in demand refers to products that can, based on market price considerations and consumer
/industrial user preferences/technical requirements, reasonably be expected to substitute for each other
when the price of one product changes vis-à-vis the price of the other product–some consumers/
industrial users may require greater price changes than others before they switch among the alternative
products.
Discuss substitution in demand in the U.S. market between sodium metal and alternative products in the
following question.
If none, please indicate.
None (skip to the next question)
III-B-19. a) Please list in descending order of importance the top two products that may substitute for
sodium metal, or vice-a-versa, in the U.S. market, based on your firm’s experience during
January 2005-September 2008, and identify the form and grade of sodium metal product for
which each alternative product is the most probable substitute.
1.
2.
b) For each possible substitute product-pair listed, please note the most likely principal
application(s)/end-use product(s) in which they may substitute for each other
1.
2.
c) To what extent do changes in the relative prices of the substitute product-pairs affect the
price or quantity of the sodium metal product? What is the time lag for any such impact and
does this vary by form and grade of sodium metal or final end-use?
1.
2.
d) Please list emergent new applications in the U.S. market for sodium metal.
1.
2.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 35

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued
III-B-20. Are all forms and grades of sodium metal produced in the United States, imported from
France, and imported from all other countries interchangeable (i.e., can they physically be
used in the same applications)? Please indicate below, using “A” to indicate that the products
from a specified country-pair are always interchangeable, “F” to indicate that the products are
frequently interchangeable, “S” to indicate that the products are sometimes interchangeable,
“N” to indicate that the products are never interchangeable, and “0” to indicate no familiarity
with products from a specified country-pair.1
Country-pair

France

China

India

Other countries

United States
France
1
For any country-pair producing sodium metal which is sometimes or never interchangeable, please
explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use. Also, identify any “other countries’
included in the last-column comparisons

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 36

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-B.--PRICE-RELATED QUESTIONS--Continued
III-B-21. Are differences other than price (i.e., quality, availability, transportation network, product
range, technical support, etc.) between sodium metal produced in the United States, imported
from France, and imported from all other countries a significant factor in your firm’s sales of
its imported products? Please indicate below, using “A” to indicate that such differences are
always significant, “F” to indicate that such differences are frequently significant, “S” to
indicate that such differences are sometimes significant, “N” to indicate that such differences
are never significant, and “0” to indicate no familiarity with products from a specified countrypair.1
Country-pair

France

China

India

Other countries

United States
France
1
For any country-pair for which factors other than price always or frequently are a significant factor
in your firm’s sales of sodium metal, identify the country-pair and report the advantages or
disadvantages imparted by such factors. Also, identify any “other countries” included in the last-column
comparisons.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – Sodium Metal

Page 37

PART III.--PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
Section III-C.—CUSTOMER INDENTIFCATION
Please identify below in descending order the names and addresses of ALL your firm’s U.S. customers
during January 2005-June 2008 for its imported sodium metal from France. Please also provide the
percentage share of the quantity of your firm’s total U.S. commercial shipments of its imported sodium
metal from France that each of these customers accounted for in 2007. For any customers related to your
firm, place an R by the name of each such customer.

No.

Customer’s
name

Street address (not
P.O. box), city, state,
and zip code

Contact person and
e-mail address

Area code
and
telephone
number

Share of
2007 shipments (%)

Customer’s
end-use
application

File Type	application/pdf
File Title	Microsoft Word - U.S. Instructions.doc
Author	nathanael.comly
File Modified	2008-07-28
File Created	2008-07-28