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pdfOMB No. 3117‐0016/USITC No. 17‐4‐3744; Expiration Date: 6/30/2020
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FOREIGN PRODUCERS’/EXPORTERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
TITANIUM SPONGE FROM JAPAN AND KAZAKHSTAN
This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by September 7, 2017
See last page for filing instructions.
The information called for in this questionnaire is for use by the United States International Trade Commission in
connection with its countervailing duty and antidumping investigations concerning titanium sponge from Japan
and Kazakhstan (Inv. Nos. 701‐TA‐587 and 731‐TA‐1385‐1386 (Preliminary). The information requested in the
questionnaire is requested under the authority of the Tariff Act of 1930, title VII.
Name of firm
Address
Website
Has your firm produced or exported titanium sponge (as defined on next page) at any time since January 1,
2014?
NO
(Sign the certification below and promptly return only this page of the questionnaire to the Commission)
YES
(Complete all parts of the questionnaire, and return the entire questionnaire to the Commission)
Data reported in this questionnaire relate to (Check one):
Japan
Kazakhstan
Return questionnaire via the Commission Drop Box by clicking on the following link:
https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/. (PIN: SPONGE)
CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information herein supplied in response to this questionnaire is complete and correct to the best of my
knowledge and belief and understand that the information submitted is subject to audit and verification by the Commission. By
means of this certification I also grant consent for the Commission, and its employees and contract personnel, to use the
information provided in this questionnaire and throughout this proceeding in any other import‐injury proceedings conducted by
the Commission on the same or similar merchandise.
I, the undersigned, acknowledge that information submitted in response to this request for information and throughout this
proceeding or other proceedings may be disclosed to and used: (i) by the Commission, its employees and Offices, and contract
personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the records of this or a related proceeding, or (b) in internal investigations, audits,
reviews, and evaluations relating to the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including under 5 U.S.C.
Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. government employees and contract personnel, solely for cybersecurity purposes. I understand that all
contract personnel will sign appropriate nondisclosure agreements.
Name of Authorized Official Title of Authorized Official
Date
Phone:
Signature
Fax:
Email address
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
Page 2
PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
Background. ‐‐This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on August 24, 2017, by
Titanium Metals Corporation, Exton, PA. Countervailing and/or antidumping duties may be assessed on
the subject imports as a result of these proceedings if the Commission makes an affirmative
determination of injury, threat, or material retardation, and if the U.S. Department of Commerce
(“Commerce”) makes an affirmative determination of subsidization and/or dumping. Questionnaires
and other information pertinent to this proceeding are available at
https://www.usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2017/titanium_sponge_japan_and_kazakhstan/prelimina
ry.htm.
Titanium sponge covered by these investigations is all forms and grades of titanium sponge, except as
specified below. Titanium sponge is unwrought titanium metal that has not been melted.
Expressly excluded from the scope of these investigations are titanium powders, titanium sponge fines,
titanium briquettes consisting of compacted titanium sponge fines and ultra‐high purity titanium
sponge. In ultra‐high purity titanium sponge, metallic impurities do not exceed any of these amounts:
WT%
Aluminum
0.0005
Chromium
0.0001
Cobalt
0.0001
Copper
0.0002
Iron
0.0300
Manganese 0.0010
Nickel
0.0002
Vanadium
0.0002
Zirconium
0.0005
Carbon
0.0150
Hydrogen
0.0100
Nitrogen
0.0020
Oxygen
0.1000
Titanium sponge is currently classified under statistical reporting number 8108.20.0010 of 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.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
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 Ayanna
Butler (202‐205‐2208, ayanna.butler@usitc.gov).
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
I‐1.
I‐2.
Page 4
OMB statistics.‐‐Please report below the actual number of hours required and the cost to your
firm of completing this questionnaire.
Hours
Dollars
The questions in this questionnaire have been reviewed with market participants to ensure that
issues of concern are adequately addressed and that data requests are sufficient, meaningful,
and as limited as possible. Public reporting burden for this questionnaire is estimated to average
20 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering data, and
completing and reviewing the questionnaire.
We welcome comments regarding the accuracy of this burden estimate, suggestions for
reducing the burden, and any suggestions for improving this questionnaire. Please attach such
comments to your response or send to the Office of Investigations, USITC, 500 E St. SW,
Washington, DC 20436.
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 and Kazakhstan involved in the production or
export of titanium sponge, including auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or
not physically separate from) such facilities. Firms operating more than one establishment in
Japan and Kazakhstan should combine the data for all establishments into a single report.
I‐3.
Related producers.‐‐Does your firm or any related firm produce, have the capability to produce,
or have any plans to produce titanium sponge in the United States or other countries?
No
Yes‐‐Please name the firm(s) and country(ies) below and, if U.S. producer(s),
ensure that they complete the Commission’s producer questionnaire.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
I‐4.
Page 5
Related U.S. importers.‐‐Does your firm or any related firm import or have any plans to import
titanium sponge into the United States?
No
Yes‐‐Please name the firm(s) below and ensure that they complete the
Commission’s importer questionnaire.
I‐5.
U.S. importers.‐‐Please provide the names, street addresses (not P.O. boxes), contacts,
telephone numbers, and e‐mail addresses of the FIVE largest U.S. importers of your firm’s
titanium sponge in 2016.
Importer’s name
Contact person
Email
Telephone
Share of your
firm’s 2016 U.S.
exports (%)
1
2
3
4
5
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
Page 6
PART II.‐‐TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION
Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Ayanna Butler (202‐205‐
2208, ayanna.butler@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 titanium sponge since January 1, 2014.
(check as many as appropriate)
(If checked, please describe; leave blank if not applicable)
plant openings
plant closings
relocations
expansions
acquisitions
consolidations
prolonged shutdowns or
production curtailments
revised labor agreements
other (e.g., technology)
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
II‐3.
Page 7
Anticipated changes in operations.‐‐Does your firm anticipate any changes in the character of
its operations or organization (as noted above) relating to the production of titanium sponge in
the future?
No
Yes–Supply details as to the time, nature, and significance of such changes
and provide underlying assumptions, along with relevant portions of
business plans or other supporting documentation that address this
issue. Include in the response a specific projection of your firm’s
capacity to produce titanium sponge (in metric tons) for 2017 and
2018.
II‐4a. Production using same machinery.‐‐ Please report your firm’s production of products made on
the same equipment and machinery used to produce titanium sponge, and the combined
production capacity on this shared equipment and machinery.
“Overall production capacity” or “capacity” –The level of production that your
establishment(s) could reasonably have expected to attain during the specified periods for all
products manufactured in that establishment using the same manufacturing equipment.
Assume normal operating conditions (i.e., using equipment and machinery in place and ready to
operate; normal operating levels (hours per week/weeks per year) and time for downtime,
maintenance, repair, and cleanup).
“Production” ‐‐All production in your establishment(s) in Japan and Kazakhstan, including
production consumed internally within your firm.
Quantity (in metric tons)
Calendar years
Item
Overall production capacity
Production of:
Titanium sponge 1
Ultra‐high purity titanium
sponge produced using a
sodium reduction process
2
Other products
Total
1
2
2014
2015
January‐June
2016
2016
2017
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Data entered for production of titanium sponge will populate here once reported in question II‐10.
Please identify these products: .
II‐4b. Operating parameters.‐‐The production capacity reported in II‐4a is based on operating hours
per week, weeks per year.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
II‐4c.
Page 8
Capacity calculation.‐‐Please describe the methodology used to calculate overall production
capacity reported in II‐4a, and explain any changes in reported capacity.
II‐4d. Production constraints.‐‐Please describe the constraint(s) that set the limit(s) on your firm’s
production capacity.
II‐4e. Product shifting.—
(i).
Is your firm able to switch production (capacity) between titanium sponge and other
products using the same equipment and/or labor?
No
Yes‐‐(i.e., have produced other products or are able to produce other
products). Please identify other actual or potential products:
.
(ii).
Please describe the factors that affect your firm’s ability to shift production capacity
between products (e.g., time, cost, relative price change, etc.), and the degree to which
these factors enhance or constrain such shifts.
II‐5.
Share of sales.‐‐What percentage of your firm’s total sales in its most recent fiscal year was
represented by sales of titanium sponge? percent.
II‐6.
II‐7.
Firm's estimated share of production in Japan and Kazakhstan.‐‐Please estimate the percentage of
total production of titanium sponge in the country specified on the certification page accounted for
by your firm’s production in 2016. percent.
Firm's estimated share of country's exports.‐‐Please estimate the percentage of total exports to
the United States of titanium sponge from the country specified on the certification page
accounted for by your firm’s exports in 2016. percent.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
II‐8.
Page 9
Inventories in the United States.‐‐Has your firm, since 2014, maintained any inventories of
titanium sponge in the United States (not including inventories held by firms identified in
question I‐3)?
“Inventories”‐‐Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work in progress.
No
Yes‐‐Report the quantity of such end‐of‐period inventories below.
Quantity (in metric tons)
Calendar year
Item
Inventory
II‐9.
2015
2016
Third country trade actions.‐‐Is the titanium sponge exported by your firm subject to
antidumping/countervailing duty/safeguard findings, remedies, or proceedings?
No
Yes‐‐List the products(s), countries affected, and the date of such
findings/remedies/proceedings.
2014
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
Page 10
II‐10. Trade data.‐‐Report your firm’s production capacity, production, shipments, and inventories
related to the production of titanium sponge in your establishment(s) in Japan or Kazakhstan
during the specified periods. Do not include resales of titanium sponge that your firm did not
produce in this question; those data to the degree they are exported to the United States should
only be reported in question II‐11.
Do not submit data by manufacturing facility if they are in the same country. If your firm has
multiple manufacturing establishments within one country, you are required to combine data
for those establishments within one foreign producer questionnaire response.
Do not submit data on multiple countries combined. The establishments reported here should
all be located in the country of the firm’s address reported on the certification page.
Multinational companies with production in multiple subject countries should submit separate
foreign producer questionnaire responses for each subject country.
“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 or Kazakhstan, including
production consumed internally within your firm.
“Shipments”‐‐Shipments of products produced in your establishment(s) in Japan or Kazakhstan.
Quantities reported should be net of returns.
“Home market commercial shipments”‐‐Shipments, other than internal consumption and
transfers to related firms, within Japan or Kazakhstan.
“Home market internal consumption/transfers to related firms”‐‐Shipments made to
related firms in Japan or Kazakhstan, including product consumed internally by your firm.
“Export shipments”‐‐Shipments to destinations outstide of the country indicacted on page 1
(Japan and Kazakhstan), including shipments to related firms.
“Inventories”‐‐Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work‐in‐progress.
Note: As requested in Part I of this questionnaire, please keep all supporting documents/records
used in the preparation of the trade data, as Commission staff may contact your firm regarding
questions on the trade data. The Commission may also request that your company submit copies
of the supporting documents/records (such as production and sales schedules, inventory records,
etc.) used to compile these data.
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
Page 11
II‐10. Trade data.‐‐Continued.
Quantity (in metric tons)
Projections1
Actual experience
Calendar year
Item
2014
2
2015
January‐June
2016
2016
Calendar year
2017
2017
2018
Average production capacity (A)
Beginning‐of‐period inventories
(B)
Production (C)
Home market shipments:
Internal consumption/
transfers (D)
Total exports (H)
(should equal F+G)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Total shipments (I)
(should equal D+E+F+G)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Commercial shipments (E)
Exports to the United States (F)
3
Exports to all other markets (G)
End‐of‐period inventories (J)
1
Please explain the basis for your firm’s projections. .
The production capacity reported is based on operating hours per week, weeks per year. Please
describe the methodology used to calculate production capacity, and explain any changes in reported capacity.
.
3
Identify principal other export markets. .
2
Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
Page 12
II‐10. Trade data.—Continued.
RECONCILIATION OF SHIPMENTS, PRODUCTION, AND INVENTORY.‐‐Generally, the data reported
for the end‐of‐period inventories (i.e., line J) should be equal to the beginning‐of‐period
inventories (i.e., line B), plus production (i.e., line C), less total shipments (i.e., lines D, E, F, and
G). Please ensure that any differences are not due to data entry errors in completing this form,
but rather actually reflect your firm’s records; and also provide any likely explanations for any
differences (e.g., theft, loss, damage, record systems issues, etc.) if they exist.
Actual experience
Projections
Calendar year
Item
2014
2015
January‐June
2016
2016
Calendar year
2017
2017
2018
B + C – D – E – F –G – J =
should equal zero ("0")
or provide an
explanation.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Explanation if the calculated fields above are returning values other than zero (i.e., “0”) but are
nonetheless accurate.
II‐11. Exports to the United States not produced by your firm.‐‐Report your firm’s exports to the
United States of titanium sponge that was produced in Japan or Kazakhstan but not by your firm
during the specified periods. Note these data should not be included in question II‐10.
Quantity (in metric tons)
Actual experience
Calendar year
Item
Exports of titanium sponge to
the United States not produced
by your firm1
1
2014
2015
Projections
January‐September
2016
2016
2017
Calendar year
2017
2018
List the producer(s).
II‐12. Other explanations.‐‐If your firm would like to further explain a response to a question in Part II
that did not provide a narrative box, please note the question number and the explanation in
the space provided below. Please also use this space to highlight any issues your firm had in
providing the data in this section, including but not limited to technical issues with the MS Word
questionnaire.
.
Busineess Proprietaary
– Titanium sponge
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire –
Paage 13
Correcting Valid n
number errror messages.‐‐If you are completing a Commission
questionn
naire in a country that uses periods (“.”) to delineatee multiples off 1000 (e.g., o
one million would
appear ass $1.000.000 iinstead of as $1,000,000), you may be unable to entter in numbers greater thaan
999 in numeric form fields. This issues stem from
m your compputer numberr formatting ssetting (e.g., n
not
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Business Proprietary
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Titanium sponge
Page 14
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/701731/2017/titanium_sponge_japan_and_kazak
hstan/preliminary.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: SPONGE
• E‐mail.—E‐mail your questionnaire to ayanna.butler@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, you are required to serve a copy of
the completed questionnaire on parties to the proceeding that are subject to administrative protective
order (see 19 CFR § 207.7). A list of such parties may be obtained from the Commission’s Secretary (202‐
205‐1803). A certificate of service must accompany the completed questionnaire you submit (see 19 CFR
§ 207.7). Service of the questionnaire must be made in paper form.
| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Title | Microsoft Word - Foreign producers--Titanium Sponge (P) |
| Author | jordan.harriman |
| File Modified | 2017-08-28 |
| File Created | 2017-08-28 |