13-3-3110 Purchaser Questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 13-3-3110; Expiration Date: 6/30/2014
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
XANTHAN GUM FROM AUSTRIA AND CHINA

This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by no later than March 26, 2013
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 investigations concerning xanthan gum from Austria and China (inv. Nos. 731-TA-120203 (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 Clark Workman (202-205-3248, clark.workman@usitc.gov).

Name of firm

_________________________________________________________________

Address
City

State

Zip Code

World Wide Web address
Has your firm purchased xanthan gum (as defined in the instruction booklet) from any source (domestic or
foreign) at any time since January 1, 2010?

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 this proceeding 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 this proceeding 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 proceeding 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

Date

Phone:
Signature

Email address
Fax

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Xanthan Gum from Austria and China (731-TA-1202-03 (F))

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 xanthan gum from Austria and/or China into
the United States or which are engaged in exporting xanthan gum from Austria and/or China to
the United States?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

Address

Affiliation

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Xanthan Gum from Austria and China (731-TA-1202-03 (F)) 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 xanthan gum from countries other than
Austria and/or China into the United States or which are engaged in exporting xanthan gum from
countries other than Austria and/or 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 xanthan gum?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

Address

Affiliation

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Xanthan Gum from Austria and China (731-TA-1202-03 (F))

Page 4

PART II.--PURCHASES
Contact information.-- Please identify the responsible individual and the manner by which Commission
staff may contact that individual regarding the confidential information submitted in this questionnaire.
Name
Title
Email
Telephone
Fax

II-1.

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

Quantity (in pounds) and value (in dollars)
Item
2010
2011
Purchases of xanthan gum produced inThe United States:
Quantity
Value
Austria:
Quantity
Value
China:
Quantity
Value
All other countries:1
Quantity
Value
1
Please identify these countries

2012

_______________________________________________________________________

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Page 5

PART II.--PURCHASES--Continued
II-2.

Changes in purchasing patterns.—Please indicate how the relative levels of your firm’s
purchases of xanthan gum from different sources have changed in the last three years.

Source of Did not
purchases purchase Decreased Increased Constant Fluctuated Explanation for trend
United
States

Austria

China

All other
countries

II-3.

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

II-4.

Supplier identification.--Please list your firm’s FIVE largest suppliers for xanthan gum since
2010. Also, provide the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of xanthan gum that
each of these suppliers accounted for in 2012.

No.

Supplier’s name

City and state

Share of quantity of
2012 purchases

1

%

2

%

3

%

4

%

5

%

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Xanthan Gum from Austria and China (731-TA-1202-03 (F))

Page 6

PART III.—MARKET CHRACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES
III-1.

Firm type.--Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of xanthan gum
(check all that apply)?
End user (Describe end use :

_______________________________________

)

Distributor
Other (Describe:
III-2.

)

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

Yes--Please describe.

III-3.

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

III-4.

End uses.--If your firm is an end user of xanthan gum, list in order of quantity of xanthan gum
consumed, the top 3 products for which your firm purchases xanthan gum xanthan gum as a
component part or input. Please indicate what percentage of the total cost is accounted for by
xanthan gum and other inputs.
Share of total cost in each of the product(s)
you produce accounted for by
Product(s) you
produce

xanthan gum
(percent)

Other inputs (percent)

Total

%

%

100%

%

%

100%

%

%

100%

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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 xanthan gum, has the demand for your firm’s final products
incorporating xanthan gum changed since 2010?
Increased

(b)

Decreased

Fluctuated

Has this had any effect on your firm’s demand for xanthan gum?
No

III-6.

No change

Yes--Please describe.

Substitutes.--Can other products be substituted for xanthan gum?
(a)

No

Yes--Please fill out the table below.

End use in which this
substitute is used

Substitute

Have changes in the prices of this substitute
affected the price for xanthan gum?
No Yes

Explanation

1.
2.
3.

(b) Is guar gum a substitute for xanthan gum?
No

Yes--Please discuss.

(c) Have changes in the price of guar gum affected the prices or demand for xanthan gum at
any time since January 1, 2010?
No

Yes--Please discuss.

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PART III.—MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES—Continued
III-7. Demand trends.-- Indicate how demand within the United States and outside of the United States
(if known) for xanthan gum has changed since January 1, 2010. Describe the principal factors
that have affected these changes in demand.

Market

No
Increase change Decrease Fluctuate

Factors

Within
the United
States
Outside
the United
States

III-8.

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 xanthan gum (check ALL that
apply)?
No
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are required by law or regulation (for example,
government purchases under “Buy American” provisions). This involves
percent of
all purchases of xanthan gum.
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are not required by law or regulation, but are by your
customers. This involves
percent of all purchases of xanthan gum.
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are required for other reasons (please specify these
reasons below). This involves
percent of all purchases of xanthan gum.

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PART III.—MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES—Continued

III-9.

Conditions of competition.-a) Is the xanthan gum market subject to business cycles or conditions of competition (including
seasonal business) distinctive to xanthan gum?
No (skip to question III-10.)

Yes-- Please describe and then answer part (b).

(b) If yes, have there been any changes in the business cycles or conditions of competition for
xanthan gum since January 1, 2010?
No

Yes-- Please describe.

III-10. Decisions based on producer.--Does your firm, and to the extent that you know, do your
customers make purchasing decisions involving xanthan gum based on the producer of the
xanthan gum you purchase?

Always

Your firm
Your
customers

Usually

Sometimes

Never

If at least sometimes, discuss
how your firm/customers
determine the producer and why
this information is important

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PART III.—MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES—Continued
III-11. Decisions based on country-of-origin.--Does your firm, and to the extent that you know, do
your customers make purchasing decisions involving xanthan gum based on the country of origin
of the xanthan gum you purchase?

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

If at least sometimes, discuss
how your firm/customers
determine the source and why
this information is important

Your firm
Your
customers

III-12. Purchasing frequency.-(a)

How frequently do you make purchases (check one)?
Daily

(b)

Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

Other

If other, specify

Have you made significant changes in your purchasing patterns (e.g., frequency) since
2010?
No
Yes—Please describe.

III-13. Number of suppliers contacted.--How many suppliers do you generally contact before making a
purchase?
firms

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PART III.—MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES—Continued
III-14. Supplier negotiations.-(a)

Do purchases of xanthan gum usually involve negotiations between supplier and
purchaser?
No

(b)

Yes--Please describe these negotiations, noting 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.

III-15. Change in suppliers.--Have you changed suppliers since 2010?
No

Yes--Please list the supplier(s), whether the firm was added or dropped, the
reasons for the change, and how frequently you change suppliers.

III-16. New suppliers.--Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have
entered the market since 2010?
No

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

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PART III.—MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES—Continued
III-17. Supplier qualification
(a) Do you require your suppliers to be or to become certified or qualified to sell xanthan gum to
your firm?
No

Yes--

percent of purchases in 2012

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

Does it require a longer period to qualify imported xanthan gum from China than from other
sources? Yes___ NO____. Please discuss the qualification process for imports from China,
noting the time required for qualification, and any difference from the qualification process for
other suppliers

III-18. Failure to certify.--Since 2010, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their attempts to
certify or qualify their xanthan gum 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.

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PART III.—MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES—Continued
III-19. Purchasing factors.--For the factors listed below, please rate each in terms of its importance in
your purchase decision for xanthan gum.
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

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PART III.—MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES—Continued
III-20. 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 xanthan gum 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-21. Quality characteristics.--What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the
quality of xanthan gum?

III-22. Frequency of decisions based on price.--How often does your firm purchase the xanthan gum
that is offered at the lowest price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-23. 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 is not necessarily the lowest priced supplier.
Please list the names of any firms you considered price leaders in the xanthan gum market since
2010. Describe how the firm(s) exhibited price leadership.

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PART III.—MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES—Continued
lll-24. Private label products— Are private label products commonly provided to customers on request
in the xanthan gum industry? Yes___No___. Please discuss below.

III-25. Unusual Supply problems.—In the space provided below, please describe any supply
availability issues that you have experienced in purchasing xanthan gum since 2010.
Specifically, since January 1, 2010, have any of your suppliers refused, declined, or been unable
to supply xanthan gum? (Examples include being placed on allocation or “controlled order
entry,” declining to accept new customers, delivering less than the quantity promised, unable to
meet timely shipment commitments, etc.)? If the answer is “yes,” please note and document the
time period(s) (i.e. , month and year), the supplier involved; and the amount of xanthan gum
involved.

III-26. Terms of Sale.---Since January 1, 2010, did any of your suppliers change their standard terms of
sale, such as a change in delivery terms from DDP or CIF to FOB? No ___ Yes___ Please
discuss the change in the space provided noting whether any of your suppliers have changed or
will change their terms of sale due to the filing of the petition underlying this investigation.

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Page 16

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS

IV-1.

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

IV-2.

)

Interchangeability by country-pair.--Is xanthan gum produced in the United States and in other
countries interchangeable (i.e., can they physically be used in the same applications)?
Please indicate A, F, S, N, or 0 in the table below:
A = the products from a specified country-pair are always interchangeable
F = the products are frequently interchangeable
S = the products are sometimes interchangeable
N = the products are never interchangeable
0 = no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair
Country-pair

Austria

China

Other countries

United States
Austria
China

For any country-pair producing xanthan gum that is sometimes or never interchangeable,
please explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS—Continued
IV-3.

Substitutability between U.S.-produced and imported xanthan gum from Austria and
China—Are there certain applications where only U.S.-produced xanthan gum can be used rather
than imports from Austria or China? Yes___ No____ Please discuss these applications in the
space provided. In your discussion please note whether it is easy or difficult to switch suppliers.

IV-4.

Quality issue relating to imports from China— Are there quality problems with imports of
xanthan gum from China that limit or discourage their used in certain applications? Yes___
No___. Please discuss the quality problems and applications in the space provided.

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS—Continued
IV-5. Factors other than price.--Are differences other than price (i.e., quality, availability,
transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between xanthan gum produced in
the United States and in other countries a significant factor in your firm’s purchases of the
products?
Please indicate A, F, S, N, or 0 in the table below:
A = such differences are always significant
F = such differences are frequently significant
S = such differences are sometimes significant
N = such differences are never significant
0 = no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair
Country-pair

Austria

China

Other countries

United States
Austria
China

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

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS—Continued
IV-6.

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

IV-7.

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

IV-8.

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 xanthan gum 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 xanthan gum 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.

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

Inferior

Comparable

compared to
product from

Superior

Inferior

product from
United States
compared to
product from
China
Comparable

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

product from
United States
compared to
product from
Austria

Superior

IV-9.

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.

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS—Continued
Continued.

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

compared to
product from

Inferior

compared to
product from

Comparable

compared to
product from

Superior

product from

Inferior

product from

Comparable

product from

Superior

IV-9.

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.

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS—Continued
IV-10. Minimum quality.--How often does xanthan gum from the following countries meet minimum
quality specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
Source

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or
never

Don’t
know

United States
Austria
China
Other:
Other:

IV-11. Global prices—From your experience, are prices of xanthan gum determined largely on a global
basis because large global purchasers typically buy xanthan gum for delivery to their facilities
throughout the world in the same transaction? Yes____ No. ____. Please discuss in the space
provided.

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS—Continued
IV-12. Lead times.--What is your share of purchases of xanthan gum produced in the United States,
imported from Austria and/or China both from inventory and produced to order and what is the
average lead time between a customer’s order and the date of delivery for your firm’s purchases
of xanthan gum?
UNITED STATES
Source

Share of
2012
purchases

From your U.S. inventory

%

Produced to order

%

Total

Lead time
(days)

100 %

AUSTRIA
Source

Share of
2012
purchases

From your U.S. inventory

%

From foreign manufacturers’ inventory

%

Produced to order

%

Total

Lead time
(days)

100 %

CHINA
Source

Share of
2012
purchases

From your U.S. inventory

%

From foreign manufacturers’ inventory

%

Produced to order

%

Total

Lead time
(days)

100 %

(b) Do items held in inventory generally have a shorter delivery lead time than items that are
produced to order? Yes___ NO___ In the space provided please discuss the relationship
between inventory levels and lead times for delivery at your company.