Notice of a preliminary determination in an antidumping duty investigation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin from Brazil (A-351-852)

1. On 05/04/2018, Commerce published in the Federal Register its affirmative preliminary determination of sales at less than fair value and postponement of the final determination in the antidumping duty investigation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin from Brazil (83 FR 19699). 2. The merchandise covered by this investigation is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 70, but not more than 88, milliliters per gram (0.70 to 0.88 deciliters per gram). The scope includes blends of virgin PET resin and recycled PET resin containing 50 percent or more virgin PET resin content by weight, provided such blends meet the intrinsic viscosity requirements above. The scope includes all PET resin meeting the above specifications regardless of additives introduced in the manufacturing process. The scope excludes PET-glycol resin, also referred to as PETG. PET-glycol resins are manufactured by replacing a portion of the raw material input monoethylene glycol (MEG) with one of five glycol modifiers: Cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), diethylene glycol (DEG), neopentyl glycol (NPG), isosorbide, or spiro glycol. Specifically, excluded PET-glycol resins must contain a minimum of 10 percent, by weight, of CHDM, DEG, NPG, isosorbide or spiro glycol, or some combination of these glycol modifiers. Unlike subject PET resin, PET-glycol resins are amorphous resins that are not solid-stated and cannot be crystallized or recycled. The merchandise subject to this investigation is properly classified under subheadings 3907.61.0000 and 3907.69.0000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise covered by this investigation is dispositive. 3. This proceeding has been assigned case number A-351-852. 4. For imports of PET resin from Brazil, CBP shall suspend liquidation of such shipments entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 05/04/2018. Effective 05/04/2018, CBP shall require, for such entries, a cash deposit equal to the margins for the producers and/or exporters listed below: Producer and/or Exporter: Companhia Integrada Textil de Pernambuco Case number: A-351-852-001 Cash deposit rate: 226.91% Producer and/or Exporter: M&G Polimeros Brasil, S.A. Case number: A-351-852-002 Cash deposit rate: 24.09% All Others Case Number: A-351-852-000 Cash Deposit Rate: 93.60% 5. If any entries of this merchandise are exported by a firm other than the producer, then the following instructions apply: A. If the exporter of the subject merchandise does not have its own rate but the producer has its own rate, the cash deposit will be the producer's rate. B. Where neither the exporter nor the producer has its own rate or the producer is unknown, use the all-others rate of 93.60 percent to establish the cash deposit rate. 6. If there are any questions by the importing public regarding this message, please contact the Call Center for the Office of AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce at (202) 482-0984. CBP ports should submit their inquiries through authorized CBP channels only. (This message was generated by OVII:EB.) 7. There are no restrictions on the release of this information. Alexander Amdur