CSMS 63712151·Trade policy·January 13, 2025·View on csms.cbp.gov ↗

Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Sol Gel Alumina

Plain-English explanation

CSMS 63712151 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin (trade policy), published on January 13, 2025. It carries the official CBP guidance brokers and importers must follow for the topic — "Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Sol Gel Alumina". CSMS messages are the operational layer between Commerce determinations and at-the-border collections: when Commerce publishes a new rate, scope ruling, or instruction, CBP turns it into a CSMS that ACE/ACS systems and brokers act on.

Message body

Full text as published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection

CSMS # 63712151 - Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Sol Gel Alumina-Based Ceramic Abrasive Grains from the People’s Republic of China (China) U.S. Customs and Border Protection sent this bulletin at 01/13/2025 10:04 AM EST Cargo Systems Messaging Service CSMS # 63712151 - Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Sol Gel Alumina-Based Ceramic Abrasive Grains from the People’s Republic of China (China) On January 6, 2025, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated its less-than-fair-value and countervailing duty investigations on “Sol Gel Alumina-Based Ceramic Abrasive Grains from China” (Initiation Notices). These investigations have been assigned the following case numbers: A-570-190 and C-570-191. The Scope of Merchandise covered by these investigations reads as follows: The merchandise covered by this investigation is sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains which are comprised of minimum 94% aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and may contain other compounds, including, but not limited to, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, calcium oxide, sodium superoxide, ferric oxide, magnesium oxide, di-aluminum magnesium tetroxide, lanthanum oxide, lanthanum magnesium oxide, zirconium dioxide, or zirconium carbonate. Grain sizes of sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains range from 0.85 mm to 0.0395 mm (which corresponds to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) grit sizes from 20 to 280). Shapes include but are not limited to angular, sharp, extra sharp, blocky, splintery, round stripped, triangular or shaped like extruded rods or stars. Ceramic abrasive grains have unique crystalline structures that impart certain advanced properties, such as their extreme hardness and strength ranging between 16 and 22 gigapascals by the Vickers Diamond Indent Method, high melting point (2050°C), and a single- or multi-phase microstructure, which may contain multiple phases, having crystalline sizes ranging from 0.05 to 30μm. These ceramic abrasive grains include but are not limited to blue, white, white-translucent, or off-white opaque colors. Sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains are covered by the scope of this investigation, whether incorporated into downstream articles, including but not limited to, abrasive papers, grinding wheels, grinding cylinders, and grinding discs. When incorporated into downstream articles, only the sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains component of such articles is covered by the product scope, and not the downstream product as a whole. The merchandise subject to this investigation is properly classified under subheadings 2818.10.2020 and 2818.10.2090 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Other merchandise subject to the current scope, including when incorporated into the above-mentioned downstream articles, may be classified under HTSUS subheadings 2818.10.1000, 2818.20.0000, 2818.30.0000, 3824.99.1100, 3824.99.1900, 6805.10.0000, 6805.20.0000, 6805.30.1000, 6805.30.5000, 6804.22.1000, 6804.22.4000, 6804.22.6000, 8204.12.0000, 8474.90.0010, 8474.90.0020, 8474.90.0050, and 8474.90.0090. Although the HTSUS statistical reporting numbers are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise is dispositive. Parties may submit comments on the scope of the investigations. Please be sure to comply with all requirements pertaining submitting comments as described in the forthcoming Initiation Notices. Upon their publication in the Federal Register, the Initiation Notices may be found at www.federalregister.gov via the search bar using the case numbers assigned to these investigations. Importers should be aware that entries of subject merchandise made after the initiation of an investigation may retroactively be subject to antidumping and/or countervailing duties. For questions about CBP’s AD/CVD enforcement, see Priority Trade Issue: Antidumping and Countervailing Duties | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov) Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page . You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com . This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Customs and Border Protection . Privacy Policy | GovDelivery is providing this information on behalf of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and may not use the information for any other purposes. Powered by Privacy Policy | Cookie Statement | Help

Frequently asked questions

What is CSMS 63712151?

CSMS 63712151 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin titled "Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Sol Gel Alumina". CSMS bulletins are the operational instructions CBP issues to brokers, importers, and ACE filers covering rate changes, system updates, scope guidance, and other day-to-day customs-operations changes.

When was CSMS 63712151 published?

CBP published CSMS 63712151 on January 13, 2025. The bulletin's instructions are typically operative as of the publication date unless the body specifies a different effective date.

Is the CBP CSMS the legally binding instruction?

Yes — for at-the-border filing and entry collection. CSMS messages translate Commerce's Federal Register determinations into operational CBP instructions that ACE/ACS systems and brokers execute. The Federal Register notice is the underlying legal authority; the CSMS is the operational implementation. Both should be read together when reconciling a rate or scope change.

Learn more

Tandom guides relevant to CBP CSMS messages

Subscribe to and triage CBP CSMS messages

How to subscribe to CBP Cargo Systems Messaging Service and triage the messages that change broker filing behavior, without losing the ones that matter.

Open resource

Real-time alerts when a CSMS message changes a duty rate

Set up alerts when a CBP CSMS message changes a duty rate on an HTS code you depend on. Built for brokers, forwarders, and importer compliance teams.