FACT SHEET

Initiation of Antidumping Duty Investigation:

CarboxyMethylCellulose from Finland, Mexico, the Netherlands and Sweden

On June 30, the Department of Commerce announced the initiation of antidumping duty investigations on imports of purified carboxymehtylcellulose (CMC) from Finland, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to issue its preliminary determination as to whether the domestic industry is materially injured, or is threatened with material injury, as a result of imports from the Finland, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Sweden on July 23.   If the ITC should make an affirmative preliminary determination, the Department is scheduled to make its preliminary antidumping duty determinations in November 2004.

Petitioners:  The petition requesting this investigation was filed on June 9, 2004, by Aqualon Company ( a division of Hercules Incorporated), of Wilmington, Delaware, the sole domestic producer of purified CMC.

Product Description:   The scope of this investigation covers purified carboxymethylcellulose, sometimes also referred to as purified sodium CMC, polyanionic cellulose, or cellulose gum, which is a white to off-white, non-toxic, odorless, biodegradable powder, comprising sodium carboxymethylcellulose that has been refined and purified to a minimum assay of 90 percent.   Purified CMC does not include unpurified or crude CMC, CMC Fluidized Polymer Suspensions, and CMC that is cross-linked through heat treatment.   Purified CMC is CMC that has undergone one or more purification operations which, at a minimum, reduce the remaining salt and other by-product portion of the product to less than 10 percent.  

The merchandise subject to this investigation is classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) at subheading 3912.31.00.   This tariff classification is provided for convenience and Customs purposes; however, the written description of the scope of these investigations is dispositive.

Initiated Dumping Margins:

Case Calendar:

*These deadlines may be extended under the governing statute.

**An order will be issued only in the event of final affirmative determinations by both the Department and the ITC.

Import Statistics¹:

1 Reported volumes and values are based on petitioner's estimates of the portion of basket category import statistics reported by U.S. Bureau of the Census that account for the exclusion of imports from Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden of non-subject merchandise (crude, and cross-linked CMC) for which the average unit values are below $0.80/lb. and greater than $2.75/lb.   Mexican import volumes and values are based upon petitioner's estimate that 50 percent of all CMC production capacity in Mexico produced for export is subject merchandise .