US agency determines material injury caused by NBR imports

Washington DC - The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has determined that there is 'reasonable indication' that the US industry is materially injured by imports of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) from France, Korea, and Mexico.

In a 13 Aug announcement, the ITC said it had instructed the US Department of Commerce to continue its investigations into the subject, with preliminary antidumping duty determinations expected on or about 7 Dec.

The ITC investigation was carried out in response to a 30 June petition by Louisville, Kentucky-based Zeon Chemicals LP.

NBR in the latex form is excluded from the scope of this investigation.

Also excluded from the scope of this investigation is:

• NBR containing additives (e.g. nitrile rubber further compounded with fillers, reinforcement agents, vulcanisation agents)
• NBR containing rubber processing chemicals, NBR containing other materials used for further processing beyond the polymerisation process: and,
• Hydrogenated NBR (HNBR) produced by subsequent dissolution and hydrogenation of NBR.

In its petition, Zeon listed Kuhmo Petrochemical and LG Chemical Ltd. as known producers of the NBR in South Korea, Dynasol Group's INSA in Mexico and Arlanxeo in France.