On February 14, 2024, Cornerstone Chemical Company filed new anti-dumping duty (AD) petitions against imports of melamine from Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Qatar, and Trinidad and Tobago. The petitions also seek the imposition of countervailing duties (CVD) on imports of melamine from Germany, India, Qatar, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Melamine is a crystalline powder or granule primarily used in the manufacture of melamine formaldehyde resins. These resins find extensive applications in various industries including surface coatings, laminates, moulding compounds, paper treatment, adhesives, and textile treatments. Typical products made from melamine include kitchen and bathroom countertops, tabletops, doors, and cabinets.
All forms of melamine, regardless of purity, particle size, or physical form, are covered by the scope of these petitions. The Department of Commerce (DOC) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will conduct investigations into these petitions. Within 45 days, the ITC will determine if there is a reasonable indication that the imports are causing or threatening to cause injury to the U.S. industry. If such a determination is made, the cases will proceed to the DOC, which will calculate preliminary AD and CVD duty margins.
Preliminary determinations by the DOC are expected around May 9, 2024, for CVD and July 23, 2024, for AD. Upon publication of these determinations, importers will be required to deposit calculated duties upon entry of the products into the U.S. market. Additionally, entries may be subject to AD/CVD cash deposits 90 days before the DOC preliminary determinations if "critical circumstances" are found, meaning imports increased significantly following the petition filing.
Strict deadlines are associated with these proceedings, and affected companies are advised to prepare promptly. The petitioner is Cornerstone Chemical Company, and detailed information about foreign producers/exporters and U.S. importers named in the petition is available upon request. Alleged AD/CVD margins vary by country, with significant percentages reported for dumping and countervailing duties across all named countries.
Source: JDSupra