5 Jan 2006
Washington DC -- Interested parties have until the second week of February to comment to the US-based International Trade Commission on whether to review a long-standing order mandating antidumping duties against polychloroprene rubber imported from Japan.
The 55-percent duties, intended to prevent material injury to US polychloroprene manufacturers, have been in effect since 1973; in its latest review of the order, just last June, the commission voted 3-2 to reaffirm it. But Gates Corp. petitioned the ITC, claiming that changed circumstances in the industry -- the closure of Polimeri Europa SpA's polychloroprene plant in France and DuPont Performance Elastomers LLC's plans to shutter its Louisville, Kentucky facility -- mandated a new review.
Unless Japanese polychloroprene rubber is allowed in to the US without duties, Gates argued, US users of polychloroprene will have a hard time obtaining sufficient supplies. DuPont Performance Elastomers, which supports continuing the duties, claimed Gates has no standing to request a review of the order, because it is not a polychloroprene manufacturer.
From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)
Website of US ITC
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