Hardwood Plywood from China, Inv. No. 701-490

INSTRUCTION BOOKLET

GENERAL INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND

DEFINITIONS FOR COMMISSION QUESTIONNAIRES

Hardwood Plywood from China

Investigation Nos. 701-TA-490 and 731-TA-1204 (Preliminary)

Further information.‑‑If you have any questions concerning the enclosed

questionnaire(s) or other matters related to this proceeding, you may contact

the following members of the Commission=s staff (Fax 202-205-3205):

Fred Ruggles, investigator (202‑205‑3187; Email fred.ruggles@usitc.gov)

regarding general questions and trade and related information;

Charles Yost, auditor (202‑205‑3432; Email charles.yost@usitc.gov)

regarding financial information; and

Cindy Cohen, economist (202‑205‑3230; Email cindy.cohen@usitc.gov)

regarding pricing, market, and related information.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Background.‑‑ This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on September 20, 2012, by Columbia Forest Products, Greensboro, NC; Commonwealth Plywood Co., Ltd., Whitehall, NY; Murphy Plywood, Eugene, OR; Roseburg Forest Products Co., Roseburg, OR; States Industries LLC, Eugene, OR; and Timber Products Company, Springfield, OR combined as The Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood.. Countervailing and antidumping duties may be assessed on the subject imports as a result of this proceeding 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 and/or dumping.

Questionnaires and other information pertinent to this proceeding are available at http://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/investigations/2012/hardwood_plywood/prelimphase.htm. Address all correspondence to the United States International Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20436. Hearing‑impaired individuals can obtain information regarding this proceeding via the Commission=s TDD terminal (202‑205‑1810).

Due date of questionnaire(s).--Please submit the completed questionnaire(s) to the United States International Trade Commission so as to be received by no later than October 11, 2012. Because Commission staff might contact you with questions during the course of the proceeding, save the final version of the document(s) and retain all files and worksheets associated with the completed questionnaire(s). Please also retain a copy of any paper original document that you submit.

Service of questionnaire response(s).--In the event that your firm is a party to this proceeding, 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 of your files, worksheets, and supporting documents used in the preparation of the questionnaire response(s).

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 this proceeding, 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 this proceeding or other import-injury proceedings 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 hardwood plywood 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 section 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 this proceeding. 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. 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 this proceeding (i.e., a producer, importer, and/or purchaser questionnaire), you need not respond to duplicated questions in the questionnaires. Questionnaires may be filed either electronically or in paper form.

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.

Electronic completion.--Your firm is encouraged to complete the questionnaire electronically in MS Word format.  The MS Word versions of all the questionnaires in this proceeding are available online at the ITC web page or may be obtained directly from the Commission’s Investigator, Fred Ruggles (fred.ruggles@usitc.gov, or 202-205-3187).

Electronic submission.--To the degree that it is possible and not overly burdensome, the Commission requests that responding firms submit their questionnaire responses electronically in MS Word format.  The submission of questionnaire responses in the MS Word format allows the Commission to compile, assess, and analyze submitted data more promptly.  There are three electronic submissions options detailed below.  Paper submissions are also accepted.

INSTRUCTIONS--Continued

OPTIONS FOR FILING

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/2012/hardwood_plywood/prelimphase.htm. Please do not attempt to modify the format or permissions of the questionnaire document. You may complete the questionnaire and submit it, electronically, or you may print it out and submit it in paper form, as described below:

• Upload via Secure Drop Box.—Upload the completed questionnaire in MS Word format along with a scanned copy of the signed certification page (page 1) through the Commission’s secure upload facility:

Web address: https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/ Pin: HPFC

• 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). Type the following in the e-mail subject line: BPI Questionnaire, INV. NOS. 701-TA-490 and 731-TA-1204. 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.

• Fax.—Fax to 202.205.3205.

• 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

• 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.

Note: If you are a party to the proceeding, and service of the questionnaire is required, such service should be made in paper form.

DEFINITIONS

Product.‑‑ Hardwood plywood is a panel composed of an assembly of two or more layers or plies of wood veneer(s) in combination with a core. The several layers, along with the core, are glued or otherwise bonded together to form a finished product. The term “hardwood plywood,” as used in this scope definition, incorporates products referred to as “decorative plywood.” Notwithstanding the term “hardwood,” a hardwood plywood panel can be composed of one or more species of hardwoods, softwoods, or bamboo (in addition to other materials that are used for the core, as detailed below).

Hardwood plywood is primarily manufactured as a panel. Regardless of the actual dimensions, all products that meet the description set forth herein are intended for inclusion within the definition of subject merchandise.

A “veneer” is a thin slice of wood, rotary cut, sliced or sawed from a log, bolt or flitch. Veneer is referred to as a ply when assembled. The face veneer is the exposed veneer of a plywood panel which is of a superior grade than that of the other exposed veneer of the plywood panel (i.e., as opposed to the inner veneers). The face veneer is also either side of the plywood panel when the two exposed veneers are of the same grade. The face ply is also the side of the product that is intended to be exposed for view after installation.

The core of hardwood plywood consists of the layer or layers of material(s) that are situated between the front and back veneers. The core may be composed of a range of materials, including but not limited to veneers, particleboard, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), lumber, oriented strand board (OSB), or a combination of two or more core types. Veneer core “platforms” are included in the definition of subject merchandise. A veneer core platform is defined as two or more wood veneers that form the core of an otherwise completed hardwood plywood product (i.e., a hardwood plywood product to which the outer (i.e., front and back) veneers have yet been affixed).

All hardwood plywood is included within the definition of subject merchandise regardless whether or not the face and/or back veneers are surface coated. Additionally, the face veneer of hardwood plywood may be sanded, smoothed or given a “distressed” appearance through such methods as hand-scraping or wire brushing. The face veneer may also be stained (i.e., to achieve a particular color).

Unless subject to a specifically enumerated exclusion detailed below, all hardwood plywood is included within the definition of subject merchandise, without regard to: dimension (overall thickness, thickness of face veneer thickness of back veneer, thickness of core, and thickness of inner veneers; width; and length); wood species used for the face, back and inner veneers (including hardwoods, softwoods or bamboo); core composition; the grade of the face and back veneers; and whether or not surface coated (i.e., “unfinished” or “prefinished”). The face and/or back veneers of the product may be sanded, smoothed, scraped or stained.

DEFINITIONS‑‑Continued

Hardwood plywood is generally manufactured to American National Standard for Hardwood and Decorative Plywood, ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2009 (Approved January 26, 2010). However, subject merchandise may be manufactured to some other national or international standards, a proprietary standard, or to no standard. Regardless of whether the hardwood plywood product meets the ANSI/HPVA standard or some other standard applicable to hardwood and/or decorative plywood, or to no standard, all hardwood plywood products are included within this definition if it meets the physical description set forth herein.

The scope of the Petition excludes the following items: (1) structural plywood that is manufactured, tested, certified, or stamped to meet U.S. Products Standard PS 1 (including any updates or revisions to that standard (e.g., PS 1-07, PS 1-09), or any substantially equivalent international or successor standard intended for structural plywood; (2) plywood platforms with a face and back ply of cork; (3) plywood further manufactured or further worked aside from sanding, surface coating (i.e., “prefinishing”), scarping or staining (e.g., bent or molded plywood).

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.

Establishment.‑‑Each facility of a firm involved in the production, importation, and/or purchase of PRODUCT (as defined above), including auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or not physically separate from) such facilities.

United States.‑‑For purposes of this proceeding, 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 hardwood plywood (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).

DEFINITIONS--Continued

Purchaser.‑‑Any person or firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary, in purchasing hardwood plywood (as defined above) from another firm that produces, imports, or otherwise distributes hardwood plywood.

Purchases.‑‑Purchases from all sources, NOT including direct imports from foreign sources located outside of the United States (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 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).

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.

DEFINITIONS--Continued

Inventories.‑‑Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work‑in‑progress.

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 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.

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.

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