The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today determined that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of imports of folding gift boxes from China that the Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determination, the U.S. Department of Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order on imports of this product from China.

The Commission's public report Folding Gift Boxes from China, Inv. No. 731-TA-921 (Final), (USITC Publication 3480, December 2001) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

Copies may be obtained after January 11, 2001, by calling 202-205-1809 or from the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202- 205-2104.

Product Description: Folding gift boxes (FGBs) are a type of folding carton manufactured from paper or paperboard. FGBs are often decorated with a holiday motif but may also be printed with a single color or left plain white. They may have handles, may be finished or unfinished, and may be either one-piece or multi-piece configuration. FGBs are generally packaged in shrink-wrap or cellophane in single or multi-box packs for sale to retail customers. Gift boxes with a retailer's name, logo, or trademark on the top exterior are excluded. (Such "give-away" gift boxes are provided free by department and specialty stores to their retail customers.) Also excluded are gift boxes manufactured from paperboard more than 0.8 millimeters thick, corrugated paperboard, or paper mache, small gift boxes (less than 9 inches long on all sides), and gift boxes that are both single color and that are not packaged in shrink-wrap or cellophane. Imports of FGBs are classified under HTS subheadings 4819.20.0040 and 4819.50.4060.

Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigation: Final antidumping.
2. Petitioners: Field Container Company, L.P. and Harvard Folding Box Company, Inc.
3. Investigation instituted by USITC:  February 20, 2001.
4. Hearing: November 15, 2001.
5. USITC vote: December 13, 2001.
6. USITC notification of Department of Commerce: December 21, 2001.

U.S. Industry:
1. Number of U.S. operations producing subject FGBs in 2000: Four.
2. Production volume is concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest.
3. U.S. producers' U.S. shipments in 2000: 255 million pieces 
4. U.S. apparent consumption in 2000: (1)
5. Ratio of quantity of total imports to U.S. apparent consumption in 2000: (1)

U.S. Imports:
1. Quantity of subject imports in 2000: (1)
2. Value of subject imports in 2000: (1)

(1) Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.