Petition Summary: Rubber Bands from Thailand, China, and Sri Lanka

On January 30, 2018, Alliance Rubber Company filed a petition for the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of Rubber Bands from Thailand, China, and Sri Lanka.

SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION

The products subject to these investigations are bands made of vulcanized rubber, with a flat length, as measured end-to-end by the band lying flat, no less than ½ inch and no greater than 10 inches; with a width, which measures the dimension perpendicular to the length, of at least 3/64 inch and no greater than 2 inches; and a wall thickness from .020 inch to .125 inch. Vulcanized rubber has been chemically processed into a more durable material by the addition of sulfur or other equivalent curatives or accelerators. Subject products are included regardless of color or inclusion of printed material. The scope includes vulcanized rubber bands which are contained or otherwise exist in various forms and packages, such as, without limitation, vulcanized rubber bands included within a desk accessory set or other type of set or package, and vulcanized rubber band balls, but excludes Bedford Elastitags®, and bands that are being used at the time of import to fasten an imported product.

Merchandise covered by these proceedings is currently classified in the Harmonized Tariff System of the United States (“HTSUS”) under subheading 4016.99.35.10 (Rubber Bands Made of Vulcanized Rubber, Except Hard Rubber, of Natural Rubber). The Petitioner undertook the necessary activities in 2014 (including hiring Washington, D.C. based counsel) to obtain the special subheading 4016.99.35.10 so that shipments of imported Rubber Bands Made of Vulcanized Rubber could be properly tracked. The subheading includes only vulcanized rubber bands. This HTSUS subheading is provided for convenience and customs purposes; the written description of the scope of these proceedings is dispositive.

PETITIONER

Alliance Rubber Company
210 Carpenter Dam Road
Hot Springs, AR 71901

COUNSEL FOR PETITIONERS

M. Roy Goldberg
STINSON LEONARD STREET LLP
1775 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20006

ALLEGED DUMPING MARGIN

Thailand: 60.82%

China: 27.16%

Sri Lanka: 48.63%

ALLEGED SUBSIDIES MARGIN

Countervailing Duty Petition issued against Thailand, China, and Sri Lanka. Amounts of additional duties unspecified.

NAMED PRODUCERS/EXPORTERS

For a list of foreign products/exporters alleged by Petitioner, please see Attachment I.

NAMED IMPORTERS

For a list of importers alleged by Petitioner, please see Attachment II.

Imports of Subject Merchandise

CONTACT US

For more information concerning this petition and how it may affect your business, please contact Jeffrey Neeley or Stephen Brophy.