08-2-2724 Frontseating service valves from China (F) -- U.S. Impor

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 08-2-2724; Expiration Date: 6/30/11
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. IMPORTERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
FRONTSEATING SERVICE VALVES (FSVs) FROM CHINA

This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by no later than January 8, 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 antidumping investigation concerning FSVs from China (Inv. No. 731-TA-1148 (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)).

Name of firm
Address
State

City

Zip Code

World Wide Web address
Has your firm imported FSVs (as defined in the instruction booklet) from any country at any time since January 1,
2005?

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 means of 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 this investigation 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 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 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

Date

Signature

Phone: (
Fax ( )

E-mail address

)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

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 40 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. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

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 FSVs from China into the United States or which are engaged in exporting FSVs from
China to the United States?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

I-5.

I-7.

Affiliation

Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in the
production of FSVs?
Firm name

I-6.

Address

Address

Affiliation

Please indicate the nature of your firm’s importing operations on FSVs. More than one answer
may be applicable.
Importer of record

Takes title to the imported product(s)

Consignee of the imported products(s)

Customs broker or freight forwarder.

If your firm is an importer of record of FSVs but is not the consignee, please list the consignees
below (firm name, address, telephone number, and individual to contact).

Firm name

Address

Contact person and phone
number

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 4

PART I.--GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
I-8.

I-9.

Please indicate whether your firm enters FSVs into, or withdraws such merchandise from, foreign
trade zones or bonded warehouses.
Foreign trade zones

No

Yes

Bonded warehouses

No

Yes

Please indicate whether your firm imports FSVs under the TIB (temporary importation under
bond) program.
No

I-10.

Yes

To your knowledge, have the products subject to this investigation been the subject of any other
import relief investigations in the United States or in any other countries?
No

Yes–Please specify.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 5

PART II.—TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION
Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Edward Petronzio, Investigator
(202-205-3176, [email protected]). Supply all data requested on a calendar-year basis.
II-1.

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

II-2.

Has your firm experienced any plant openings, relocations, expansions, acquisitions,
consolidations, closures, or prolonged shutdowns because of strikes or equipment failure; or any
other change in the character of your operations or organization relating to the production of
FSVs since January 1, 2005?
No

II-3.

E-mail address

Yes--Supply details as to the time, nature, and significance of such changes.

Did your firm change the amounts of its imports (or do you plan to change the amounts of your
imports) of FSVs from China because of the filing of the petition in this investigation?
No

Yes–Supply specific details as to the time, nature, and amounts of any such
changes in imports or orders from China, also indicating whether
any increases in such imports replaced or will replace (or whether any
decreases in such imports were replaced by or will be replaced by)
FSVs produced in the United States and/or imported from
nonsubject countries.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 6

PART II.—TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
II-4.

Did your firm change the amounts of its imports (or do you plan to change the amounts of your
imports) of FSVs from China because of the Department of Commerce’s preliminary
determination of sales at less value of FSVs from China?
No

Yes–Supply specific details as to the time, nature, and amounts of any such
changes in imports or orders from China, also indicating whether
any increases in such imports replaced or will replace (or whether any
decreases in such imports were replaced by or will be replaced by)
FSVs produced in the United States and/or imported from
nonsubject countries.

II-5.

Please indicate, in order of importance, what you believe have been the principal reasons for any
increases in U.S. imports of FSVs from China since 2005.

II-6.

Has your firm imported or arranged for the importation of FSVs from China for delivery after
September 30, 2008?
No

Yes–Indicate when such orders are to be delivered and the quantities
involved.

II-7.

If your firm also produces FSVs in the United States, please indicate your reasons for importing
this product. If your reasons differ by source, please elaborate.

II-8.

Does your firm import parts or components of FSVs (such as any brazed subassembly consisting
of any two or more of the following components: a valve body, field tube, factory connection
tube or valve charge port) separately?
No

Yes

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 7

PART II.—TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
II-9.

IMPORTS FROM SUBJECT SOURCES.–Report your firm’s imports and your firm’s
shipments and inventories of FSVs imported from China by your firm during the specified
periods. (See definitions in the instruction booklet.)

CHINA
Quantity (in 1,000 valves), value (in $1,000)
Calendar years
Item

2005

2006

January-September
2007

2007

2008

Beginning-of-period inventories (quantity)
Imports:1
Quantity of imports
Value of imports
U.S. shipments:
Commercial shipments:
Quantity of commercial shipments
Value of commercial shipments
Internal consumption/company transfers:
Quantity of internal consumption/transfers
Value2 of internal consumption/transfers
Export shipments:3
Quantity of export shipments
Value of export shipments
End-of-period inventories4 (quantity)
Channels of distribution:
U.S. shipments to distributors (quantity)
U.S. shipments to end users (quantity)
1

Please identify the foreign producers, if known:

2

Sales to related firms (including internal consumption) must be valued at fair market value. In the event that you use a
different basis for valuing these sales within your company, please specify that basis (e.g., cost, cost plus, etc.) and provide
value data using that basis for 2005, 2006, 2007, and the interim periods of January-September 2007 and 2008 below:
3

Identify your principal export markets:
Reconciliation of data.--Please note that the quantities reported above should reconcile as follows: beginning-of-period
inventories, plus production, less total shipments, equals end-of-period inventories. Do the data reported reconcile?
4

Yes

No--Please explain:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 8

PART II.—TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
II-10.

IMPORTS FROM NONSUBJECT SOURCES.–Report your firm’s imports and your firm’s
shipments and inventories of FSVs imported from all other sources combined by your firm
during the specified periods. (See definitions in the instruction booklet.)

ALL OTHER SOURCES COMBINED
Please specify individual source(s):

_______________________________________

Quantity (in 1,000 valves), value (in $1,000)
Calendar years
Item

2005

2006

January-September
2007

2007

2008

Beginning-of-period inventories (quantity)
Imports:1
Quantity of imports
Value of imports
U.S. shipments:
Commercial shipments:
Quantity of commercial shipments
Value of commercial shipments
Internal consumption/company transfers:
Quantity of internal consumption/transfers
Value2 of internal consumption/transfers
Export shipments:3
Quantity of export shipments
Value of export shipments
End-of-period inventories4 (quantity)
Channels of distribution:
U.S. shipments to distributors (quantity)
U.S. shipments to end users (quantity)
1

Please identify the foreign producers, if known:

2

Sales to related firms (including internal consumption) must be valued at fair market value. In the event that you use a
different basis for valuing these sales within your company, please specify that basis (e.g., cost, cost plus, etc.) and provide
value data using that basis for 2005, 2006, 2007, and the interim periods of January-September 2007 and 2008 below:
3

Identify your principal export markets:
Reconciliation of data.--Please note that the quantities reported above should reconcile as follows: beginning-of-period
inventories, plus production, less total shipments, equals end-of-period inventories. Do the data reported reconcile?
4

Yes

II-11.

No--Please explain:

Please list the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTS”) statistical reporting
numbers (e.g., HTS numbers 8481.80.1095, 8145.90.8085, or other) under which you have
imported FSVs at any time since January 1, 2005.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 9

PART III.—PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION
Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Nancy Bryan, Economist (202205-2088, e-mail [email protected]).
III-1.

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

E-mail address

PRICE DATA
This section requests quarterly selling quantity and value data during January 2005-September 2008
concerning your firm’s U.S. commercial shipments of its imported FSVs from China to its U.S. OEM
customers unrelated by ownership to your firm for the following FSV products:
Product 1. -- 3/8 inch—SAE—6 size: Frontseating service valves that have brass bodies with
copper tube extensions, double 90-degree flow pattern, metal-to-metal seating, with
Schraeder Bridgeport access valves and captivated stem with OD solder connection of 3/8
inch.
Product 2.-- 3/4 inch—SAE—12 size: Frontseating service valves that have brass bodies
with copper tube extensions, double 90-degree flow pattern, metal-to-metal seating, with
Schraeder Bridgeport access valves and captivated stem with OD solder connection of 3/4
inch.
Product 3.-- 7/8 inch—SAE—14 size: Frontseating service valves that have brass bodies
with copper tube extensions, double 90-degree flow pattern, metal-to-metal seating, with
Schraeder Bridgeport access valves and captivated stem with OD solder connection of 7/8
inch.
Please note that total dollar values should be your firm’s f.o.b., U.S. point(s) of shipment values and
should not include U.S.-inland transportation costs to your firm’s U.S. OEM customers. Total
dollar values should reflect the final net amount paid to you (i.e., should be net of all deductions for
discounts or rebates). See instruction booklet.
Report the requested pricing data in the table on the following page.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 10

PART III.—PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
III-2a. Report below the quarterly price data1 for the specified pricing products2 that your firm imported
from China and sold to its U.S. OEM customers.

CHINA
Period of shipment
2005
January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December
2006
January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December
2007
January-March
April-June
July-September
October-December
2008
January-March

(Quantity in number of valves, value in dollars)
Product 1
Product 2
Quantity
Value
Quantity
Value

Product 3
Quantity
Value

April-June
July-September
1

Net values (i.e., gross sales values less all discounts, allowances, rebates, prepaid freight, and the value of
returned goods), f.o.b. your firm’s U.S. point(s) of shipment.
2
Pricing product definitions are provided on the first page of Part IV.
Note.--If your product does not exactly meet the product specifications but is competitive with the specified product,
provide a description of your product:
Product 1:
Product 2:
Product 3:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 11

PART III.—PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
III-3.

Please describe how your firm determines the prices that it charges for sales of its imported FSVs
from China (transaction-by-transaction negotiation, contracts for multiple shipments, set price
lists, etc.). If your firm issues price lists, please include a copy of a recent price list with your
submission. If your price list is large, please submit sample pages.

III-4.

Please describe your firm’s discount policy for sales its imported FSVs from China (quantity
discounts, annual total volume discounts, etc.), if applicable.

III-5.

What are your firm’s typical sales terms for its FSVs imported from China (e.g., 2/10 net 30
days)?
. On what basis are your prices of such product usually quoted (e.g.,
f.o.b. warehouse, or delivered)?
.

III-6.

Approximately what share of your firm’s total U.S. commercial shipment value of its FSVs
imported from China in 2007 were on a (1) long-term contract basis (multiple deliveries for more
than 12 months), (2) short-term contract basis (multiple deliveries up to and including 12
months), and (3) spot sales basis (for a single delivery)?

Type of sale

Share of 2007 commercial shipment
value (percent)

Long-term contracts
Short-term contracts
Spot sales
III-7.

If you sell your firm’s imported FSVs from China on a long-term contract basis, please answer
the following questions with respect to provisions of a typical long-term contract.
(a)

What is the average duration of a contract?

(b)

Can prices be renegotiated during the contract period?

(c)

Does the contract fix quantity, price, or both?

(d)

Does the contract have a meet-or-release provision?

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 12

PART III.—PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
III-7.

III-8.

III-9.

(e)

How often are deliveries made?

(f)

How often, if at all, are raw material surcharges re-calculated and/or applied during the
duration of the contract?

If you sell your firm’s imported FSVs from China on a short-term contract basis, please answer
the following questions with respect to provisions of a typical short-term contract.
(a)

What is the average duration of a contract?

(b)

Can prices be renegotiated during the contract period?

(c)

Does the contract fix quantity, price, or both?

(d)

Does the contract have a meet-or-release provision?

(e)

How often are deliveries made?

(f)

How often, if at all, are raw material surcharges re-calculated and/or applied during the
duration of the contract?

Does your firm offer consigned inventory?
No

Yes—What are the terms of your sales offered on consigned inventory?

III-10. What is the average lead time between a customer’s order and the date of delivery for your firm’s
sales of its imported FSVs from China?

Source

Share of 2007
commercial shipment
value (percent)

From inventory
Produced in China to order
Total

100 %

Lead time

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 13

PART III.—PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
III-11. (a)

What is the approximate percentage of the total delivered cost of your firm’s FSVs
imported from China that is accounted for by U.S. inland transportation costs?
percent.

(b)

Who generally arranges the transportation to your customers’ locations? (check one)
Your firm
or purchaser

(c)

What proportion of your sales occur within 100 miles of your storage or production
facility?
percent. Within 101 to 1,000 miles?
percent. Over 1,000 miles?
percent.

III-12. What is the geographic market area in the United States served by your firm’s imported FSVs
from China? (check all that apply)
Northeast

Mid-Atlantic

Midwest

Southeast

Southwest

Rocky Mountains

West Coast

Northwest

National

Other (describe:

)

III-13. Describe the end uses of the FSVs that your firm imports from China. For each end-use product,
estimate the percentage of the total cost that is accounted for by FSVs.
End use

III-14. (a)

Share of total cost (percent)

Please list in order of importance any products that may be substituted for FSVs.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 14

PART III.—PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
III-14. (b)

For each possible substitute product listed above, please address below if they are
functional economic substitutes for frontseating service vales (i.e., can frontseating
service valves be replaced in their end use application by the substitute product without
loss of performance and price competitiveness)?
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

(c)

For each possible substitute product, please give examples of applications and end uses
for which they are substitutes.

(d)

Have changes in the prices of these products affected the price for FSVs?
No

Yes-- To what degree do changes in their prices affect the price for
FSVs? 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
FSVs or final end use?

III-15. How has the demand within the United States (and outside the United States if known) for FSVs
changed since January 1, 2005? What principal factors affect changes in demand?
Increase

No Change

Decrease

III-16. Have there been any significant changes in the product range or marketing of FSVs in the U.S.
market since January 1, 2005?
No

Yes-- Please describe.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 15

PART III.—PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
III-17. (a) Does your firm sell both bar-stock FSVs and forged FSVs?
Bar-stock

Forged

(b) Have any customers ever specified a desire to purchase forged or bar-stock FSVs?

(c) If your purchasers requested forged FSVs rather than bar-stock FSVs, would your firm be
able to supply them?

III-18. Does your firm sell its imported FSVs from China over the internet in the U.S. market?
No

Yes--Please describe, noting the estimated percentage of your firm’s total
2007 U.S. commercial shipment value of its imported FSVs from China
accounted for by internet sales.

III-19. Are FSVs produced in the United States and in other countries interchangeable (i.e., can they
physically be used in the same applications) in the U.S. market? 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
Other countries (specify)-Country-pair

China

United States
China
1

For any country-pair producing FSVs which are sometimes or never interchangeable, please explain
the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 16

PART III.—PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
III-20. Are differences other than price (i.e., quality, availability, transportation network, product range,
technical support, etc.) between FSVs produced in the United States and in other countries a
significant factor in your firm’s U.S. sales of its imported FSVs from China? 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
Other countries (specify)-Country-pair

China

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 sales of FSVs, identify the country-pair and report the advantages or disadvantages imparted
by such factors:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Importers’ Questionnaire – FSVs

Page 17

PART III.—PRICING AND RELATED INFORMATION--Continued
III-21. Please identify below the names and addresses of your firm’s 10 largest customers for its
imported FSVs from China during January 2005-September 2008. Please also provide the name
and telephone number of a contact person and the share of your firm’s total 2007 commercial
shipment value of its imported FSVs from China that each of these customers accounted for in
2007.

No.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Customer’s name

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

Contact person

Area code
and
telephone
number

Share of 2007
shipment value
(%)