09-3-2758 U.S. Purchaser questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 09-3-2758; Expiration Date: 6/30/2011
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLE AND LIGHT TRUCK TIRES FROM CHINA

This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by no later than May 7, 2009
See page 4 of the Instruction Booklet for filing instructions.
The information called for in this questionnaire is for use by the United States International Trade Commission in
connection with its market disruption investigation concerning certain passenger vehicle and light truck tires (subject
tires) from China (Inv. No. TA-421-7) under section 421(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 (the Act). The information
requested in the questionnaire is requested under the authority of section 421 of the Act. This report is mandatory and
failure to reply as directed can result in a subpoena or other order to compel the submission of records or information in
your possession (19 U.S.C. § 1333(a)). Further information on this questionnaire can be obtained from James Fetzer
(202-708-5403).

Name of firm
Address
State

City

Zip Code

World Wide Web address
Has your firm purchased subject tires (as defined in the instruction booklet) from any source at any time since
January 1, 2004?

NO

(Sign the certification below and promptly return only this page of the questionnaire to the Commission)

YES

(Read the instruction booklet carefully, complete all parts of the questionnaire, and return the entire
questionnaire to the Commission so as to be received by the date indicated above)

CERTIFICATION
The undersigned certifies that the information herein supplied in response to this questionnaire is complete and correct to the best
of his/her knowledge and belief and understands that the information submitted is subject to audit and verification by the
Commission. The undersigned acknowledges that information submitted in this questionnaire response and throughout this
investigation may be used by the Commission, its employees, and contract personnel who are acting in the capacity of Commission
employees, for developing or maintaining the records of this investigation or related proceedings for which this information is
submitted, or in internal audits and investigations relating to programs and operations of the Commission pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
Appendix 3. I understand that all contract personnel will sign non-disclosure agreements. The undersigned understands that the
confidential business information that is furnished may be subject to, and may be released under an administrative protective order
issued by the Commission pursuant to section 206.47 of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. In addition, the
confidential business information that is submitted may be included in a confidential version of the report that the Commission
transmits to the President and the U.S. Trade Representative, should the Commission transmit a confidential version. Your
signature on the certification below will also serve as consent for the Commission, and its employees and contract personnel, to use
the information you provide in this questionnaire and throughout this investigation in any other import-injury investigations
conducted by the Commission on the same or similar merchandise. If you do not consent to such use, please note the certification
accordingly.

Name of Authorized Official

Title of Authorized Official

Date

Signature

Phone: (
Fax ( )

E-mail address

)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

Page 2

PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
Public reporting burden for this questionnaire is estimated to average 25 hours per response, including the
time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the questionnaire. Send comments regarding the accuracy of this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the
burden, to the Office of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20436.
I-1a.

Please report below the actual number of hours required and the cost to your firm of preparing the
reply to this questionnaire and completing the form.
hours

dollars

I-1b.

We are interested in any comments you may have for improving this questionnaire in general or
the clarity of specific questions. Please attach such comments to your response or send them to
the above address.

I-2.

Provide the name and address of establishment(s) covered by this questionnaire (see page 3 of the
instruction booklet for reporting guidelines). If your firm is publicly traded, please specify the
stock exchange and trading symbol.

I-3.

Is your firm owned, in whole or in part, by any other firm?
No

Firm name

Yes--List the following information

Address

Extent of
ownership

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

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PART I.--GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
I-4.

Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in
importing subject tires from China into the United States or which are engaged in exporting
subject tires from China to the United States?
No
Firm name

I-5.

Yes--List the following information
Address

Affiliation

Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in the
production of subject tires?
No
Firm name

Yes--List the following information
Address

Affiliation

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

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PART II.--PURCHASES
II-1.

Who should be contacted regarding the requested purchase information?
Company contact:
Name and title
(
)
Phone number

II-2.

E-mail address

Report, as indicated below, your firm’s purchases (either directly or through a sales agent or
broker) of subject tires. Report based on delivery date, not order date.

(Quantity in 1,000 tires, value in $1,000)
Item
2004
2005
2006
Purchases of product produced in
the United States:
Quantity
Value
Purchases of product produced in
China:
Quantity
Value
Purchases of product produced in
all other countries:1
Quantity
Value
1
Please identify these countries:

II-3.

2007

2008

If the relative shares of your firm’s total purchases of subject tires from different sources (both
domestic and foreign) have changed in the last three years, please list the country, state whether
the relative share from that country has increased or decreased, and state the reason.
Country

Increase/decrease

Reason

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

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PART II.--PURCHASES--Continued
II-4.

If your firm has purchased subject tires from only one country, please explain the reasons for
doing so.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES
III-1.

Who should be contacted regarding the requested information on market characteristics and
purchasing practices?
Company contact:
Name and title
(
)
Phone number

III-2.

III-3.

Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of subject tires (check all that
apply, noting the specific end uses if known)?
OEM (

)

Replacement market reseller (

)

Distributor (

)

Other (

)

Are you aware whether the subject tires you are purchasing is U.S.-produced or imported?
Always

III-4.

Sometimes

Never

Usually

Sometimes

Never

To your knowledge, are your buyers aware of and/or interested in the country of origin of the
goods you supply them?
Always

III-6.

Usually

Do you know the manufacturer of the subject tires that you purchase?
Always

III-5.

E-mail address

Usually

Sometimes

How many suppliers do you generally contact before making a purchase?

Never

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-7.

Have you changed suppliers since January 1, 2004?
No

III-8.

Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have entered the market in
the last 5 years?
No

III-9.

Yes--Please list the suppliers, indicate whether each firm was added or
dropped as a supplier, and give the reasons for the change.

Yes--Please identify the firms.

Briefly describe the factors that you consider when qualifying a new supplier (e.g., quality of
product, reliability of supplier, etc.) and estimate the time it takes to certify or qualify a new
supplier.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-10. (a)

For the factors listed below, please rate each in terms of its importance in your purchase
decision for subject tires.
VERY
IMPORTANT

Availability .....................................
Delivery terms.................................
Delivery time ..................................
Discounts offered ............................
Extension of credit ..........................
Price ................................................
Minimum qty requirements.............
Packaging........................................
Product consistency ........................
Quality meets industry standards ....
Quality exceeds industry standards.
Product range ..................................
Reliability of supply........................
Technical support/service ...............
U.S. transportation costs .................
Other (specify):
........
........
........

SOMEWHAT
IMPORTANT

NOT
IMPORTANT

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-11. (b)

Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors generally considered by
your firm in deciding from whom to purchase subject tires for any one order (examples
include current availability, extension of credit, prearranged contracts, price, quality
exceeding specifications or industry standards, range of supplier’s product line,
traditional supplier, etc.).
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Other factors or comments:

III-12. What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the quality of subject tires?

III-13. How often does your firm purchase the subject tires that is offered at the lowest price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

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PART IV.--PRODUCT COMPARISONS
IV-1.

Who should be contacted regarding the requested information on product comparisons?
Company contact:
Name and title
(
)
Phone number

IV-2.

E-mail address

Please indicate the countries of origin for subject tires for which your firm has actual
marketing/pricing knowledge.
United States
China
Other countries (Please specify:

IV-3.

)

Are subject tires produced in the United States and in other countries interchangeable (i.e., can
they physically be used in the same applications)? Please indicate below, using “A” to indicate
that the products from a specified country-pair are always interchangeable, “F” to indicate that
the products are frequently interchangeable, “S” to indicate that the products are sometimes
interchangeable, “N” to indicate that the products are never interchangeable, and “0” to indicate
no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair.1
Country-pair

United States

China

Other countries

United States
China
1
For any country-pair producing subject tires which is sometimes or never interchangeable, please
explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

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PART IV.--PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-4.

Are certain grades/types/sizes of subject tires available from only a single source (domestic or
foreign, including both subject and nonsubject countries)?
No

Yes--Please identify the source and the grade/type/size.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

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PART IV.--PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
For the factors listed below, please rate how subject tires produced in each country you identified
in your response to the first question in Part IV compares with subject tires produced in each of
the other countries you identified (including the United States and both subject and nonsubject
foreign countries). Please type an “X” for each quality in each product comparison indicating
whether the product from the first source is superior, comparable, or inferior compared with the
product from the second source.

Availability ...............................................
Delivery terms .........................................
Delivery time ...........................................
Discounts offered ....................................
Extension of credit...................................
Lower price..............................................
Minimum quantity requirements..............
Packaging................................................
Product consistency ................................
Quality meets industry standards............
Quality exceeds industry standards ........
Product range..........................................
Reliability of supply .................................
Technical support/service .......................
Lower U.S. transportation costs..............
Other (specify):

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

compared to
product from

Inferior

compared to
product from

Comparable

compared to
product from

Superior

Product from

Inferior

Product from

Comparable

Quality

Product from

Superior

IV-5.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Subject tires

Page 13

PART V.—SUPPLIER IDENTIFICATION
V-1.

No.

1

2

3

4

5

Please provide the names and addresses of your firm’s five largest suppliers of subject tires
purchased during 2004-08. Please also provide the name and telephone number of a contact
person and the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of subject tires that each of
these suppliers accounted for in 2008.

Supplier’s name

Street address (not P.O.
box), city, state, and zip
code

Contact person

Area
code and
telephone
number

Share of
2008
purchases
(%)