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pdfOMB No. 3117‐0016/USITC No. 17‐4‐3815; Expiration Date: : 6/30/2020
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FOREIGN PRODUCERS’/EXPORTERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
COMMON ALLOY ALUMINUM SHEET FROM CHINA
This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by December 14, 2017
See last page 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 duty investigations concerning common alloy
aluminum sheet from China (Inv. Nos. 701‐TA‐591 and 731‐TA‐1399 (Preliminary)). The information requested in
the questionnaire is requested under the authority of the Tariff Act of 1930, title VII.
Name of firm
Address
Website
Has your firm produced or exported common alloy aluminum sheet (“CAAS”) (as defined on next page) at any
time since January 1, 2014?
NO
(Sign the certification below and promptly return only this page of the questionnaire to the Commission)
YES
(Complete all parts of the questionnaire, and return the entire questionnaire to the Commission)
Return questionnaire via the Commission Drop Box by clicking on the following link:
https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/. (PIN: CAAS)
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 proceeding in any other import‐injury proceedings conducted by
the Commission on the same or similar merchandise.
I, the undersigned, acknowledge that information submitted in response to this request for information and throughout this
proceeding or other proceedings may be disclosed to and used: (i) by the Commission, its employees and Offices, and contract
personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the records of this or a related proceeding, or (b) in internal investigations, audits,
reviews, and evaluations relating to the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including under 5 U.S.C.
Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. government employees and contract personnel, solely for cybersecurity purposes. I understand that all
contract personnel will sign appropriate nondisclosure agreements
Name of Authorized Official Title of Authorized Official
Date
Phone:
Signature
Fax:
Email address
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
Page 2
PART I.‐‐GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.‐‐This proceeding was instituted in response to a notification of investigations self‐initiated
by the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”). That notification was deemed by the Commission
as having been filed on December 1, 2017. Countervailing and antidumping duties may be assessed on
the subject imports as a result of these proceedings if the Commission makes an affirmative
determination of injury, threat, or material retardation, and if Commerce makes an affirmative
determination of subsidization and dumping. Questionnaires and other information pertinent to this
proceeding are available at
https://www.usitc.gov/investigations/title_7/2017/common_alloy_aluminum_sheet_china/preliminary.
htm_0.
Common alloy aluminum sheet (“CAAS”).‐‐ The merchandise covered by these investigations is
common alloy aluminum sheet (“CAAS”), which is a flat‐rolled aluminum product having a thickness of
6.3 mm or less, but greater than 0.2 mm, in coils or cut‐to‐length, regardless of width. CAAS within the
scope of this proceeding includes both not clad aluminum sheet, as well as multi‐alloy, clad aluminum
sheet. With respect to not clad aluminum sheet, CAAS is manufactured from a 1XXX‐, 3XXX‐, or 5XXX‐
series alloy as designated by the Aluminum Association. With respect to multi‐alloy, clad aluminum
sheet, CAAS is produced from a 3XXX‐series core, to which cladding layers are applied to either one or
both sides of the core.
CAAS may be made to ASTM specification B209‐14, but can also be made to other specifications.
Regardless of specification, however, all CAAS meeting the scope description is included in the scope.
Subject merchandise includes CAAS that has been further processed in a third country, including but not
limited to annealing, tempering, painting, varnishing, trimming, cutting, punching, and/or slitting, or any
other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the
investigations if performed in the country of manufacture of the CAAS.
Excluded from the scope of these investigations is aluminum can stock (as defined below).
Where the nominal and actual measurements vary, a product is within the scope if application of either
the nominal or actual measurement would place it within the scope based on the definitions set for the
above.
CAAS is currently classifiable under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”) statistical
reporting numbers 7606.11.3060, 7606.11.6000, 7606.12.3090, 7606.12,6000, 7606.91.3090,
7606.91.6080, 7606.92.3090, and 7606.92.6080. Further, merchandise that falls within the scope of
these investigations may also be entered into the United States under HTSUS statistical reporting
numbers 7606.11.3030, 7606.12.3030, 7606.91.3060, 7606.91.6040, 7606.92.3060, 7606.92.6040,
7607.11.9090. Although the HTSUS statistical reporting numbers are provided for convenience and
customs purposes, the written description of the scope of these investigations is dispositive.
Aluminum can stock.‐‐Aluminum can stock is suitable for use in the manufacture of aluminum beverage
cans, lids of such cans, or tabs used to open such cans. Aluminum can stock is produced to gauges that
range from 0.200 mm to 0.292 mm, and has an H‐19, H‐41, H‐48, or H‐391 temper. In addition,
aluminum can stock has a lubricant applied to the flat surfaces of the can stock to facilitate its
movement through machines used in the manufacture of beverage cans. Aluminum can stock is properly
classified under HTSUS statistical reporting numbers 7606.12.3045 and 7606.12.3055.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
Page 3
Aluminum foil.‐‐Aluminum foil is defined as aluminum processed with a thickness of 0.2 mm or less.
Aluminum plate.‐‐Aluminum plate is defined as aluminum processed with a thickness of greater than
6.3 mm.
Reporting of information.‐‐If information is not readily available from your records, provide carefully
prepared estimates. If your firm is completing more than one questionnaire (i.e., a producer, importer,
purchaser and/or foreign producer questionnaire), you need not respond to duplicated questions.
Confidentiality.‐‐The commercial and financial data furnished in response to this questionnaire 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, general 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 this questionnaire is subject to audit and verification by the
Commission. To facilitate possible verification of data, please keep all files, worksheets, and supporting
documents used in the preparation of the questionnaire response. Please also retain a copy of the final
document that you submit.
Release of information.‐‐The information provided by your firm in response to this questionnaire, 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.
Valid number error messages.‐‐If you are completing this form in a country that uses periods (“.”) to
delineate multiples of 1000 (e.g., one million would appear as $1.000.000 rather than $1,000,000), you
may be unable to enter in numbers greater than 999 in numeric form fields. The solution to this data
entry issue is to temporarily change your operating system’s number formatting to be consistent with
the U.S. number formatting system while you complete this form. Detailed instructions on how to
resolve this issue is provided at the end of this questionnaire and is available upon request from
Amanda Lawrence (202‐205‐3185, amanda.lawrence@usitc.gov).
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
I‐1.
Page 4
OMB statistics.‐‐Please report below the actual number of hours required and the cost to your
firm of completing this questionnaire.
Hours
Dollars
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
20 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering data, and
completing and reviewing the questionnaire.
We welcome comments regarding the accuracy of this burden estimate, suggestions for
reducing the burden, and any suggestions for improving this questionnaire. Please attach such
comments to your response or send to the Office of Investigations, USITC, 500 E St. SW,
Washington, DC 20436.
I‐2.
Establishments covered.‐‐Provide the name and address of establishment(s) covered by this
questionnaire. If your firm is publicly traded, please specify the stock exchange and trading
symbol.
“Establishment” – Each facility of a firm in China involved in the production or export of CAAS,
including auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or not physically separate
from) such facilities. Firms operating more than one establishment in China should combine the
data for all establishments into a single report.
I‐3.
Related producers.‐‐Does your firm or any related firm produce, have the capability to produce,
or have any plans to produce CAAS in the United States or other countries?
No
Yes‐‐Please name the firm(s) and country(ies) below and, if U.S. producer(s),
ensure that they complete the Commission’s producer questionnaire.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
I‐4.
Page 5
Related U.S. importers.‐‐Does your firm or any related firm import or have any plans to import
CAAS into the United States?
No
Yes‐‐Please name the firm(s) below and ensure that they complete the
Commission’s importer questionnaire.
I‐5.
U.S. importers.‐‐Please provide the names, street addresses (not P.O. boxes), contacts,
telephone numbers, and e‐mail addresses of the FIVE largest U.S. importers of your firm’s CAAS
in 2016.
Importer’s name
Contact person
Email
Telephone
Share of your
firm’s 2016 U.S.
exports (%)
1
2
3
4
5
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
Page 6
PART II.‐‐TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION
Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Amanda Lawrence (202‐
205‐3185, amanda.lawrence@usitc.gov). Supply all data requested on a calendar‐year basis.
II‐1. Contact information.‐‐Please identify the responsible individual and the manner by which
Commission staff may contact that individual regarding the confidential information submitted
in part II.
Name
Title
Email
Telephone
Fax
II‐2. Changes in operations.‐‐Please indicate whether your firm has experienced any of the following
changes in relation to the production of CAAS since January 1, 2014.
(check as many as appropriate)
(If checked, please describe; leave blank if not applicable)
plant openings
plant closings
relocations
expansions
acquisitions
consolidations
prolonged shutdowns or
production curtailments
revised labor agreements
other (e.g., technology)
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
II‐3.
Page 7
Anticipated changes in operations.‐‐Does your firm anticipate any changes in the character of
its operations or organization (as noted above) relating to the production of CAAS in the future?
No
Yes‐‐Supply details as to the time, nature, and significance of such changes
and provide underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of
business plans or other supporting documentation that address this
issue. Include in the response a specific projection of your firm’s
capacity to produce CAAS (in short tons) for 2017 and 2018.
II‐4a. Production using same machinery.‐‐Please report your firm’s production of products made on
the same equipment and machinery used to produce CAAS, and the combined production
capacity on this shared equipment and machinery.
“Overall production capacity” or “capacity” – The level of production that your
establishment(s) could reasonably have expected to attain during the specified periods for all
products manufactured in that establishment using the same manufacturing equipment.
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).
“Production” – All production in your establishment(s) in China, including production consumed
internally within your firm.
Quantity (in short tons)
Calendar years
Item
2014
Overall production capacity
Production of:
In‐scope CAAS1
Out‐of‐scope products:
Aluminum can stock2
2
Aluminum foil
2
Aluminum plate
3
Other products
Subtotal, out‐of‐scope
products
Total
1
2015
January‐September
2016
2016
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Data entered for production of CAAS will populate here once reported in question II‐10.
Defined on pages 2‐3.
3
Please identify these products: .
2
2017
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
Page 8
II‐4b. Operating parameters.‐‐The production capacity reported in II‐4a is based on operating hours
per week, weeks per year.
II‐4c. Capacity calculation.‐‐Please describe the methodology used to calculate overall production
capacity reported in II‐4a, and explain any changes in reported capacity.
II‐4d. Production constraints.‐‐Please describe the constraint(s) that set the limit(s) on your firm’s
production capacity.
II‐4e. Product shifting.‐‐
(i).
Is your firm able to switch production (capacity) between CAAS and other products using the
same equipment and/or labor?
No
Yes‐‐(i.e., have produced other products or are able to produce other
products). Please identify other actual or potential products:
.
(ii).
Please describe the factors that affect your firm’s ability to shift production capacity
between products (e.g., time, cost, relative price change, etc.), and the degree to which
these factors enhance or constrain such shifts.
II‐5.
Share of sales.‐‐What percentage of your firm’s total sales in its most recent fiscal year was
represented by sales of CAAS? percent.
II‐6.
II‐7.
Firm's estimated share of production in China.‐‐Please estimate the percentage of total production
of CAAS in China accounted for by your firm’s production in 2016. percent.
Firm's estimated share of country's exports.‐‐Please estimate the percentage of total exports to
the United States of CAAS from China accounted for by your firm’s exports in 2016.
percent.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
II‐8.
Page 9
Inventories in the United States.‐‐Has your firm, since 2014, maintained any inventories of
CAAS in the United States (not including inventories held by firms identified in question I‐3)?
“Inventories” – Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work in progress.
No
Yes‐‐Report the quantity of such end‐of‐period inventories below.
Quantity (in short tons)
Calendar year
Item
Inventory
II‐9.
2015
2016
Third country trade actions.‐‐Is the CAAS exported by your firm subject to
antidumping/countervailing duty/safeguard findings, remedies, or proceedings?
No
Yes‐‐List the products(s), countries affected, and the date of such
findings/remedies/proceedings.
2014
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
Page 10
II‐10. Trade data.‐‐Report your firm’s production capacity, production, shipments, and inventories
related to the production of CAAS in your establishment(s) in China during the specified periods.
Do not include resales of CAAS that your firm did not produce in this question; those data to the
degree they are exported to the United States should only be reported in question II‐11.
Do not submit data by manufacturing facility if they are in the same country. If your firm has
multiple manufacturing establishments within China, you are required to combine data for
those establishments within one foreign producer questionnaire response.
“Average production capacity” or “capacity” – The level of production that your
establishment(s) could reasonably have expected to attain during the specified periods for all
products manufactured in that establishment using the same manufacturing equipment.
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).
“Production” – All production in your establishment(s) in China, including production consumed
internally within your firm.
“Shipments” – Shipments of products produced in your establishment(s) in China. Quantities
reported should be net of returns.
“Home market commercial shipments” – Shipments, other than internal consumption and
transfers to related firms, within China.
“Home market internal consumption/transfers to related firms” – Shipments made to
related firms in China, including product consumed internally by your firm.
“Export shipments”‐‐Shipments to destinations outside of China, including shipments to related
firms.
“Inventories” – Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work‐in‐progress.
Note: As requested in Part I of this questionnaire, please keep all supporting documents/records
used in the preparation of the trade data, as Commission staff may contact your firm regarding
questions on the trade data. The Commission may also request that your company submit copies
of the supporting documents/records (such as production and sales schedules, inventory records,
etc.) used to compile these data.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
Page 11
II‐10. Trade data.‐‐Continued.
Quantity (in short tons)
Projections1
Actual experience
Calendar year
Item
2014
2
2015
January‐September
2016
2016
2017
Calendar year
2017
2018
Average production capacity (A)
Beginning‐of‐period inventories
(B)
Production (C)
Home market shipments:
Internal consumption/
transfers (D)
Total exports (H)
(should equal F+G)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Total shipments (I)
(should equal D+E+F+G)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Commercial shipments (E)
Exports to the United States (F)
3
Exports to all other markets (G)
End‐of‐period inventories (J)
1
Please explain the basis for your firm’s projections. .
The production capacity reported is based on operating hours per week, weeks per year. Please
describe the methodology used to calculate production capacity, and explain any changes in reported capacity.
.
3
Identify principal other export markets. .
2
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
Page 12
II‐10. Trade data.‐‐Continued.
RECONCILIATION OF SHIPMENTS, PRODUCTION, AND INVENTORY.‐‐Generally, the data reported
for the end‐of‐period inventories (i.e., line J) should be equal to the beginning‐of‐period
inventories (i.e., line B), plus production (i.e., line C), less total shipments (i.e., lines D, E, F, and
G). Please ensure that any differences are not due to data entry errors in completing this form,
but rather actually reflect your firm’s records; and also provide any likely explanations for any
differences (e.g., theft, loss, damage, record systems issues, etc.) if they exist.
Actual experience
Projections
January‐
September
Calendar year
Item
2014
2015
2016
2016
Calendar year
2017
2017
2018
B + C – D – E – F –G – J =
should equal zero ("0")
or provide an
explanation.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Explanation if the calculated fields above are returning values other than zero (i.e., “0”) but are
nonetheless accurate.
II‐11. Exports to the United States not produced by your firm.‐‐Report your firm’s exports to the
United States of CAAS that was produced in China but not by your firm during the specified
periods. Note these data should not be included in question II‐10.
Quantity (in short tons)
Actual experience
Calendar year
Item
Exports of CAAS to the United
States not produced by your
firm1
2014
2015
Projections
January‐September
2016
2016
2017
Calendar year
2017
2018
1
List the producer(s).
II‐12. Other explanations.‐‐If your firm would like to further explain a response to a question in Part II
that did not provide a narrative box, please note the question number and the explanation in
the space provided below. Please also use this space to highlight any issues your firm had in
providing the data in this section, including but not limited to technical issues with the MS Word
questionnaire.
.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
Page 13
Correcting Valid number error messages.‐‐If you are completing a Commission
questionnaire in a country that uses periods (“.”) to delineate multiples of 1000 (e.g., one million would
appear as $1.000.000 instead of as $1,000,000), you may be unable to enter in numbers greater than
999 in numeric form fields. This issues stem from your computer number formatting setting (e.g., not
the MS Word document itself, but the computer from which you are opening up the document). In the
United States commas (,) delineate multiples of 1000 and periods (.) delineate fractions less than one.
Many EU countries use the reverse where multiples of 1000 are delineated with periods (.) and
fractions less than one are delineated with commas (,). The US International Trade Commission’s
questionnaires are set‐up in the United States with the U.S. number formatting. When this formatting
interacts with a computer set to EU number formatting, we believe this may cause this issue.
The solution to this data entry issue is to temporarily change your operating system’s number
formatting to be consistent with the U.S. number formatting system while you complete the
questionnaire.
To temporarily change your computer’s number settings to U.S. settings, please do the following (for
Microsoft Windows Operating system):
START
Control Panel
Region and Language (under Clock, Language, and Region category)
Format tab
Change the Format from your existing one (e.g. “Italian (Italy)”) to “English (United States)” (see
screen shots below)
When you do this the number “twelve million dollars and thirty five cents” would change from
$12.000.000,35 (Italy format) to $12,000,000.35 (U.S. format), and then there will be no conflict with
the USITC foreign producer questionnaire form. When you finish reporting the data then you can close
the questionnaire and switch back to Italy settings.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
Page 14
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet (Preliminary)
Page 15
HOW TO FILE YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSE
This questionnaire is available as a “fillable” form in MS Word format on the
Commission’s website at:
https://www.usitc.gov/investigations/title_7/2017/common_alloy_aluminum_sheet_ch
ina/preliminary.htm_0.
Please do not attempt to modify the format or permissions of the questionnaire
document. Please submit the completed questionnaire using one of the methods noted
below. If your firm is unable to complete the MS Word questionnaire or cannot use one
of the electronic methods of submission, please contact the Commission for further
instructions.
• Upload via Secure Drop Box.‐‐Upload the MS Word questionnaire 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: CAAS
• E‐mail.‐‐E‐mail the MS Word questionnaire to amanda.lawrence@usitc.gov; include a scanned copy of
the signed certification page (page 1). Submitters are strongly encouraged to encrypt nonpublic
documents that are electronically transmitted to the Commission to protect your sensitive information
from unauthorized disclosure. The USITC secure drop‐box system and the Electronic Document
Information System (EDIS) use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140‐2 cryptographic
algorithms to encrypt data in transit. Submitting your nonpublic documents by a means that does not
use these encryption algorithms (such as by email) may subject your firm’s nonpublic information to
unauthorized disclosure during transmission. If you choose a non‐encrypted method of electronic
transmission, the Commission warns you that the risk of such possible unauthorized disclosure is
assumed by you and not by the Commission.
If your firm does not produce this product, please fill out page 1, print, sign, and submit a scanned copy
to the Commission.
Parties to this proceeding.‐‐If your firm is a party to this proceeding, it is required to serve a copy of the
completed questionnaire on parties to the proceeding that are subject to administrative protective
order (see 19 CFR § 207.7). A list of such parties may be obtained from the Commission’s Secretary (202‐
205‐1803). A certificate of service must accompany the completed questionnaire you submit (see 19 CFR
§ 207.7). Service of the questionnaire must be made in paper form.
File Type | application/pdf |
File Title | Microsoft Word - Foreign Producer--CAAS (P) |
Author | amanda.lawrence |
File Modified | 2017-12-04 |
File Created | 2017-12-04 |