Commerce Finds Unfair Dumping of Laminated Woven Sacks from China

For Immediate Release: January 25, 2008
Contact: Brittany Eck (202) 482-3809

COMMERCE FINDS UNFAIR DUMPING OF LAMINATED WOVEN SACKS FROM CHINA

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced its affirmative preliminary determination in the antidumping duty investigation on imports of laminated woven sacks from the People’s Republic of China. Commerce preliminarily determined that Chinese producers/exporters have sold laminated woven sacks in the United States at 63.89 to 108.09 percent less than fair value. Laminated woven sacks are typically used for retail packaging of consumer goods such as pet foods and birdseed.

“Price distortion in the marketplace is undermining the competitiveness of American manufacturers,” said Assistant Secretary for Import Administration David Spooner. “In an effort to encourage a healthy economic environment and achieve a strong and fair relationship with our trading partners, the Administration will continue its commitment to aggressively enforcing America's trade remedy laws.”

The petitioners for this investigation are the Laminated Woven Sack Committee, an ad hoc association, and its individual members: Bancroft Bag, Inc. (LA); Mid-America Packaging, LLC (OH); Coating Excellence International, LLC (WI); Polytex Fibers Corp. (TX); and Hood Packaging Corp. (MS).

Dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than fair value. As a result of this preliminary determination, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect a cash deposit or bond based on the preliminary margins. Additionally, Commerce preliminarily determined that critical circumstances exist for one of the mandatory respondents and the separate rate companies, but do not exist for the other mandatory respondent and the PRC-wide entity. Commerce will make a final determination concerning critical circumstances when it makes its final dumping determination.

For more information about Import Administration or for the fact sheet on today’s decision, please visit www.trade.gov.

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