18-4-3915 Foreign producers' questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 18-4-3915; Expiration Date: 6/30/2020
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

FOREIGN PRODUCERS’/EXPORTERS’ 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.

Name of firm
Address
Website
Has your firm produced or exported clad steel plate (as defined on next page) 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 proceeding 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’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 2

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.
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.

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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Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 3

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 Drew Dushkes
(202-205-3229, drew.dushkes@usitc.gov).

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
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 30
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 Japan involved in the production or export of clad
steel plate, including auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or not physically
separate from) such facilities. Firms operating more than one establishment in Japan should
combine the data for all establishments into a single report.

I-3.

U.S. importers.--Please provide the names, contacts, email addresses, and telephone numbers
of the FIVE largest U.S. importers of your firm’s clad steel plate in 2017.

No.

1
2
3
4
5

Importer’s
name

Contact person

Email address

Share of
Area code
your firm’s
and
2017 U.S.
telephone
exports
number
(%)

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
I-4.

U.S. or other country production.--Does your firm or any related firm produce, have the
capability to produce, or have any plans to produce clad steel plate in the United States or other
countries?
No

I-5.

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.

U.S. importation.--Does your firm or any related firm import or have any plans to import clad
steel plate into the United States?
No

I-6.

Page 5

Yes--Please name the firm(s) below and ensure that they complete the
Commission’s importer questionnaire.

Business plan.--In Parts II and III of this questionnaire we request a copy of your company’s
business plan. Does your company or any related firm have a business plan or any internal
documents that describe, discuss, or analyze expected future market conditions for clad steel
plate?
No

Yes--Please provide the requested documents. If you are not providing the
requested documents, please explain why not.

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

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PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION
Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Drew Dushkes (202-2053229, drew.dushkes@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 clad steel plate since January 1, 2015.

Check as many as appropriate.
Plant openings
Plant closings
Relocations
Expansions
Acquisitions
Consolidations
Prolonged shutdowns or
production curtailments
Revised labor agreements
Other (e.g., technology)

If checked, please describe; leave blank if not
applicable.

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II -2b

Anticipated changes in operations.—Does your firm anticipate any changes in in the character
of its operations or organization relating to the production of clad steel plate in the future?

No

II-3a.

Page 7

If 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
documentations that address this issue. Include in your
response a specific projection of your firm’s capacity to
produce clad steel plate (in short tons) for 2018 and 2019.

Yes

Production using same machinery.-- Please report your firm’s production of products made on
the same equipment, machinery, or employees as used to produce clad steel plate, and the
combined production capacity on this shared equipment, machinery, or employees in the
periods indicated.
“Overall production capacity” or “capacity” – The level of production that your
establishment(s) could reasonably have expected to attain during the specified periods. Assume
normal operating conditions (i.e., using equipment and machinery in place and ready to
operate; normal operating levels (hours per week/weeks per year) and time for downtime,
maintenance, repair, and cleanup).
Note.--If your firm does not produce any out-of-scope merchandise on the same machinery and
equipment as scope merchandise then the "overall production capacity" numbers reported in
this question should be exactly equal to the "average production capacity" numbers reported in
question II-12. If, however, your firm does produce out-of-scope merchandise using the same
machinery and equipment as scope mercandhise, then the "average production capacity"
reported in question II-12 should exclude the portion of "overall production capacity" that was
used to produce this out-of-scope merchandise.
“Production” – All production in your U.S. establishment(s), including production consumed
internally within your firm and production for another firm under a toll agreement.
Quantity (in short tons)
Calendar years
Item

Overall production capacity

2015

2016

January-June
2017

2017

2018

1

Production of:
Clad steel plate2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Out-of-scope production.-Other products3
Total production using same
machinery or workers

Data reported for capacity (first line) should be greater than data reported for total production (last line).
Data entered for production of clad steel plate will populate here once reported in question II-11.
3
Please identify these products:
.
1
2

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Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

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II-3b.

Operating parameters.--The production capacity reported in II-3a is based on operating
per week,
weeks per year.

II-3c.

Capacity calculation.--Please describe the methodology used to calculate overall production
capacity reported in II-3a, and explain any changes in reported capacity.

II-3d.

Production constraints.--Please describe the constraint(s) that set the limit(s) on your firm’s
production capacity.

II-3e.

Product shifting.
(i).

Is your firm able to switch production (capacity) between clad steel plate and other products
using the same equipment and/or labor?
No

(ii).

hours

Yes-- (i.e., have produced other products or are able to produce other
products). Please identify other actual or potential products.

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.

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II-3f.

Page 9

Production mill details.--Please list and describe all individual mill locations used by your firm to
produce clad steel plate.

Location

Mill type
Explosion Roll
Other
bond
bond

Types of clad steel
plate produced

Production
constraints

II-4.

Share of sales.--What percentage of your firm’s total sales in its most recent fiscal year was
represented by sales of clad steel plate?
percent.

II-5.

Firm's estimated share of production in country.--Please estimate the percentage of total
production of clad steel plate in the country specified on the certification page accounted for by
your firm’s production in 2017.
percent.

II-6.

Firm's estimated share of country's exports.--Please estimate the percentage of total exports to
the United States of clad steel plate from the country specified on the certification page
accounted for by your firm’s exports in 2017.
percent.

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II-7.

Page 10

Third country trade actions.--Is the clad steel plate 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.

II-8.

Other export markets.--Identify export markets (other than the United States) that your firm
has developed or where it has increased its sales of clad steel plate since 2015. Please identify
and discuss below.

II-9.

Significance of antidumping duty order.--Describe the significance of the existing antidumping
duty order covering imports of clad steel plate from Japan in terms of its effect on your firm’s
production capacity, production, home market shipments, exports to the United States and
other markets, and inventories. You may wish to compare your firm’s operations before and
after the imposition of the order.

II-10.

Likely impact of revocation.--Would your firm anticipate any changes in in the character of its
operations or organization, including its production capacity, production, U.S. shipments,
inventories, purchases, employment, revenues, costs, profits, cash flow, capital expenditures,
research and development expenditures, or asset values relating to the production of clad steel
plate in the future if the antidumping duty order on clad steel plate from Japan were to be
revoked?

No

Yes

If 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
documentations that address this issue. Include in your
response a specific projection of your firm’s capacity to
produce clad steel plate (in short tons) for 2018 and 2019.

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II-11.

Page 11

Trade data.--Report your firm’s production capacity, production, shipments, and inventories
related to the production of clad steel plate in your establishment(s) in Japan during the
specified periods. Do not include resales of clad steel plate 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-12.
Do not submit data by manufacturing facility if they are in the same country. If your firm has
multiple manufacturing establishments within one country, 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 Japan, including production consumed
internally within your firm.
“Shipments”--Shipments of products produced in your establishment(s) in Japan. Quantities
reported should be net of returns. Report net values (i.e., gross sales values less all
discounts, allowances, rebates, prepaid freight, and the value of returned goods) in U.S.
dollars, f.o.b. your point of shipment in Japan.
“Home market commercial shipments”--Shipments, other than internal consumption and
transfers to related firms, within Japan.
“Home market internal consumption/transfers to related firms”--Shipments made to
related firms in Japan, including product consumed internally by your firm.
“Export shipments”--Shipments to destinations outside Japan, 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’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II-11.

Page 12

Trade data.--Continued.
Quantity (in short tons) and Value (in 1,000 dollars)
Calendar year
Item

2015

2016

January-June
2017

2017

2018

Average production
capacity1 (A)
Beginning-of-period
inventories (B)
Production (C)
Home market shipments:
Internal consumption/
transfers
quantity (D)
value (E)
Commercial shipments
quantity (F)
value (G)
Export shipments:
to the United States:
quantity (H)
value (I)
to the European Union:2
quantity (J)
value (K)
to Asia:3
quantity (L)
value (M)
to all other markets:4
quantity (N)
value (O)
Total exports (quantity) (P)

0

0

0

0

0

Total shipments (quantity)
(Q)

0

0

0

0

0

End-of-period inventories
(R)
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:
.
2
Identify your firm’s principal European Union export markets:
.
3
Identify your firm’s principal Asian export markets:
.
4
Identify your firm’s principal other export markets:
.
1

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II-11.

Page 13

Trade data.—Continued.
RECONCILIATION OF SHIPMENTS, PRODUCTION, AND INVENTORY.--Generally, the data reported
for the end-of-period inventories (i.e., line R) 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, F, H, J, L,
and N). 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.
Calendar year
Item

2015

B + C – D – F – H –J – L – N –
R= should equal zero ("0")
or provide an explanation.1

January-June

2016

0

2017

0

2017

2018

0

0

0

Explanation if the calculated fields above are returning values other than zero (i.e., “0”) but are
nonetheless accurate:
.
1

II-12.

Exports to the United States not produced by your firm.--Report your firm’s exports to the
United States of clad steel plate that was produced in Japan but not by your firm during the
specified periods. Note these data should not be included in question II-11.
Quantity (in short tons) and Value (in 1,000 dollars)
Calendar year
Item

2015

2016

January-June
2017

2017

2018

Exports of clad steel plate
to the United States not
produced by your firm1.—
Quantity (S)
Value (T)
1

List the producer(s).

.

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II-13.

Page 14

Exports to the United States by cladding material.-- Report your firm’s exports to the United
States by cladding material.
Quantity (in short tons)
Calendar year
Item

2017

Cladding material:
U.S. shipments—
Stainless steel (U)
Nickel and nickel alloy (V)
Titanium (W)
Other (X)
Total
1

0

Please identify these other types of cladding material:

.

RECONCILIATION OF CHANNELS.--Please ensure that the quantities reported for exports to the United
States by cladding material (i.e., lines U, V, W and X) in 2017 equal the quantity reported for exports to
the United States (i.e., line H) in 2017. If the calculated fields below return values other than zero (i.e.,
“0”), the data reported must be revised prior to submission to the Commission.
Calendar year
Reconciliation item
U + V + W + X – H = zero ("0"), if not revise.

2017
0

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II-14.

Page 15

Exports to the United States by base metal.-- Report your firm’s exports to the United States by
base metal.
Quantity (in short tons)
Calendar year
Item

2017

Base metal:
U.S. shipments—
Carbon steel (Y)
Low alloy (Z)
Other (AA)
Total
1

0

Please identify these other types of base metal:

.

RECONCILIATION OF CHANNELS.--Please ensure that the quantities reported for exports to the United
States by base metal (i.e., lines Y, Z, and AA) in 2017 equal the quantity reported for exports to the
United States (i.e., line H) in 2017. If the calculated fields below return values other than zero (i.e., “0”),
the data reported must be revised prior to submission to the Commission.
Calendar year
Reconciliation item
Y + Z + AA – D – F – H = zero ("0"), if not revise.

2017
0

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
II-15.

Page 16

Exports to the United States by thickness.-- Report your firm’s exports to the United States by
thickness.
Quantity (in short tons)
Calendar year
Item

2017

Thickness:
U.S. shipments—
Less than or equal to 1 inch (AB)
Greater than 1 inch but less than or equal to
2 inches (AC)
Greater than 2 inches (AD)
Total

0

RECONCILIATION OF CHANNELS.--Please ensure that the quantities reported for exports to the United
States by thickness (i.e., lines AB, AC, and AD) in 2017 equal the quantity reported for exports to the
United States (i.e., line H) in 2017. If the calculated fields below return values other than zero (i.e., “0”),
the data reported must be revised prior to submission to the Commission.
Calendar year
Reconciliation item
AB + AC + AD – H = zero ("0"), if not revise.
II-16.

2017
0

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.

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Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)

Page 17

PART III.--MARKET FACTORS
Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Andrew Knipe (202-2052390, andrew.knipe@usitc.gov).
III-1.

Contact information.--Please identify the responsible individual and how Commission staff may
contact the individual regarding the confidential information submitted in part III.
Name
Title
Email
Telephone

III-2.

Contract versus spot.--Approximately what share of your firm’s sales of clad steel plate to U.S.
customers in 2017 was on a (1) long-term contract basis, (2) annual contract basis, (3) shortterm contract basis, and (4) spot sales basis?

Share of your
2017 sales
III-3.

Long-term
contracts
(multiple
deliveries for
more than 12
months)
%

Type of sale
Short-term
Annual
contracts
contracts
(multiple
(multiple
deliveries for
deliveries for
less than 12
12 months)
months)
%

Spot sales
(for a single
delivery)

%

%

Total
(should sum to
100.0%)
0.0

%

Contract provisions.--Please fill out the table regarding your firm’s typical sales contracts with
U.S. customers for clad steel plate (or check “not applicable” if your firm does not sell on a longterm, short-term and/or annual contract basis).

Typical sales
contract provisions

Item

Average contract
duration

No. of
days

Price renegotiation
(during contract
period)

Yes

Fixed quantity
and/or price

No
Quantity

Meet or release
provision
Not applicable

Price
Both
Yes
No

Short-term contracts
(multiple deliveries
for less than 12
months)

Annual contracts
(multiple
deliveries for 12
months)
365

Long-term contracts
(multiple deliveries
for more than 12
months)

Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’/Exporters’ Questionnaire – Clad Steel Plate (Fourth Review)
III-4.

Lead times.--What is your firm’s share of sales from inventory vs. produced to order and what is
the typical lead time between a customer’s order and the date of delivery for your firm’s sales of
clad steel plate?
Source

Share of 2017 sales

From inventory

%

Produced to order

%

Total (should sum to 100.0%)
III-5.

Page 18

0.0

Lead time (days)

%

Raw materials.--Indicate how the prices of raw materials used to make clad steel plate have
changed since January 1, 2015, and how you expect they will change in the future.
Fluctuate
with no
clear
Raw materials Overall
No
Overall
prices
increase change decrease trend

Explain, noting how raw material
price changes have affected your
firm’s selling prices for clad steel
plate.

Changes since
January 1,
2015
Anticipated
changes
III-6.

Changes in factors affecting supply.--Have any changes occurred in any other factors affecting
supply (e.g., changes in availability or prices of energy or labor; transportation conditions;
production capacity and/or methods of production; technology; export markets; or alternative
production opportunities) that affected the availability of Japanese-produced clad steel plate in
the U.S. market since January 1, 2015?
No

III-7.

Yes

If yes, please describe.

Availability of SUBJECT import supply.--Do you anticipate any changes in terms of the
availability of Japanese-produced clad steel plate in the U.S. market in the future?

Increase

If you anticipate changes in supply, please identify the changes,
No
including the time period and the impact of such changes on
change Decrease shipment volumes and prices.

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III-8.

Product shifting.--Describe how easily your firm can shift its sales of clad steel plate between
the U.S. market and alternative country markets. In your discussion, please describe any
contracts, other sales arrangements, or other constraints (including any third-country trade
barriers such as tariffs, quotas, or other non-tariff barriers) that would prevent or retard your
firm from shifting clad steel plate between the U.S. and alternative country markets within a 12month period.

III-9.

Product range.--Is the product range, product mix, or marketing of clad steel plate in your firm’s
home market different from that of clad steel plate for export to the United States or to thirdcountry markets?
No

Yes

If yes, please explain.

III-10. Product changes.--Have there been any significant changes in the product range, product mix,
or marketing of clad steel plate in your firm’s home market, for export to the United States, or
for export to third-country markets since January 1, 2015? Do you anticipate any future
changes?
Changes in product
range, product
mix, or marketing
Changes since
January 1, 2015
Anticipated
changes

No

Yes

Explain

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III-11. 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, 2015? Do you anticipate any future
changes?
Changes in
substitutes

No

Yes

Explain

Changes since
January 1, 2015
Anticipated
changes
III-12. Interchangeability.--Is the clad steel plate produced by your firm and sold in its home market
interchangeable (i.e., can be used in the same applications) with your firm’s clad steel plate sold
to the United States and/or to third-country markets?
Yes

No

If no, identify the market(s) and any differences in the products.

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III-13. End uses.-(a)

Describe the end uses of the clad steel plate that your firm manufactures and sell to
your firm’s home market. If these end uses differ from those of the clad steel plate your
firm sells to the U.S. market or to third-country markets, explain.

(b)

Have there been any changes in the end uses of clad steel plate since January 1, 2015?
Do you anticipate any future changes?

Changes in end
uses

No

Yes

Explain

Changes since
January 1, 2015
Anticipated
changes
III-14. Demand trends.--Indicate how demand in the following markets for clad steel plate has changed
since January 1, 2015, 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.

Your firm’s
market

Overall
increase

Fluctuate
No
Overall
with no
change decrease clear trend
Demand since January 1, 2015

Home
market
United
States
Other
markets
Anticipated future demand
Home
market
United
States
Other
markets

Explanation and factors

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III-15. Price differences.--Please compare market prices of clad steel plate in your firm’s home market,
the United States, and third-country markets (please indicate which is higher-priced, and which
is lower-priced).

III-16. Description of home market.--Describe briefly your firm’s home market for clad steel plate,
including the number of, and competition between, producers.

III-17. Import competition.--Does your firm face competition from imports of clad steel plate in your
firm’s home market?
No

Yes

If yes, please identify the country sources of these imports.

III-18. 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 2015 to the present and forecasts for the future.

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III-19. 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 III-20)

(b)

Yes--Please fill out the tables.

Did the announcement of the section 232 investigation in April 2017 or the President’s
subsequent issuance of proclamations and 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 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 will impact the conditions of
competition for clad steel plate in the future?
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
III-20. Other explanations.--If your firm would like to further explain a response to a question in Part III
that did not provide a narrative response 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.

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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.

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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 drew.dushkes@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 did not produce or export 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.