The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of certain tissue paper products from China and that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of certain crepe paper products from China that are allegedly 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 continue to conduct its antidumping investigation of imports of certain tissue paper products and crepe paper products from China, with its preliminary antidumping determination due on or about June 26, 2004.

The Commission's public report Certain Tissue Paper Products and Crepe Paper Products from China (Investigation No. 731-TA-1070 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 3682, April 2004) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

Copies of the report are expected to be available after April 30, 2004, by calling 202-205-1809 or from the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.

Product Description: The tissue paper and crepe paper products subject to this investigation are flat tissue paper products. Certain tissue paper products are cut-to-length sheets that may be white, colored, decorated, or customized in a variety of ways. They are sold either flat or folded in a variety of package formats. End uses include wrapping within a box or bag, decorative purposes, and dunnage. Excluded are tissue paper products that are coated in wax, paraffin, or polymers and used in floral and food service applications; that have been perforated, embossed, or die-cut to the shape of a toilet seat; or that are for use as toilet or facial tissue, towels or napkins, or other household or sanitary purposes.

Certain crepe paper products are manufactured using a wet creping process and may be colored, decorated, or customized in a variety of ways. Certain crepe paper products have a finely wrinkled surface, usually are cut into streamers and treated with fire-retardant chemicals, and most often are used for decorative purposes.

Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigation:  Preliminary antidumping.
2. Petitioners:  Seaman Paper Co. of Massachusetts, Inc., Otter River, MA; American Crepe
     Corp., Montoursville, PA; Eagle Tissue LLC, South Windsor, CT ; Flower City Tissue 
     Mills Co., Rochester, NY; Garlock Printing & Converting, Inc., Gardner, MA; Paper 
     Service Ltd., Hinsdale, NH; Putney Paper Co., Ltd., Putney, VT; and the Paper,
     Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union AFL-CIO, CLC.
3. Preliminary investigation instituted by the USITC:  February 17, 2004.
4. Commission's conference:  March 9, 2004.
5. USITC vote:  April 1, 2004.
6. USITC determination to the U.S. Department of Commerce:  April 2, 2004.

U.S. Industries:
1. Number of producers in 2003:  tissue paper: 16; crepe paper: 4.
2. Location of producers' plants:  Arkansas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, New
     Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
3. Employment of production and related workers in 2003:  tissue paper: 402; 
     crepe paper: (1).
4. Apparent U.S. consumption in 2003:  tissue paper: 2.5 billion square meters valued at
     $133.9 million; crepe paper: (1).
5. Ratio of total U.S. shipments of imports to total U.S. consumption in 2003:  
     tissue paper: 33.9% (by quantity) and 31.4% (by value); crepe paper: (1).

U.S. Imports:
1. From all sources in 2003:  tissue paper: 904.1 million square meters valued at 
     $27.9 million; crepe paper: (1)
2. From China and from other countries in 2003: (1)
3. Leading sources during 2003:  tissue paper - China; crepe paper - China.

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