Commerce Finds Unfair Dumping of Electrolytic Manganese Dioxide from Australia and China

For Immediate Release: March 20, 2008
Contact: Brittany Eck (202) 482-3809

COMMERCE FINDS UNFAIR DUMPING OF ELECTROLYTIC MANGANESE DIOXIDE FROM AUSTRALIA AND CHINA

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced its affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty investigations on imports of electrolytic manganese dioxide, a substance found in alkaline batteries, from Australia and the People’s Republic of China (China). Commerce preliminarily determined that Australian and Chinese exporters sold electrolytic manganese dioxide in the United States at less than fair value.

The preliminary margins for Australia and China are 120.59 percent and 236.81 percent, respectively. Australia’s mandatory respondent, Delta EMD Australia Pty Ltd., failed to fully participate and received the preliminary rate of 120.59 percent. China’s mandatory respondent, Guizhou Redstar Developing Import and Export Co., Ltd., received a preliminary rate of 236.81 percent, which is also the China-wide rate and the rate for the non-participating mandatory respondent, Xiantan Electrochemical Scientific, Ltd.

“Unfair price discrimination by foreign competitors distorts the marketplace and hurts American workers and industries,” said Assistant Secretary for Import Administration David Spooner. “In an effort to ensure fair trade is taking place and our relationship with our trading partners is equitable, the Administration will continue its commitment to aggressively enforcing America’s trade remedy laws.”

Electrolytic manganese dioxide is primarily used in alkaline batteries. The merchandise covered by these investigations includes electrolytic manganese dioxide that has been manufactured in an electrolysis process, whether in powder, chip, or plate form. Excluded from the scope are natural manganese dioxide and chemical manganese dioxide.

Tronox LLC (OK) is the petitioner for these investigations. Tronox LLC has an electrolytic manganese dioxide plant located in Nevada.

Dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than fair value. As a result of these preliminary determinations, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise and to collect a cash deposit or bond based on the preliminary rates.

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

###