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pdfOMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 10-3-2854; Expiration Date: 6/30/2011
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U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
Certain Steel Grating from China
This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by no later than March 31, 2010
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 countervailing duty and antidumping investigations concerning certain steel grating from China (inv.
No. 701-TA-465 and 731-TA-1161 (Final)). The information requested in the questionnaire is requested under the
authority of the Tariff Act of 1930, title VII. 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 Amelia Preece (202-205-3250, [email protected]).
Name of firm
Address
State
City
Zip Code
World Wide Web address
Has your firm purchased certain steel grating (as defined in the instruction booklet) from any source at any time
since January 1, 2007?
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
I certify that the information herein supplied in response to this questionnaire is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge
and belief and understand that the information submitted is subject to audit and verification by the Commission.
By submitting this certification I also grant consent for the Commission, and its employees and contract personnel, to use the
information provided in this questionnaire and throughout these investigations in any other import-injury investigations conducted
by the Commission on the same or similar merchandise.
I acknowledge that information submitted in this questionnaire response and throughout these investigations 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 these investigations or related proceedings for which this information is submitted, or in internal audits
and investigations relating to the 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.
Name of Authorized Official
Title of Authorized Official
Phone: (
Date
)
Signature
E-mail address
Fax (
)
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Certain Steel Grating
Page 2
PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
The questions in this questionnaire have been reviewed with market participants to ensure that issues of
concern are adequately addressed and that data requests are sufficient, meaningful, and as limited as
possible. 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
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Certain Steel Grating
Page 3
PART I.--GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
I-4.
Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in
importing certain steel grating from China into the United States or which are engaged in
exporting certain steel grating 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 certain steel grating?
No
Firm name
Yes--List the following information.
Address
Affiliation
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Certain Steel Grating
Page 4
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
a) Report, as indicated below, your firm’s purchases (either directly or through a sales agent or
broker) and your year-end inventories of certain steel grating. Report based on delivery date, not
order date.
(Quantity in 1,000 kilograms, value in $1,000)
Item
2007
2008
2009
Purchases of product produced in the United States:
Quantity
Value
Year-end inventories (quantity)
Purchases of product produced in China:
Quantity
Value
Year-end inventories (quantity)
Purchases of product produced in all other countries:1
Quantity of purchases
Quantity
Year-end inventories (quantity)
1
Please identify these countries:
b) What percentage of your firm’s current inventories of certain steel gratings are committed to
customers by supply agreements?
c) For how many months do you expect to hold any inventories your firm had at the end of 2009?
d) Were your 2009 end of period inventories typical for the certain steel grating industry?
Yes
No--Please explain.
e) Have existing inventories in the steel grating industry affected prices of certain steel grating?
No
Yes--Please explain.
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Certain Steel Grating
Page 5
PART II.--PURCHASES--Continued
II-3.
If the relative shares of your firm’s total purchases of certain steel grating 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
II-4.
If your firm has purchased certain steel grating from only one country, please explain the reasons
for doing so.
II-5.
Supplier identification.--Please identify below the names and addresses of your firm’s FIVE
largest suppliers for certain steel grating since 2007. Please also provide the name and telephone
number of a contact person and the share of the quantity of your firm’s total shipments of certain
steel grating that each of these suppliers accounted for in 2009.
Supplier’s
name
No.
1
2
3
4
5
Street address (not P.O.
box), city, state, and zip
code
Contact person
Share of
Telephone number
2009
or e-mail address purchases
(%)
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Certain Steel Grating
Page 6
PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES
III-1.
Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of certain steel grating (check all
that apply, noting the specific end uses if known)?
Fabricator
III-2.
(
)
Other end user (
)
Distributor (
)
Other (
)
(a) If your firm is a distributor or reseller of certain steel grating, what are the major types of
consumers to which you sell certain steel grating?
(b) Do you compete for sales to your customers with the manufacturers or importers from which
you purchase certain steel grating?
III-3.
If your firm is an end user of certain steel grating, list in order of quantity of certain steel grating
consumed, the top 3 products for which your firm purchases certain steel grating as a component
part or input. Please indicate what percentage of the total cost is accounted for by certain steel
grating.
Product you produce
Percent of cost accounted for by certain steel grating
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Steel Grating
Page 7
PART III.— MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES --Continued
III-4.
(a) If your firm is an end user of certain steel grating, has the demand for your firm’s final
products incorporating certain steel grating changed since January 1, 2007?
Increased
No change
Decreased
Fluctuated
(b) Has this had any effect on your firm’s demand for certain steel grating?
No
III-5.
(a)
Yes--Please explain.
Can other products be substituted for certain steel grating?
No
Yes--Please list these substitute products in order of importance.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(b)
For each possible substitute product, please give examples of applications and end uses
for which they are substitutes.
(c)
Have changes in the prices of these products affected the price for certain steel grating?
No
Yes--To what degree do changes in their prices affect the price for
certain steel grating? Does this effect have a time lag? If so, how long is
the time lag for each substitute product? Does this vary by type of
certain steel grating or final end use?
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Steel Grating
Page 8
PART III.— MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES --Continued
III-6.
Are you aware whether the certain steel grating you are purchasing is U.S.-produced or imported?
Always
III-7.
Usually
Usually
Never
Sometimes
Rarely
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-9.
Rarely
Do you know the manufacturer of the certain steel grating that you purchase?
Always
III-8.
Sometimes
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Is buying a product that is produced in the United States an important factor in your firm’s
purchases of certain steel grating (please check ALL that apply)?
No
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are required by law or regulation (for example,
government purchases under “Buy American” provisions). This involves
percent of
all purchases of certain steel grating.
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are not required by law or regulation, but are by your
customers. This involves
percent of all purchases of certain steel grating.
Yes--Purchases of domestic product are required for other reasons (please specify these
reasons below). This involves
percent of all purchases of certain steel grating.
III-10. Conditions of competition.-(a)
Is the certain steel grating market subject to business cycles or conditions of competition
distinctive to certain steel grating?
No
(b)
Yes--Please explain and provide estimates of the duration of any such
cycle.
Has the emergence of new markets for certain steel grating since 2007 affected the
business cycles or conditions of competition distinctive to certain steel grating?
No
Yes--Please explain any such changes.
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Steel Grating
Page 9
PART III.— MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES --Continued
III-11. Have you made significant changes in your purchasing patterns (e.g., frequency) since 2007?
No
Yes-- Please describe.
III-12. How many suppliers do you generally contact before making a purchase?
firms
III-13. Have you changed suppliers since 2007?
No
Yes--Please list the suppliers, indicate whether each firm was added or
dropped as a supplier, and give the reasons for the change.
III-14. Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have entered the market
since 2007?
No
Yes--Please identify the firms.
III-15. (a) Do you require your suppliers to be ANSI, NAAMM, or ASTM certified for certain steel
grating they sell to your firm?
No
Yes--
percent of purchases in 2009
Yes--All purchases
(b) Do you require your suppliers to become certified or prequalified in addition to or instead of
ANSI, NAAMM, or ASTM certification with respect to the quality, chemistry, strength, or other
performance characteristic of the certain steel grating they sell to your firm?
No
Yes--
percent of purchases in 2009
Yes--All purchases
(c) Please provide a general description of the certification or qualification process other than
ANSI, NAAMM, or ASTM.
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Steel Grating
Page 10
PART III.— MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES --Continued
III-16. Please estimate the time required for certification or qualification.
days
III-17. (a) Briefly describe the factors that you consider when qualifying a new supplier (e.g., quality of
product, reliability of supplier, etc.).
(b) Please estimate the time it takes to certify or qualify a new supplier.
days
III-18. Since 2007, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their attempts to certify or qualify
their certain steel grating with your firm or have any producers lost their approved status?
No
Firm name
Yes--Please identify these firms, the countries where they are located, and the
reasons why they failed the certification/qualification process.
Firm country
Why the firm failed certification/qualification
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Steel Grating
Page 11
PART III.— MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES --Continued
III-19. (a)
For the factors listed below, please rate each in terms of its importance in your purchase
decision for certain steel grating.
Very
important
Somewhat
important
Not
important
Availability .......................................
Delivery terms .................................
Delivery time ...................................
Discounts offered ............................
Extension of credit...........................
Price ................................................
Minimum qty requirements..............
Packaging .......................................
Product consistency ........................
Quality meets ANSI, NAAMM or
ASTM standards .............................
Quality exceeds industry standards
Product range..................................
Reliability of supply .........................
Technical support/service ...............
U.S. transportation costs.................
Other (specify):
........
........
........
III-19. (b)
Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors generally considered by
your firm in deciding from whom to purchase certain steel grating 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:
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Steel Grating
Page 12
PART III.— MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES --Continued
III-20. What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the quality of certain steel
grating?
III-21. Choice of product not based on price.--If you purchased certain steel grating from one source
although a comparable product was available from another source at a lower price, please explain
your reasons for doing so (please specify by country, including the United States and both subject
and nonsubject foreign countries). Possibilities might include transaction characteristics such as
length of time to fill orders, minimum order size, reliability of supply, etc.
III-22. Frequency of decisions based on price.--How often does your firm purchase the certain steel
grating that is offered at the lowest price?
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
III-23. Please list the names of any firms you considered price leaders in the certain steel grating market
since 2007. A price leader is defined as (1) one or more firms that initiate a price change, either
upward or downward, that is followed by other firms, or (2) one or more firms that have a
significant impact on prices. A price leader does not necessarily have to be the lowest priced
supplier.
III-24. Please describe how the above firm(s) exhibited price leadership.
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Certain Steel Grating
Page 13
PART IV.— PRODUCT COMPARISONS
IV-1.
Please indicate the countries of origin for certain steel grating for which your firm has actual
marketing/pricing knowledge.
United States
China
Other countries (Please specify:
IV-2.
)
Is certain steel grating 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
China
Other countries
United States
China
1
For any country-pair producing certain steel grating which is sometimes or never interchangeable,
please explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Steel Grating
Page 14
PART IV.— PRODUCT COMPARISONS --Continued
IV-3.
Factors other than price.--Are differences other than price (i.e., quality, availability,
transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between certain steel grating
produced in the United States and in other countries a significant factor in your firm’s purchases
of the products? Please indicate below, using “A” to indicate that such differences are always
significant, “F” to indicate that such differences are frequently significant, “S” to indicate that
such differences are sometimes significant, “N” to indicate that such differences are never
significant, and “0” to indicate no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair.1
Country-pair
China
Other countries
United States
China
1
For any country-pair for which factors other than price always or frequently are a significant factor in
your firm’s purchases of certain steel grating, identify the country-pair and report the advantages or
disadvantages imparted by such factors:
IV-4.
Do you or your customers ever specifically order certain steel grating from one country in
particular over other possible sources of supply?
No
Yes--Please identify all relevant countries (including the United States and
both subject and nonsubject foreign countries) from which you or your
customers prefer to order, and indicate why certain steel grating from these
countries is preferred over product from other countries (please note the
specific product in your response).
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Steel Grating
Page 15
PART IV.— PRODUCT COMPARISONS --Continued
IV-5.
Are certain grades/types/sizes of certain steel grating available from only a single source
(domestic or foreign, including both subject and nonsubject countries)?
No
IV-6.
Yes--Please identify the source and the grade/type/size.
If you purchased certain steel grating from one source although a comparable product was
available from another source at a lower price, please explain your reasons for doing so (please
specify by country, including the United States and both subject and nonsubject foreign
countries). Possibilities might include transaction characteristics such as length of time to fill
orders, minimum order size, reliability of supply, etc.
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Steel Grating
Page 16
PART IV.— PRODUCT COMPARISONS --Continued
For the factors listed below, please rate how certain steel grating produced in each country you
identified in your response to the first question in Part IV compares with certain steel grating
produced in each of the other countries you identified (including the United States and both China
and other 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.
Inferior
compared to
product from
Comparable
compared to
product from
Superior
Product from
Inferior
Product from
Comparable
Inferior
Comparable
Quality
Superior
Product from
United States
compared to
product from
China
Superior
IV-7.
Availability ...............................................
Delivery terms .........................................
Delivery time ...........................................
Discounts offered ....................................
Extension of credit...................................
Price1 .......................................................
Minimum quantity requirements..............
Packaging ...............................................
Product consistency ................................
Quality meets ANSI, NAAMM or ASTM
standards ................................................
Quality exceeds industry standards ........
Product range..........................................
Reliability of supply .................................
Technical support/service .......................
U.S. transportation costs1 .......................
Other (specify):
1
A rating of “Superior” on price (or U.S. transportation costs) indicates that the first country’s product
generally has lower prices (or U.S. transportation costs) than the second country’s product.
Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Steel Grating
Page 17
PART IV.— PRODUCT COMPARISONS --Continued
IV-8. (a)
How often does domestically produced certain steel grating meet minimum quality
specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
Always
(b)
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
How often does imported subject certain steel grating meet minimum quality
specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
Source
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
China
(c)
How often does imported nonsubject certain steel grating (i.e., certain steel grating from
countries other than China) meet minimum quality specifications for your uses or your
customers’ uses?
Source
Canada
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Modified | 2010-04-05 |
| File Created | 2010-03-02 |