US finds material injury in ESBR case

Washington – The US International Trade Commission has voted 6-0 that preliminary evidence of material injury exists against the US emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber industry because of ESBR imports from Brazil, Mexico, Poland and South Korea.

The 2 Sept ITC vote means that the US Department of Commerce will continue its preliminary antidumping duty investigation against Brazilian, Mexican, Polish and South Korean ESBR imports, the ITC said. Commerce’s preliminary anti-dumping determinations are due on or about 28 Dec, the ITC said.

With the ITC vote, the agency said it will enter the final phase of its ESBR investigation. If Commerce makes an affirmative determination of anti-dumping, the ITC will issue a final phase notice of scheduling, including a public hearing.

The current investigation is based on a 21 July letter to the ITC from Lion Elastomers LLC and East-West Copolymers, requesting anti-dumping relief from Brazilian, Mexican, Polish and South Korean ESBR imports.

At the time, news articles from South Korea quoted the Korea International Trade Association as saying that Lion and East-West requested anti-dumping duties of 22.4 to 44.2 percent.