18-3-3914 US purchasers' questionnaire

Information collections for import injury investigations (producers, importers, purchasers, and foreign producer questionnaires and institution notices for 5-year reviews)

PUR - Clad Steel Plate (R4) - OMB

Clad steel plate from Japan (Inv. No. 731-TA-739)

OMB: 3117-0016

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OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 18-3-3914; Expiration Date: 6/30/2020
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U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
CLAD STEEL PLATE FROM JAPAN
This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by August 24, 2018
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 antidumping duty order concerning clad steel plate from Japan (Inv. No. 731-TA-739
(Fourth 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 firm’s possession (19 U.S.C. § 1333(a)). Further information on this
questionnaire can be obtained from Andrew Knipe (202-205-2390, andrew.knipe@usitc.gov).

Name of firm
Address
City

State

Zip Code

Website
Has your firm purchased clad steel plate (as defined on the next page) from any source (domestic or foreign) at
any time since January 1, 2015?

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: CLAD)
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

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

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PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.--On July 2, 1996, the Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) issued an antidumping duty
order on imports of clad steel plate from Japan. On January 2, 2018, the Commission instituted a review
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 order 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 order 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/701731/2018/clad_steel_plate_japan/fourth_review_full.htm.
Clad steel plate covered by these investigations is {a}ll clad 1 steel plate of a width of 600 millimeters
(“mm”) or more and a composite thickness of 4.5 mm or more. Clad steel plate is a rectangular finished
steel mill product consisting of a layer of cladding material (usually stainless steel or nickel) which is
metallurgically bonded to a base or backing of ferrous metal (usually carbon or low alloy steel) where
the latter predominates by weight.
Stainless clad steel plate is manufactured to American Society for Testing and Materials (“ASTM”)
specifications A263 (400 series stainless types) and A264 (300 series stainless types). Nickel and nickelbase alloy clad steel plate is manufactured to ASTM specification A265. These specifications are
illustrative but not necessarily all-inclusive.
Clad steel plate is currently imported under statistical reporting number 7210.90.1000of the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). 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
clad steel plate from another firm that produces, imports, or otherwise distributes clad steel plate.
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.

Cladding is the association of layers of metals of different colors or natures by molecular interpenetration of the
surfaces in contact. This limited diffusion is characteristic of clad products and differentiates them from products
metalized in other manners (e.g., by normal electroplating). The various cladding processes include pouring molten
cladding metal onto the basic metal followed by rolling; simple hot-rolling of the cladding metal to ensure efficient
welding to the basic metal; any other method of deposition of superimposing of the cladding metal followed by
any mechanical or thermal process to ensure welding (e.g., electrocladding), in which the cladding metal (nickel,
chromium, etc.) is applied to the basic metal by electroplating, molecular interpenetration of the surfaces in
contact then being obtained by heat treatment at the appropriate temperature with subsequent cold rolling. See
Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System Explanatory Notes, Chapter 72, General Note (IV)(C)(2) (e).
1

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 3

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
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.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
I-1.

Page 4

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 response.
“Establishment”--Each facility of a firm involved in the purchase of clad steel plate, including
auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or not physically separate from) such
facilities.

I-2.

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

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

I-3.

Address

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

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

I-4.

Country

Affiliation

Related producers.--Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, that
produce clad steel plate?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name and country

I-5.

Extent of ownership
(percent)

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 clad steel plate?
No

Yes

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

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

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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
II-1.

Purchases.-(a)

Please estimate your firm’s total U.S. purchases of clad steel plate in 2017. (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 (short tons)

(b)

Estimate the percentage of the quantity of your firm’s purchases of clad steel plate in
2017 that were produced in each of the specified countries.
Clad steel plate produced in:

Share of quantity of 2017 purchases

United States

%

Japan

%

All other countries:1

%

Sources unknown

%

Total (should sum to 100.0%)
1

Please identify these countries:

0.0

%

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II-2.

Page 6

Purchasing patterns.-(a)

Please indicate how the shares of your firm’s purchases of clad steel plate from different
sources have changed since January 1, 2012.

Source of
purchases

Did not
purchase Decreased Increased Constant Fluctuated

Explanation for trend

United States
Japan
All other
countries
Sources
unknown
(b)

Has your firm expressed interest in or considered purchasing Japanese clad steel plate
since January 1, 2012?

No

II-3.

Yes

If yes, please estimate the proportion of purchases that you might
source from Japan.

Country knowledge.-(a)

Please indicate the countries of origin with which your firm has experience or
information in the clad steel plate market.
United
States

(b)

Japan

Other
countries

Other countries (specify)

Are you familiar with specific Japanese clad steel plate products or prices?
No

(c)

Yes

If yes, please describe which products and/or prices.

Have you received offers to purchase Japanese clad steel plate products from U.S.
importers?
No

Yes

If yes, please explain.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II-3.

Page 7

Country knowledge.--Continued
(d)

How have product offerings and prices for Japanese clad steel plate compared to similar
U.S.-produced clad steel plate?

Please describe the product(s) and how the prices
Generally
Generally compare (If possible, please estimate percentage
Higher Comparable Lower differences).

(e)

No

II-4.

Are you familiar with prices of Japanese clad steel plate products in non-U.S. markets?

Yes

If yes, how do prices in these markets compare to U.S. prices for similar clad
steel plate products?

Supplier identification.--Please list your firm’s FIVE largest suppliers for clad steel plate since
January 1, 2015. Also, provide the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of clad
steel plate that each of these suppliers accounted for in 2017.

No.

Supplier’s name

City and state

Share of quantity of
2017 purchases

1

%

2

%

3

%

4

%

5

%

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 8

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

Firm type.--Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of clad steel plate
(check all that apply)?
Distributor

Fabricator

End User

Other

Describe other

If your firm is a distributor of clad steel plate, 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 clad steel plate?
No

III-3.

Yes

If yes, please describe.

Types of customers.--What are the major types of consumers to which you sell clad steel plate?

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

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If your firm is an end user of clad steel plate, please answer questions III-4 and III-5.
III-4.

End uses.—
(a)

List the top 3 products you make using clad steel plate and estimate the percent of your
total production cost that is accounted for by clad steel plate vs. other inputs (such as
labor, energy, and other raw materials).
Share of total cost in each of the product(s) your
firm produces accounted for by
Product(s) your firm
produces

(b)

Clad steel plate

Total
(should
sum to
100.0%
across)

Other inputs
% +

%

=

0.0 %

% +

%

=

0.0 %

% +

%

=

0.0 %

Have there been any changes in the end uses of clad steel plate since January 1, 2012?
Do you anticipate any future changes in the next two years?

Changes in end uses

No

Yes

Explain

Changes since
January 1, 2012
Anticipated changes
III-5.

Demand for end use products.-(a)

Has the demand for your firm’s final products incorporating clad steel plate changed
since January 1, 2012?
Increased

(b)

No change

Decreased

Fluctuated

Has this had any effect on your firm’s demand for clad steel plate?
No

Yes

Explain

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
III-6.

Page 10

Substitutes.-(a)

Can other products be substituted for clad steel plate?
No

Yes--Please fill out the table.

End use in which this
substitute is used

Substitute

Have changes in the price of this substitute
affected the price for clad steel plate?
No Yes

Explanation

1.
2.
3.
(b)

Have there been any changes in the number or types of products that can be
substituted for clad steel plate since January 1, 2012? Do you anticipate any future
changes in the next two years?
Changes in substitutes

No

Yes

Explain

Changes since January 1, 2012
Anticipated changes
III-7.

Demand trends.--Indicate how demand within the United States and outside of the United
States (if known) for clad steel plate has changed since January 1, 2012, and how you anticipate
demand will change in the next two years. Explain any trends and describe the principal factors
that have affected, and that you anticipate will affect, these changes in demand.

Market

Overall
increase

No
change

Overall
decrease

Fluctuate
with no
clear trend

Demand since January 1, 2012
Within the U.S.
Outside the U.S.
Anticipated future demand
Within the U.S.
Outside the U.S.

Explanation and factors

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

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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 clad steel plate supply
(including production capacity and capacity utilization) and demand in (1) the United States, (2)
each of the other major producing/consuming countries, including Japan, and (3) the world as a
whole. Of particular interest is such data from 2012 to the present and forecasts for the future.

III-9.

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

Yes

If yes, identify the countries and explain.

III-10. Importance of purchasing domestic product.--Please fill out the table below, estimating the
percentage of your firm’s total 2017 purchases of clad steel plate that required clad steel plate
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
2017 purchases of clad
steel plate
%
%
%
%
0.0 %

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 12

III-11. Conditions of competition.-(a)

Is the clad steel plate market subject to business cycles (other than general economywide conditions) and/or other conditions of competition distinctive to clad steel plate?

Check all that apply.

Please describe.

No

Skip to question III-12.

Yes-Business cycles (e.g.
seasonal business)
Yes-Other distinctive
conditions of competition
(b)

If yes, have there been any changes in the business cycles or conditions of competition
for clad steel plate since January 1, 2012?
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 clad steel plate 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

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 13

III-13. Availability of supply.--Has the availability of clad steel plate in the U.S. market changed since
January 1, 2012? Do you anticipate any future changes in the next two years?
Availability in the U.S.
market

No

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

Changes since January 1, 2012:
U.S.-produced product
Imports from Japan
Imports from all other
countries
Anticipated changes:
U.S.-produced product
Imports from Japan
Imports from all other
countries
III-14. Availability of specific product types.--Are certain grades/types/sizes/widths of clad steel plate
only available from certain country sources?
No

Yes

If yes, please identify the countries and the grade/type/size/width.

III-15. Supply constraints.--Has any firm refused, declined, or been unable to supply your firm with
clad steel plate since January 1, 2012 (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, being unable to meet timely shipment commitments,
etc.)?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 14

III-16. Purchasing frequency.-(a)

How frequently do you make purchases of clad steel plate (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.

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 firm’s purchases of clad steel plate 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, 2012?

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, 2012?
No

(b)

Yes

If yes, please identify the firms.

Do you expect new clad steel plate suppliers to enter the U.S. market?
No

Yes

If yes, please explain.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 15

III-21. Supplier qualification.--Do you require your suppliers to be or to become certified or qualified
to sell clad steel plate to your firm?
If yes, provide the following information.
• The number of days to qualify a new supplier.
• A general description of the certification or qualification process. Also, a brief
description of the factors that you consider when qualifying a new supplier (e.g., quality
of product, reliability of supplier, etc.).

No

Yes

Number
of days Process and factors

III-22. Failure to certify.--Since January 1, 2012, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their
attempts to certify or qualify their clad steel plate 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. Major purchasing factors.--Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors your
firm considers in deciding from whom to purchase clad steel plate (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:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 16

III-24. Purchasing factors.--Please rate the importance of the following factors in your firm’s
purchasing decisions for clad steel plate.
Very
important

Factor

Somewhat
important

Not
important

Availability
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Packaging
Price
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Reliability of supply
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs
III-25. Quality characteristics.--What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the
quality of clad steel plate?

III-26. Minimum quality.--How often does clad steel plate from the following countries meet minimum
quality specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
Source
United States
Japan
Other:

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or
never

Don’t
know

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 17

III-27. Frequency of decisions based on price.--How often does your firm purchase the clad steel plate
that is offered at the lowest price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-28. 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 clad steel plate market
since January 1, 2012.
Firm(s)

Describe how the firm(s) exhibited price leadership

III-29. Changes in U.S. industry.-(a)

Please identify and discuss any improvements/changes in the U.S. clad steel plate
industry since January 1, 2012 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 next two years in
the U.S. clad steel plate industry. Identify the time period and causes for these
improvements/changes.

III-30. Effect of revocation of orders.-- What do you think will be the effects on your firm and on the
U.S. market of any revocation of the antidumping duty order on imports of clad steel plate from
Japan?

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

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PART IV.--PRODUCT COMPARISIONS
IV-1.

Interchangeability.--Is clad steel plate 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

Japan

Other countries

United States
Japan
For any country-pair producing clad steel plate 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 – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
IV-2.

Page 19

Factors other than price.--Are differences other than price (e.g., quality, availability,
transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between clad steel plate
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

Japan

Other countries

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

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
IV-3.

Page 20

Factor country comparisons.--For the factors listed below, please rate how clad steel plate
produced in each country you identified in your response to question II-3 compares with clad
steel plate produced in each of the other countries you identified.

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

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
Japan compared
to product from
Nonsubject
countries

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Nonsubject
countries

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Japan

Availability
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Packaging
Price1
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Reliability of supply
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs1
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.
1

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
IV-4.

Page 21

Change in price.-(a)

Since January 1, 2012, has there been a change in the price of clad steel plate? If so, has
the price of U.S.-produced clad steel plate changed more or less than the price of
imported clad steel plate from Japan?
No change in price.
Prices have changed by the same amount.
Price of U.S.-produced clad steel plate has changed relative to the price of
clad steel plate from Japan.

(b)

If the price of U.S.-produced clad steel plate has changed relative to the price of clad
steel plate from Japan, the price of U.S.-produced clad steel plate is now relatively:
Higher

Lower
than those from Japan.

IV-5.

Raw materials.--

(a)

Are your firm’s purchase prices for clad steel plate indexed to raw material costs,
including base steel, cladding material, and/or other raw materials?

Type of sale

No

U.S. produced product
Contract
Spot
Product imported from Japan
Contract
Spot

Yes

Please explain, noting the type of input material and which
publication the input(s) are indexed to.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
IV-5.

Page 22

Raw materials.—Continued

(b)

If known, indicate how clad steel plate raw material prices have changed since January

1, 2012, and how you expect they will change in the future.

Raw materials
prices

Fluctuate
with no Explain, noting how raw material price
clear
changes have affected your firm’s
Overall
No
Overall
increase change decrease trend
selling prices for clad steel plate.

Changes since
January 1, 2012
Anticipated
changes
IV-6.

Surcharges.--Do your firm’s purchase prices of clad steel plate include the use of surcharges for
particular raw materials or other inputs?

Type of sale

No

U.S. produced product
Contract
Spot
Product imported from Japan
Contract
Spot

Yes

Please explain, noting the specific material or input(s) and the
formula(s) used.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 23

PART V.—ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
V-1. Effect of 232 investigation of steel on conditions of competition.-(a)

Are you familiar with the 232 investigation conducted by the United States under
section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. § 1862), on
imports of certain steel products and the related proclamations issued by the President
or the subsequent imposition of tariffs on imported steel products?
No (skip to V-2)

(b)

Yes--Please fill out the table.

Did the announcement of the section 232 investigation in April 2017 or the President’s
subsequent issuance of proclamations and the imposition of tariffs on certain imported
steel products beginning in March 2018 impact the conditions of competition for clad
steel plate?
No

Yes If yes, describe.

Announcement of the section 232
investigation in April 2017
Issuance of proclamations on certain
imported steel products beginning in
March 2018
(c)

Do you anticipate that additional developments in relation the 232 investigation and
imposition of tariffs on certain imported steel products will impact the conditions of
competition for clad steel plate in the future?
No

Yes If yes, describe.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 24

V-2.

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.

V-3.

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.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 25

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/701731/2018/clad_steel_plate_japan/fourth_revi
ew_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: CLAD

• E-mail.—E-mail the MS Word questionnaire to Andrew.Knipe@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.


File Typeapplication/pdf
File TitleImporters questionnaire - sunset
AuthorDushkes, Andrew
File Modified2018-07-13
File Created2018-07-13

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