11-3-2924 Purchaser questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 11-3-2924; Expiration Date: 6/30/2011
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
ALUMINUM EXTRUSIONS FROM CHINA

This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by no later than February 8, 2011
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 countervailing duty and antidumping investigations concerning aluminum extrusions from China (Inv.
No. 701-TA-475 and 731-TA-1177 (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)).
Further information on this questionnaire can be obtained from James Fetzer (202-708-5403, james.fetzer@usitc.gov).

Name of firm
Address
State

City

Zip Code

World Wide Web address
Has your firm purchased aluminum extrusions (as defined in the instruction booklet) from any source (domestic
or foreign) at any time since January 1, 2008?

NO

(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 submitting 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 these proceedings in any other import-injury proceedings conducted by
the Commission on the same or similar merchandise.
I acknowledge that information submitted in this questionnaire response and throughout these proceedings 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 these proceedings or related proceedings for which this information is submitted, or in internal audits
and proceedings 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: (

Date

)

Signature

E-mail address
Fax (

)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

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 25 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.

OMB statistics.--Please report 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.

OMB feedback.--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.

Establishments covered.--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.

Ownership.--Is your firm owned, in whole or in part, by any other firm?

I-4.

No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

Address

Extent of
ownership

Related SUBJECT importers/exporters.--Does your firm have any related firms, either
domestic or foreign, which are engaged in importing aluminum extrusions from China into the
United States or which are engaged in exporting aluminum extrusions from China to the United
States?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

Address

Affiliation

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 3

PART I.--GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
I-5.

Related NONSUBJECT importers/exporters.--Does your firm have any related firms, either
domestic or foreign, which are engaged in importing aluminum extrusions from countries other
than China into the United States or which are engaged in exporting aluminum extrusions from
countries other than China to the United States?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name and country

I-6.

Address

Affiliation

Related producers.--Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which
are engaged in the production of aluminum extrusions?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

Address

Affiliation

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 4

PART II.--PURCHASES
Contact information (Purchases).-- Please identify the individual to be contacted regarding the
confidential information requested in parts II to IV.
Name and title:
Please indicate the manner by which Commission staff may contact the individual responsible for
parts II to IV with questions regarding the submitted confidential information.
E-mail:
Fax: (
II-1.

Telephone: (

)

)

Purchases.--Report, as indicated below, your firm’s purchases (either directly or through a sales
agent or broker) of aluminum extrusions. Report based on delivery date, not order date.

Quantity (in pounds) and value (in dollars)
Item
2008
2009
Purchases of finished heat sinks
produced in-The United States:
Quantity
Value
China:
Quantity
Value
Canada:
Quantity
Value
All other countries:1
Quantity
Value
Purchases of aluminum extrusions other
than finished heat sinks produced in-The United States:
Quantity
Value
China:
Quantity
Value
Canada:
Quantity
Value
All other countries:1
Quantity
Value
1
Please identify these countries:

2010

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

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PART II.--PURCHASES--Continued
When responding to questions, please indicate when your response varies by finished heat
sinks and other aluminum extrusions.
II-2.

Changes in purchasing patterns.—Please indicate how the relative levels of your firm’s
purchases of aluminum extrusions from different sources (both domestic and foreign) have
changed in the last three years.
Source of purchases

Trend
Decreased

Explanation for trend

Increased
The United States

Constant
Fluctuated
Decreased
Increased

China

Constant
Fluctuated
Decreased
Increased

Canada

Constant
Fluctuated
Decreased
Increased

All other countries

Constant
Fluctuated

II-3.

Purchases from one country only.--If your firm has purchased aluminum extrusions from only
one country, please explain the reasons for doing so.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

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PART II.--PURCHASES--Continued
II-4.

Supplier identification.--Please identify below the names and addresses of your firm’s FIVE
largest suppliers for aluminum extrusions since 2008. Please also provide the name and
telephone number of a contact person and the share of the quantity of your firm’s total shipments
of aluminum extrusions that each of these suppliers accounted for in 2010.
Supplier’s
name

No.
1

2

3

4

5

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

Contact person

Share of
Telephone number
2010
or e-mail address purchases
(%)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 7

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES
When responding to questions, please indicate when your response varies by finished heat
sinks and other aluminum extrusions.
III-1.

Firm type.--Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of aluminum
extrusions (check all that apply)?
End user
Distributor
Other (Describe:

III-2.

)

Competition for sales.--If you are a distributor or reseller of aluminum extrusions, do you
compete for sales to your customers with the manufacturers or importers from which you
purchase aluminum extrusions?
No

Yes--Please describe

III-3.

Types of customers.--If your firm is a distributor or reseller of aluminum extrusions, what are the
major types of consumers to which you sell aluminum extrusions?

III-4.

End uses.--If your firm is an end user of aluminum extrusions, list the top 3 products for which
your firm purchases aluminum extrusions as an input, the percentage of your total purchases of
aluminum extrusions accounted for by each end use, and the percentage of the total cost of the
end use product that is accounted for by aluminum extrusions.

Product(s) you produce
1.
2.
3.

Share of aluminum extrusions
you purchase that is used in
this end use
(percent)

Share of cost of this
product accounted for by
aluminum extrusions
(percent)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-5.

Demand for end use products.-(a)

If your firm is an end user of aluminum extrusions, has the demand for your firm’s final
products incorporating aluminum extrusions changed since 2008?
Increased

(b)

Fluctuated

No change

Has this had any effect on your firm’s demand for aluminum extrusions?
No

III-6.

Decreased

Yes--Please describe.

Substitutes.--Can other products be substituted for aluminum extrusions?
No

Substitute

Yes--Please fill out the table below.
End use in which this
substitute is used

Have changes in the prices of this substitute
affected the price for aluminum extrusions?

1.

No

Yes-- Yes—please explain.

2.

No

Yes--—please explain.

3.

No

Yes--—please explain.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-7.

Finishing.—Would you purchase unfinished aluminum extrusions if finished extrusions were not
available?
N/A-Do not purchase finished aluminum extrusions
Yes--Would purchase unfinished aluminum extrusions if finished aluminum
extrusions were not available-please explain below
No--Would not puchase unfinished aluminum extrusions if finished aluminum
extrusions were not available-please explain below
Other--Please explain.

III-8.

Demand trends.-(a)

How has the demand within the United States for aluminum extrusions changed since
January 1, 2008? What principal factors affect changes in demand?
Increased

(b)

Decreased

Fluctuated

No change

How has the demand outside the United States for aluminum extrusions changed since
January 1, 2008? What principal factors affect changes in demand?
Increased

Decreased

Fluctuated

No change

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 10

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-9.

Importance of purchasing domestic product.--Is buying a product that is produced in the
United States an important factor in your firm’s purchases of aluminum extrusions (check ALL
that apply)?
No
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are required by law or regulation (for example,
percent of
government purchases under “Buy American” provisions). This involves
all purchases of aluminum extrusions.
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are not required by law or regulation, but are by your
customers. This involves
percent of all purchases of aluminum extrusions.
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are required for other reasons (please specify these
reasons below). This involves
percent of all purchases of aluminum extrusions.

III-10 Conditions of competition.-(a)

Is the aluminum extrusions market subject to business cycles or conditions of competition
other than the changes in the overall economy?
No

(b)

Yes--Please explain and estimate the duration of any such cycle.

Have the business cycles or conditions of competition for aluminum extrusions changed
since January 1, 2008?
No

Yes--Please explain any such changes.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-11. Decisions based on producer.--Does your firm, and to the extent that you know, do your
customers make purchasing decisions involving aluminum extrusions based on the producer of
the aluminum extrusions you purchase?
Your firm:

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

Your customers:

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

If at least sometimes, please discuss how your firm or your customers determine the producer and
why this information is important.
Your firm:

Your customers:

III-12. Decisions based on country-of-origin.--Does your firm, and to the extent that you know, do
your customers make purchasing decisions involving aluminum extrusions based on the country
of origin of the aluminum extrusions you purchase?
Your firm:

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

Your customers:

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

If at least sometimes, please discuss how your firm or your customers determine the source and
why this information is important.
Your firm:

Your customers:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 12

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-13. Purchasing frequency.-(a)

How frequently do you make purchases?
Daily
Other (specify)

(b)

Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

)

Have you made significant changes in your purchasing patterns (e.g., frequency) since
January 1, 2008?
No

Yes—Please describe.

III-14. Number of suppliers contacted.--How many suppliers do you generally contact before making a
purchase?
firms
III-15. Supplier negotiations.-(a)

Do purchases of aluminum extrusions usually involve negotiations between supplier and
purchaser?
No

(b)

Yes--Please describe these negotiations. In your response, please
comment on whether purchasers generally quote competing
prices as part of the negotiation process.

Does your firm tend to vary its purchases from a given supplier within a specified time
period based on the price offered for that period?
No

Yes--Specify the time period.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-16. Change in suppliers.--Have you changed suppliers since 2008?
No

Yes--Please list the supplier or suppliers and indicate whether the firm was
added or dropped as a supplier. Also give the reasons for the change
and how frequently you change suppliers.

III-17. New suppliers.--Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have
entered the market since 2008?
No

Yes --Please identify the firms and indicate how you became aware of them.

III-18. Supplier qualification
(a) Do you require your suppliers to be or to become certified or qualified to sell aluminum
extrusions to your firm?
No

Yes--

percent of purchases in 2010

Yes--all purchases

(b) Please provide a general description of the certification or qualification process. Briefly
describe the factors that you consider when qualifying a new supplier (e.g., quality of product,
reliability of supplier, etc.)

(c) How long does it take to qualify a new supplier?

days.

III-19. Failure to certify.--Since 2008, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their attempts to
certify or qualify their aluminum extrusions with your firm or have any producers lost their
approved status?
No

Yes--Please identify these firms, the countries where they are located, and the
reasons why they failed the certification/qualification process.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 14

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-20. Purchasing factors.--For the factors listed below, please rate each in terms of its importance in
your purchase decision for aluminum extrusions.
Very
important
Availability .......................................
Delivery terms .................................
Delivery time ...................................
Discounts offered ............................
Extension of credit...........................
Price ................................................
Minimum qty requirements ..............
Packaging .......................................
Product consistency ........................
Quality meets industry standards....
Quality exceeds industry standards
Product range..................................
Reliability of supply .........................
Technical support/service ...............
U.S. transportation costs .................
Other (specify):
........
........
........

Somewhat
important

Not
important

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 15

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-21. Major purchasing factors.--Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors
generally considered by your firm in deciding from whom to purchase aluminum extrusions for
any one order (examples include availability, extension of credit, contracts, price, quality, range
of supplier’s product line, traditional supplier, etc.).
1.
2.
3.
Other factors or comments:

III-22. Quality characteristics.--What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the
quality of aluminum extrusions?

III-23. Frequency of decisions based on price.--How often does your firm purchase the aluminum
extrusions that is offered at the lowest price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-24. Price leaders.— A price leader is defined as (1) one or more firms that initiate a price change,
either upward or downward, that is followed by other firms, or (2) one or more firms that have a
significant impact on prices. A price leader does not necessarily have to be the lowest priced
supplier.
Please list the names of any firms you considered price leaders in the aluminum extrusions
market since 2008. Please describe how the firm(s) exhibited price leadership.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 16

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-25. Supply constraints.-(a)

Has any supplier refused, declined, or been unable to supply aluminum extrusions to your firm
since January 1, 2008 (examples include being placed on allocation or “controlled order entry,”
not being accepted as a new customer, or not being renewed as a existing customer, being
delivered less than the quantity promised, supplier unable to meet timely shipment commitments,
etc.) for non-price reasons?
No

Type of supply
constraint

Yes-- Please provide the following data.

When this
occurred

Which suppliers
were caused the
constraint

Why did the supply
constraint occur

1.

2.

3.

(b)

Has any supplier refused, declined, or been unable to supply aluminum extrusions to your firm
since January 1, 2008 (examples include being placed on allocation or “controlled order entry,”
not being accepted as a new customer, or not being renewed as a existing customer, being
delivered less than the quantity promised, supplier unable to meet timely shipment commitments,
etc.) because of price ?
No

Yes-- Please describe.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 17

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS
When responding to questions, please indicate when your response varies by finished heat
sinks and other aluminum extrusions.
IV-1.

Country knowledge.--Please indicate the countries of origin for aluminum extrusions for which
your firm has actual marketing/pricing knowledge.
United States
China
Canada
Other countries (Please specify

IV-2.

)

Interchangeability by country-pair.--Is aluminum extrusions produced in the United States and
in 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 countrypair.1
Country-pair

China

Canada

Other countries

United States
China
Canada
1
For any country-pair producing certain aluminum extrusions which is sometimes or never
interchangeable, please explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 18

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued

IV-3.

Factors other than price.--Are differences other than price (i.e., quality, availability,
transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between aluminum extrusions
produced in the United States and in other countries a significant factor in your firm’s purchases
of the 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 country-pair.1
Country-pair

China

Canada

Other countries

United States
China
Canada
1

For any country-pair for which factors other than price always or frequently are a significant factor in
your firm’s sales of certain aluminum extrusions, identify the country-pair and report the advantages or
disadvantages imparted by such factors:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 19

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-4.

Country preferences.--Do you or your customers ever specifically order aluminum extrusions
from one country in particular over other possible sources of supply?
No

IV-5.

Availability of merchandise.--Are certain grades/types/sizes of aluminum extrusions available
from only a single source (domestic or foreign, including both subject and nonsubject countries)?
No

IV-6.

Yes--Please identify all relevant countries (including the United States and
both subject and nonsubject foreign countries) from which you or your
customers prefer to order, and indicate why aluminum extrusions from
these countries is preferred over product from other countries (please
note the specific product in your response).

Yes--Please identify the source and the grade/type/size.

Choice of product not based on price.--If you purchased aluminum extrusions from one source
although a comparable product was available from another source at a lower price, please explain
your reasons for doing so (please specify by country, including the United States and both subject
and nonsubject foreign countries). Possibilities might include transaction characteristics such as
length of time to fill orders, minimum order size, reliability of supply, etc.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 20

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-7. Factor country comparisons.--For the factors listed below, please rate how aluminum
extrusions produced in each country you identified in your response to the first question in Part IV
compares with aluminum extrusions produced in each of the other countries you identified (including the
United States and both subject and nonsubject foreign countries).

Inferior

Comparable

product from
China
compared to
product from
Canada

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

product from
United States
compared to
product from
Canada

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Quality

Superior

product from
United States
compared to
product from
China

Availability ...............................................
Delivery terms .........................................
Delivery time ...........................................
Discounts offered ....................................
Extension of credit...................................
Price1 .......................................................
Minimum quantity requirements ..............
Packaging ...............................................
Product consistency ................................
Quality meets industry standards............
Quality exceeds industry standards ........
Product range..........................................
Reliability of supply .................................
Technical support/service .......................
U.S. transportation costs1 .......................
Other (specify):

1

A rating of superior on price and U.S. transportation costs indicates that the first country generally has
lower prices/U.S. transportation costs than the second country.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 21

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
Continued.

Availability ...............................................
Delivery terms .........................................
Delivery time ...........................................
Discounts offered ....................................
Extension of credit...................................
Price1 .......................................................
Minimum quantity requirements ..............
Packaging ...............................................
Product consistency ................................
Quality meets industry standards............
Quality exceeds industry standards ........
Product range..........................................
Reliability of supply .................................
Technical support/service .......................
U.S. transportation costs1 .......................
Other (specify):

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

compared to
product from

Inferior

compared to
product from

Comparable

compared to
product from

Superior

product from

Inferior

product from

Comparable

Quality

product from

Superior

IV-7.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Aluminum Extrusions (Final)

Page 22

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued

IV-8.

Minimum quality.-(a)
How often does domestically produced aluminum extrusions meet minimum quality
specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
Always

(b)

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or never

How often does imported subject aluminum extrusions meet minimum quality
specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?

Source

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or
never

China

(c)

How often does imported nonsubject aluminum extrusions (i.e., aluminum extrusions
from countries other than China) meet minimum quality specifications for your uses or
your customers’ uses?
Source
Canada

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or
never