Notice of a preliminary determination in an antidumping duty investigation of PET resin from the Republic of Korea (A-580-896)

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 the Republic of Korea (83 FR 119694). 2. The products covered by this investigation are 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-580-896. 4. Because Commerce separately determined that critical circumstances exist for imports of PET resin from the Republic of Korea from the producers and/or exporters listed below, (see message 8123302, dated 05/03/2018), CBP shall suspend liquidation of all appropriate entries of PET resin from the Republic of Korea that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 02/03/2018, which is 90 days before the date of publication of the preliminary determination in the Federal Register. Effective 02/03/2018, for entries of PET resin from the Republic of Korea from the producers and/or exporters listed below, CBP shall require a cash deposit equal to the following rates: Producer and/or Exporter: Lotte Chemical Corp., Regd. Case number: A-580-896-002 Cash deposit rate: 101.41% Producer and/or Exporter: TK Chemical Corp. Case number: A-580-896-003 Cash deposit rate: 101.41% Producer and/or Exporter: All Others Case Number: A-580-896-000 Cash Deposit Rate: 8.81% 5. Commerce separately found that critical circumstances do not exist for imports of PET resin from the Republic of Korea from the producer and/or exporter listed below (see message 8123302, 05/03/2018). For imports of PET resin from the Republic of Korea from the producer and/or exporter listed below, CBP shall suspend liquidation of such entries which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, on or after 05/04/2018. Effective 05/04/2018, for entries of PET resin from the Republic of Korea from the producer and/or exporter listed below, CBP shall require a cash deposit equal to the following rate: Producer and/or Exporter: SK Chemicals Co., Ltd. Case number: A-580-896-001 Cash deposit rate: 8.81% 6. 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 rate 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 8.81 percent to establish the cash deposit. 7. 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 O7:SC) 8. There are no restrictions on the release of this information. Alexander Amdur