17-3-3727 U.S. Purchasers' Questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 17-3-3727; Expiration Date: 6/30/2020
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
MULTILAYERED WOOD FLOORING FROM CHINA
This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by August 10, 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
review of the countervailing and antidumping duty orders concerning multilayered wood flooring from China (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-476
and 731-TA-1179 (Review)). 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 Craig Thomsen (202-205-3226, craig.thomsen@usitc.gov).

Name of firm
Address
City

State

Zip Code

Website
Has your firm purchased multilayered wood flooring (as defined on the next page) from any source (domestic or
foreign) at any time since January 1, 2011?

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: MLWF)
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 or reviews
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

Email address

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PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.--On December 8, 2011, the Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) issued a
countervailing duty order and an antidumping duty order on imports of multilayered wood flooring from
China. On November 1, 2016, the Commission instituted reviews pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff
Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. § 1675(c)) (the Act) to determine whether revocation of the orders would be likely
to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to the domestic industry within a reasonably
foreseeable time. If both the Commission and Commerce make an affirmative determination, the orders
will remain in place. If either the Commission or Commerce makes a negative determination,
Commerce will revoke the order. Questionnaires and other information pertinent to this proceeding are
available at
https://www.usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2016/multilayered_wood_flooring_china/first_review_ful
l.htm
Multilayered wood flooring covered by these reviews is composed of an assembly of two or more layers
or plies of wood veneer(s) 1 in combination with a core. 2 The several layers, along with the core, are
glued or otherwise bonded together to form a final assembled product. Multilayered wood flooring is
often referred to by other terms, e.g., “engineered wood flooring” or “plywood flooring.” Regardless of
the particular terminology, all products that meet the description set forth herein are intended for
inclusion within the definition of subject merchandise.
All multilayered wood flooring is included within the definition of subject merchandise, without regard
to: dimension (overall thickness, thickness of face ply, thickness of back ply, thickness of core, and
thickness of inner plies; width; and length); wood species used for the face, back and inner veneers; core
composition; and face grade. Multilayered wood flooring included within the definition of subject
merchandise may be unfinished (i.e., without a finally finished surface to protect the face veneer from
wear and tear) or “prefinished” (i.e., a coating applied to the face veneer, including, but not exclusively,
oil or oil-modified or water-based polyurethanes, ultra-violet light cured polyurethanes, wax, epoxyester finishes, moisture-cured urethanes and acid-curing formaldehyde finishes.) The veneers may be
also soaked in an acrylicimpregnated finish. All multilayered wood flooring is included within the
definition of subject merchandise regardless of whether the face (or back) of the product is smooth,
wire brushed, distressed by any method or multiple methods, or hand-scraped. In addition, all
multilayered wood flooring is included within the definition of subject merchandise regardless of
whether or not it is manufactured with any interlocking or connecting mechanism (for example, tongueand-groove construction or locking joints). All multilayered wood flooring is included within the
definition of the subject merchandise regardless of whether the product meets a particular industry or
similar standard.
The core of multilayered wood flooring may be composed of a range of materials, including but not
limited to hardwood or softwood veneer, particleboard, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), high-density
fiberboard (HDF), stone and/or plastic composite, or strips of lumber placed edge-to-edge.
Multilayered wood flooring products generally, but not exclusively, may be in the form of a strip, plank,
or other geometrical patterns (e.g., circular, hexagonal). All multilayered wood flooring products are
included within this definition regardless of the actual or nominal dimensions or form of the product.
1

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.
2
Commerce interprets this language to refer to wood flooring products with a minimum of three layers.

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Specifically excluded from the scope are cork flooring and bamboo flooring, regardless of whether any
of the sub-surface layers of either flooring are made from wood. Also excluded is laminate flooring.
Laminate flooring consists of a top wear layer sheet not made of wood, a decorative paper layer, a corelayer of high-density fiberboard, and a stabilizing bottom layer.
Imports of the subject merchandise are provided for under the following statistical reporting numbers of
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”):
4412.31.0520; 4412.31.0540; 4412.31.0560; 4412.31.2510; 4412.31.2520; 4412.31.4040; 4412.31.4050;
4412.31.4060; 4412.31.4070; 4412.31.5125; 4412.31.5135; 4412.31.5155; 4412.31.5165; 4412.31.3175;
4412.31.6000; 4412.31.9100; 4412.32.0520; 4412.32.0540; 4412.32.0560; 4412.32.2510; 4412.32.2520;
4412.32.3125; 4412.32.3135; 4412.32.3155; 4412.32.3165; 4412.32.3175; 4412.32.3185; 4412.32.5600;
4412.39.1000; 4412.39.3000; 4412.39.4011; 4412.39.4012; 4412.39.4019; 4412.39.4031; 4412.39.4032;
4412.39.4039; 4412.39.4051; 4412.39.4052; 4412.39.4059; 4412.39.4061; 4412.39.4062; 4412.39.4069;
4412.39.5010; 4412.39.5030; 4412.39.5050; 4412.94.1030; 4412.94.1050; 4412.94.3105; 4412.94.3111;
4412.94.3121; 4412.94.3131; 4412.94.3141; 4412.94.3160; 4412.94.3171; 4412.94.4100; 4412.94.5100;
4412.94.6000; 4412.94.7000; 4412.94.8000; 4412.94.9000; 4412.94.9500; 4412.99.0600; 4412.99.1020;
4412.99.1030; 4412.99.1040; 4412.99.3110; 4412.99.3120; 4412.99.3130; 4412.99.3140; 4412.99.3150;
4412.99.3160; 4412.99.3170; 4412.99.4100; 4412.99.5100; 4412.99.5710; 4412.99.6000; 4412.99.7000;
4412.99.8000; 4412.99.9000; 4412.99.9500; 4418.71.2000; 4418.71.9000; 4418.72.2000; and
4418.72.9500.
The HTSUS provisions are for convenience and customs purposes; the written description of the scope is
dispositive.
Purchaser.--Any firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary, in purchasing
multilayered wood flooring from another firm that produces, imports, or otherwise distributes
multilayered wood flooring.
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 in connection with this
proceeding (i.e., a producer, importer, and/or purchaser 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 of your 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

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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.
I-1.

OMB statistics.--Please report 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
40 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 different from that listed on the cover page. Firms operating more than one
establishment should combine the data for all establishments into a single report.
“Establishment”--Each facility of a firm involved in the purchase of multilayered wood flooring,
including auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or not physically separate
from) such facilities.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
I-3.

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

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

I-4.

Address

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

Country

Affiliation

Related producers.--Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, that
produce multilayered wood flooring?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name and country

I-6.

Extent of ownership
(percent)

Related importers/exporters.--Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or
foreign, that import multilayered wood flooring into the United States or that export
multilayered wood flooring to the United States?
No

I-5.

Page 5

Country

Affiliation

Business plan.--Does your company or any related firm have a business plan or any internal
documents that describe, discuss, or analyze expected market conditions for multilayered wood
flooring?

No

Yes

If yes, please provide these documents. If you are not providing the
requested documents, please explain why not.

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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

PLEASE NOTE: For the remainder of this questionnaire, references to sources in China that are called
“nonsubject” refer to multilayered wood flooring produced by 2 firms: Layo and Yuhua Timber. All other
sources in China are called “subject” sources.
II-1.

Purchases.—
(a)

Please estimate your firm’s total U.S. purchases of multilayered wood flooring in 2016.
(Do not include imports for which your firm was the importer of record; such imports
should be reported in your U.S. importer’s questionnaire.)
Quantity (1,000 square feet)

(b)

Estimate the percentage of the quantity of your firm’s purchases of multilayered wood
flooring in 2016 that were produced in each of the specified countries.

Multilayered wood flooring produced in:
United States

%

China - subject

%

China - nonsubject

%

All other countries:1

%

Sources unknown

%

Total (should sum to 100.0%)
1

II-2.

Share of quantity of 2016
purchases (percent)

0.0

%

Please identify these countries:

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

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
II-3.

Page 7

Purchases before and after order. -(a)

Did your firm purchase multilayered wood flooring from sources in China before 2011?
No--skip to (c)

(b)

Yes

If yes, has your pattern of purchasing multilayered wood flooring from subject sources
in China changed since 2011?
No, our pattern of purchasing is essentially unchanged.
Yes, we discontinued purchases from China because of the order.
Yes, we reduced purchases from China because of the order.
Yes, but we changed the pattern of purchases from China for reasons other
than the order (please explain below).

(c)

Has your pattern of purchasing multilayered wood flooring from nonsubject Chinese
sources changed since 2011?
Nonsubject
China
We did not purchase from this nonsubject foreign source before or after
the order.
No, our pattern of purchasing is essentially unchanged.
Yes, we increased purchases from nonsubject foreign sources because of
the order.
Yes, but we changed our pattern of purchases from nonsubject foreign
sources for reasons other than the order (please explain below).

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
II-3.

Page 8

Purchases before and after order. –
(d)

Has your pattern of purchasing multilayered wood flooring from nonsubject foreign
sources other than China changed since 2011?
Nonsubject
sources other
than China
We did not purchase from this nonsubject foreign source before or
after the order.
No, our pattern of purchasing is essentially unchanged.
Yes, we increased purchases from nonsubject foreign sources
because of the order.
Yes, but we changed our pattern of purchases from nonsubject
foreign sources for reasons other than the order (please explain
below).

II-4.

Changes in purchasing patterns.--Please indicate how the shares of your firm’s purchases of
multilayered wood flooring from different sources have changed since January 1, 2011.

Source of
purchases
United States
China - subject
China - nonsubject
All other sources
Sources unknown

Did not
purchase Decreased Increased Constant Fluctuated

Explanation for trend

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
II-5.

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Supplier identification.--Please list your firm’s FIVE largest suppliers for multilayered wood
flooring since January 1, 2011. If any of these suppliers is a U.S. importer of record from whom
you purchase, report (if known) the name(s) and origin(s) of the foreign producer(s) associated
with those imports. Also, provide the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of
multilayered wood flooring that each of these suppliers accounted for in 2016.
Supplier’s name (include
producer of multilayered
wood flooring, if known, and
is not the supplier)
No.

City and state

Share of quantity of
2016 purchases

1

%

2

%

3

%

4

%

5

%

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PART III.-- MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES
III-1.

Firm type.--Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of multilayered wood
flooring (check all that apply)?
Distributor

Big box/Retail
home center

Other
retailer

Builder

Other
end user

Describe “other”

If your firm is a distributor of multilayered wood flooring, please answer questions III-2 and III-3.
III-2.

Competition for sales.--Do you compete for sales to your customers with the manufacturers or
importers from which you purchase multilayered wood flooring?
No

III-3.

Yes

If yes, please describe.

Types of customers.--What are the major types of consumers to which you sell multilayered
wood flooring?

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If your firm is a retailer or end user of multilayered wood flooring, please answer questions III-4 and
III-5.
III-4.

End uses.—
(a)

List the end uses (e.g., new home construction, installation for remodeling, etc.) of the
multilayered wood flooring that your firm purchases.

(b)

Have there been any changes in the end uses of multilayered wood flooring since January
1, 2011? Do you anticipate any future changes?

Changes in end uses

No

Yes

Explain

Changes since
January 1, 2011
Anticipated changes
III-5.

Demand for end use products.-(a)

Has the demand for your firm’s final products incorporating multilayered wood flooring
changed since January 1, 2011?
Increased

(b)

No change

Decreased

Fluctuated

Has this had any effect on your firm’s demand for multilayered wood flooring?
No

Yes

Explain

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
III-6.

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Substitutes.—
(a)

Can other products be substituted for multilayered wood flooring?
No

Substitute

Yes--Please fill out the table.

End use in which this
substitute is used

Have changes in the price of this substitute
affected the price for multilayered wood
flooring?
No Yes

Explanation

1.
2.
3.
(b)

Have there been any changes in the number or types of products that can be
substituted for multilayered wood flooring since January 1, 2011? Do you anticipate any
future changes?

Changes in substitutes No Yes

Explain

Changes since January
1, 2011
Anticipated changes
(c)

Since January 1, 2011, have there been any changes in the popularity/market
acceptance of, or manufacturing improvements to, products that can be substituted for
multilayered wood flooring? If so, please explain where competition from these
substitutes has been more intense. Note the reason(s) for the change(s), along with
estimations of annual growth in those products.
Substitute popularity

Changes in popularity/market
acceptance since January 1, 2011
Changes in manufacturing of
substitutes since January 1, 2011

No

Yes

Explain

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
III-7.

Page 13

Demand trends.-- Indicate how demand within the United States and outside of the United
States (if known) for multilayered wood flooring has changed since January 1, 2011, and how
you anticipate demand will change in the future. Explain any trends and describe the principal
factors that have affected, and that you anticipate will affect, these changes in demand.

Market

Fluctuate
Overall
No
Overall
with no
increase change decrease clear trend

Explanation and factors

Demand since January 1, 2011
Within the United States:
overall
for use in:
New construction
Renovation/replacement
Outside the United States:
overall
for use in:
New construction
Renovation/replacement
Anticipated future demand
Within the United States:
overall
for use in:
New construction
Renovation/replacement
Outside the United States:
overall
for use in:
New construction
Renovation/replacement
III-8.

Market studies.--Please provide as a separate attachment to this request any studies, surveys,
etc. that you are aware of that quantify and/or otherwise discuss multilayered wood flooring
supply (including production capacity and capacity utilization) and demand in (1) the United
States, (2) each of the other major producing/consuming countries, including China, and (3) the
world as a whole. Of particular interest is such data from 2011 to the present and forecasts for
the future.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
III-9.

Page 14

Country preferences.--Do you or your customers ever specifically order multilayered wood
flooring from one country in particular over other possible sources of supply?

No

Yes

If yes, identify the countries and explain. If including China, please
distinguish between subject and nonsubject sources.

III-10. Importance of purchasing domestic product.--Please fill out the table below, estimating the
percentage of your firm’s total 2016 purchases of multilayered wood flooring that required
multilayered wood flooring produced in the United States.

Purchases that did not require domestic product
Purchases that were required by law or regulation to be domestic
product (e.g., government purchases under “Buy American” provisions)
Purchases that were not required by law or regulation, but were
required by your customers to be domestic product
Purchases that were required to be domestic product for other reasons
(explain:
)
Total (should sum to 100.0%)

Estimated percentage of
your firm’s total 2016
purchases of
multilayered wood
flooring
%
%
%
%
0.0 %

III-11. Conditions of competition.-(a) Is the multilayered wood flooring market subject to business cycles (other than general
economy-wide conditions), regulations, and/or other conditions of competition distinctive
to multilayered wood flooring?
Check all distinctive conditions that
apply.
No
Yes-Business cycles (e.g.
seasonal business)
Yes-Regulations
Yes-Other distinctive
conditions of competition

Please describe.
Skip to question III=12.

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III-11. Conditions of competition.-(b) If yes, have there been any changes in the business cycles or conditions of competition for
multilayered wood flooring since January 1, 2011?
No

Yes

If yes, describe.

III-12. Decisions based on producer and country-of-origin.--How often does your firm, and if you
know, do your customers, make purchasing decisions involving multilayered wood flooring
based on its producer or country of origin?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

If at least sometimes, explain.

Decision based on producer
Your firm
Your customers
Decision based on country of origin
Your firm
Your customers
III-13. Availability of supply.--Has the availability of multilayered wood flooring in the U.S. market
changed since January 1, 2011? Do you anticipate any future changes?

Availability in the U.S. market
Changes since January 1, 2011:
U.S.-produced product
Imports from subject sources in China
Imports from all other sources
Anticipated changes:
U.S.-produced product
Imports from subject sources in China
Imports from all other sources

No

Please explain, noting the countries and reasons
Yes for the changes.

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III-14. Availability of specific product types.--Are certain grades/types/sizes/species/finish of
multilayered wood flooring only available from certain country sources?

No

Yes

If yes, please identify the countries, the grade/type/size/species/finish, and
the time period. If including China, please distinguish between subject and
nonsubject sources.

III-15. Supply constraints.--Has any firm refused, declined, or been unable to supply your firm with
multilayered wood flooring since January 1, 2011 (examples include placing customers on
allocation or “controlled order entry,” declining to accept new customers or renew existing
customers, delivering less than the quantity promised, been unable to meet timely shipment
commitments, etc.)?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

III-16. Purchasing frequency.-(a)

How frequently do you make purchases of multilayered wood flooring (check one)?
Daily

(b)

Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

Other

If other, specify

Do you expect this purchasing frequency to change in the next two years?
No

Yes

If yes, explain.

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III-17. Number of suppliers contacted.--How many suppliers do you generally contact before making a
purchase? Between
and
firms.
III-18. Supplier negotiations.--Do your purchases of multilayered wood flooring usually involve
negotiations between supplier and purchaser?

No

Yes

If yes, explain the factors you generally negotiate and note whether
your firm quotes competing prices during negotiations.

III-19. Change in suppliers.--Has your firm changed suppliers since January 1, 2011?

No

Yes

If yes, please list the supplier(s), whether the firm was added or
dropped, and the reasons for the change.

III-20. New suppliers.-(a)

Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have entered the
market since January 1, 2011?
No

(b)

Yes

If yes, please identify the firms and their countries.

Do you expect new multilayered wood flooring suppliers to enter the U.S. market?
No

Yes

If yes, please explain.

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III-21. Supplier qualification.--Do you require your suppliers (whether domestic or foreign) to be or to
become certified or qualified to sell multilayered wood flooring to your firm, including but not
limited to voluntary industry-standard certifications such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)?
If yes, provide the following information.
• The number of days to qualify a new supplier.
• A general description of the certification or qualification process.
• A brief description of the factors that you consider when qualifying a new supplier (e.g.,
quality of product, regulatory compliance risk, reliability of supplier, other switching
costs, etc.).

No

Yes

Number
of days

Process

Factors

III-22. Failure to certify.--Since January 1, 2011, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their
attempts to certify or qualify their multilayered wood flooring with your firm or have any
producers lost their approved status?

No

Yes

If yes, please identify these firms, the countries where they are located, and
the reasons why they failed the certification/qualification.

III-23. Traceability regulations. --Does your firm require your suppliers to demonstrate compliance
with traceability regulations such as the Lacey Act or other similar regulations?
No

Yes

Please explain.

III-24. Major purchasing factors.--Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors your
firm considers in deciding from whom to purchase multilayered wood flooring (examples
include availability, extension of credit, contracts, price, quality, range of supplier’s product line,
traditional supplier, etc.).
1.
2.
3.
Please list any other factors that are very important in your purchase decisions:

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III-25. Purchasing factors.--Please rate the importance of the following factors in your firm’s
purchasing decisions for multilayered wood flooring.

Factor
Ability to meet regulations (e.g., Lacey, CARB)
Advertising support programs
Availability
Board width availability
Certifications (FSC, PEFC, SFI, etc.)
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Face thickness
Finish availability (smooth, types of distressed finishes)
Finish quality
Packaging
Price
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Rebate programs
Reliability of supply
Species
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs

Very
important

Somewhat
important

Not
important

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring

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III-26. Quality characteristics.--What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the
quality of multilayered wood flooring?

III-27. Minimum quality.--How often does multilayered wood flooring 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
China – subject sources
China – nonsubject sources
Other:
III-28. Frequency of decisions based on price.--How often does your firm purchase the multilayered
wood flooring that is offered at the lowest price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring

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III-29. Promotional Activities.--Please indicate whether the specified rebate program or other
incentive was associated with your purchases of multilayered wood flooring below for each
specified source from whom your firm purchased multilayered wood flooring, noting how those
incentive impacted your purchasing decisions. In each box, report one of the following:
1 – Not offered
2 – Offered, minimal impact on purchasing decisions
3 – Offered, moderate impact on purchasing decisions
4 – Offered, substantial impact on purchasing decisions
Activity

United States

China – subject

China – nonsubject

Other nonsubject

Supplier
Direct rebate1
Indirect rebate2
Advertising support
Samples
Other incentives
Cumulative impact
of all incentives
1

Rebates associated directly with the purchase/sale of multilayered wood flooring
Rebates associated with the purchase/sale of flooring product “bundles” which include multilayered
wood flooring.
2

Please describe the most important promotional activities which affect your multilayered wood
flooring purchasing decisions.

III-30. Choice of product not based on price.--If you purchased multilayered wood flooring from one
country source although a comparable product was available from another country source at a
lower price, please explain your reasons for doing so (please specify by country, and if including
China, report separately for China – subject sources and China – nonsubject sources).

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring

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III-31. 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 multilayered wood
flooring market since January 1, 2011.
Firm(s)

Describe how the firm(s) exhibited price leadership

III-32. Changes in U.S. industry.-(a)

Please identify and discuss any improvements/changes in the U.S. multilayered wood
flooring industry since January 1, 2011 and explain the factors, including the order(s)
under review, that were responsible for each improvement/change.

(b)

Please discuss any improvements/changes that you anticipate in the future in the U.S.
multilayered wood flooring industry. Identify the time period and causes for these
improvements/changes.

III-33. Effect of revocation.--What do you think will be the likely effects of any revocation of the
countervailing duty order and antidumping duty orders for imports of multilayered wood
flooring from subject sources in China? As appropriate, please discuss any potential effects of
revocation of the countervailing duty order and antidumping duty orders on (1) the future
activities of your firm and (2) the U.S. market as a whole. Please note the future time period to
which you are referring.
Activities of your firm
Entire U.S. market

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring

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PART IV.-- PRODUCT COMPARISIONS
IV-1.

Country knowledge.--Please indicate the countries of origin for multilayered wood flooring for
which your firm has actual marketing/pricing knowledge.
United
States

IV-2.

China –
subject

China –
nonsubject

Other
countries

Other countries (specify)

Interchangeability.--Is multilayered wood flooring 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

China-subject

China-nonsubject

Other countries

United States
China-subject
China-nonsubject
For any country-pair producing multilayered wood flooring that is sometimes or never
interchangeable, identify the country-pair and explain the factors that limit or preclude
interchangeable use:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
IV-3.

Page 24

Factors other than price.--Are differences other than price (e.g., quality, availability,
transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between multilayered wood
flooring 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

China-subject

China-nonsubject

Other countries

United States
China-subject
China-nonsubject
For any country-pair for which factors other than price always or frequently are a significant
factor in your firm’s sales of multilayered wood flooring, identify the country-pair and report
the advantages or disadvantages imparted by such factors:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
IV-4.

Page 25

Factor country comparisons.--For the factors listed below, please rate how multilayered wood
flooring produced in each source you identified in your response to the first question in Part IV
compares with multilayered wood flooring produced in each of the other sources you identified.

If you are unfamiliar with the product from a particular source, please leave the boxes for those
comparisons blank.

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.

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
United States
compared to product
from
China – Nonsubject
sources

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor
Ability to meet regulations (e.g., Lacey, CARB)
Advertising support programs
Availability
Board width availability
Certifications (FSC, PEFC, SFI, etc.)
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Face thickness
Finish availability (smooth, types of distressed finishes)
Finish quality
Packaging
Price1
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Rebate programs
Reliability of supply
Species
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs1

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to product
from
China – Subject
sources

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
IV-4.

Page 26

Factor country comparisons.--Continued

If you are unfamiliar with the product from a particular source, please leave the boxes for those
comparisons blank.

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.

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor
Ability to meet regulations (e.g., Lacey, CARB)
Advertising support programs
Availability
Board width availability
Certifications (FSC, PEFC, SFI, etc.)
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Face thickness
Finish availability (smooth, types of distressed finishes)
Finish quality
Packaging
Price1
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Rebate programs
Reliability of supply
Species
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs1

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to product
from
Other nonsubject
sources

Product from
China – subject
sources
compared to product
from
China – Nonsubject
sources

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
IV-4.

Page 27

Factor country comparisons.--Continued

If you are unfamiliar with the product from a particular source, please leave the boxes for those
comparisons blank.

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.

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor
Ability to meet regulations (e.g., Lacey, CARB)
Advertising support programs
Availability
Board width availability
Certifications (FSC, PEFC, SFI, etc.)
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Face thickness
Finish availability (smooth, types of distressed finishes)
Finish quality
Packaging
Price1
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Rebate programs
Reliability of supply
Species
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs1

Superior

Product from
China – subject sources
compared to product
from
Other nonsubject
sources

Product from
China – nonsubject
sources
compared to product
from
Other nonsubject
sources

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring
IV-5.

Page 28

Change in price.-(a)

Since January 1, 2011, has there been a change in the price of multilayered wood
flooring? If so, has the price of U.S.-produced multilayered wood flooring changed more
or less than the price of imported multilayered wood flooring from subject sources in
China?
No change in price.
Prices have changed by the same amount.
Price of U.S.-produced multilayered wood flooring has changed relative to
the price of multilayered wood flooring from subject sources in China.

(b)

If the price of U.S.-produced multilayered wood flooring has changed relative to the
price of multilayered wood flooring from China, the price of U.S.-produced multilayered
wood flooring is now relatively
Higher

Lower
than those from subject sources in
China.

PART V.—ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
V-1.

Other explanations.--If your firm would like to further explain a response to any question that
did not provide a narrative response box, please note the question number and the explanation
in the space provided below.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Multilayered Wood Flooring

Page 29

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/701731/2016/multilayered_wood_flooring_china
/first_review_full.htm
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: MLWF

• E-mail.—E-mail the MS Word questionnaire to craig.thomsen@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 purchase 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 (202205-1803). 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.