Xanthan Gum from Austria and China, Inv. No. 731-1202-1203 (Final)

Information collections for import injury investigations (producers, importers, purchasers, and foreign producer questionnaires and institution notices for 5-year reviews)

Instructions US

Xanthan Gum from Austria and China, Inv. No. 731-1202-1203 (Final)

OMB: 3117-0016

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INSTRUCTION BOOKLET
GENERAL INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND
DEFINITIONS FOR COMMISSION QUESTIONNAIRES

Xanthan Gum from Austria and China
Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1202-03 (Final)

Further information.--If you have any questions concerning the enclosed
questionnaire(s) or other matters related to this proceeding, you may contact
the following members of the Commission=s staff (Fax 202-205-3205):
Cynthia Trainor, investigator (202-205-3354; E-mail [email protected])
regarding general questions and trade and related information;
Mary Klir, auditor (202-205-3247; E-mail [email protected])
regarding financial information; and
Clark Workman, economist (202-205-3248; E-mail [email protected])
regarding pricing, market, and related information.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.--This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on June 5, 2012 by CP
Kelco US, Atlanta, GA. Antidumping duties may be assessed on the subject imports as a result of
this proceeding if the Commission makes an affirmative determination of injury, threat, or material
retardation, and if the U.S. Department of Commerce makes an affirmative determination of
dumping.
Questionnaires and other information pertinent to this proceeding are available at
http://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/investigations/2012/xanthan_gum/final
phase.htm . Address all correspondence to the United States International Trade Commission,
Washington, DC 20436. Hearing-impaired individuals can obtain information regarding this
proceeding via the Commission=s TDD terminal (202-205-1810).
Due date of questionnaire(s).--Please submit the completed questionnaire(s) to the United
States International Trade Commission so as to be received by no later than March 26, 2012.
Because Commission staff might contact you with questions during the course of the proceeding,
save the final version of the document(s) and retain all files and worksheets associated with the
completed questionnaire(s). Please also retain a copy of any paper original document that you
submit.
Service of questionnaire response(s).--In the event that your firm is a party to this proceeding, you
are required to serve a copy of the questionnaire(s), once completed, on parties to the proceeding
that are subject to administrative protective order (see 19 CFR ' 207.7). A list of such parties is
maintained by the Commission=s Secretary and may be obtained by calling 202-205-1803. A
certificate of service must accompany the copy of the completed questionnaire(s) you submit (see 19
CFR ' 207.7).
Confidentiality.--The commercial and financial data furnished in response to the enclosed
questionnaire(s) that reveal the individual operations of your firm will be treated as confidential by
the Commission to the extent that such data are not otherwise available to the public and will not be
disclosed except as may be required by law (see 19 U.S.C. ' 1677f). Such confidential information
will not be published in a manner that will reveal the individual operations of your firm; however,
nonnumerical characterizations of numerical business proprietary information (such as discussion of
trends) will be treated as confidential business information only at the request of the submitter for
good cause shown.
Verification.--The information submitted in the enclosed questionnaire(s) is subject to audit
and verification by the Commission. To facilitate possible verification of data, please keep all
of your files, worksheets, and supporting documents used in the preparation of the
questionnaire response(s).

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GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
Release of information.--The information provided by your firm in response to the questionnaire(s),
as well as any other business proprietary information submitted by your firm to the Commission in
connection with this proceeding, may become subject to, and released under, the administrative
protective order provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. ' 1677f) and section 207.7 of the
Commission=s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR ' 207.7). This means that certain lawyers
and other authorized individuals may temporarily be given access to the information for use in
connection with this proceeding or other import-injury proceedings conducted by the Commission
on the same or similar merchandise; those individuals would be subject to severe penalties if the
information were divulged to unauthorized individuals. In addition, if your firm is a U.S. producer,
the information you provide on your production and imports of xanthan gum and your responses to
the questions in Part I of the producer questionnaire will be provided to the U.S. Department of
Commerce, upon its request, for use in connection with (and only in connection with) its
requirement pursuant to section 732(c)(4) of the Act (19 U.S.C. ' 1673a(c)(4)) to make a
determination concerning the extent of industry support for the petition requesting this proceeding.
Any information provided to Commerce will be transmitted under the confidentiality and release
guidelines set forth above. Your response to these questions constitutes your consent that such
information be provided to Commerce under the conditions described above.
INSTRUCTIONS
Answer all questions.--Do not leave any question or section blank unless a questionnaire expressly
directs you to skip over certain questions or sections. If the answer to any question is Anone,@ write
Anone.@ If information is not readily available from your records in exactly the form requested,
furnish carefully prepared estimates. Answers to questions and any necessary comments or
explanations should be supplied in the space provided or on separate sheets attached to the
appropriate page of the questionnaire(s). If your firm is completing more than one questionnaire in
connection with this proceeding (i.e., a producer, importer, and/or purchaser questionnaire), you
need not respond to duplicated questions in the questionnaires. Questionnaires may be filed either
electronically or in paper form.
Consolidate all U.S. establishments.--Report the requested data for your establishment(s) located in
the United States. Firms operating more than one establishment should combine the data for
all establishments into a single report.
Electronic completion.--Your firm is encouraged to complete the questionnaire electronically in
MS Word format. The MS Word versions of all the questionnaires in this proceeding are available
online at the ITC web page or may be obtained directly from the Commission’s Investigator,
Cynthia Trainor ([email protected], or 202-205-3354).
Electronic submission.--To the degree that it is possible and not overly burdensome, the
Commission requests that responding firms submit their questionnaire responses
electronically in MS Word format. The submission of questionnaire responses in the MS Word
format allows the Commission to compile, assess, and analyze submitted data more
promptly. There are three electronic submissions options detailed below. Paper submissions are
also accepted.
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INSTRUCTIONS--Continued
OPTIONS FOR FILING
This questionnaire is available as a “fillable” form in MS Word format on the
Commission’s website at
http://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/investigations/2012/xanth
an_gum/finalphase.htm. Please do not attempt to modify the format or
permissions of the questionnaire document. You may complete the questionnaire
and submit it, electronically, or you may print it out and submit it in paper form, as
described below:
• Upload via Secure Drop Box.—Upload the completed questionnaire in MS Word format along
with a scanned copy of the signed certification page (page 1) through the Commission’s secure
upload facility:
Web address: https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/

Pin: XGUM

• Compact disc (CD).—Copy your questionnaire onto a CD, include a signed certification page
(page 1) (either in paper form or scanned PDF copied onto CD), and mail to the address above. It is
strongly recommended that you use an overnight mail service. U.S. mail sent to government offices
undergoes additional processing which not only results in substantial delays in delivery but may
also damage CDs.
• E-mail.—E-mail your questionnaire to the investigator identified on page 1 of the Instruction
Booklet; include a scanned PDF of the signed certification page (page 1). Type the following in the
e-mail subject line: BPI Questionnaire, INV. NOS. 731-TA-1202-03. Please note that
submitting your questionnaire by e-mail may subject your firm’s business proprietary information to
transmission over an unsecure environment and to possible disclosure. If you choose this option,
the Commission warns you that any risk involving possible disclosure of such information is
assumed by the submitter and not by the Commission.
• Fax.—Fax to 202.205.3205.
• Overnight mail service.—Mail to the following address:
United States International Trade Commission
Office of Investigations, Room 615
500 E Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
• U.S. mail.—Mail to the address above, but use zip code 20436. This option is not recommended.
U.S. mail sent to government offices undergoes additional processing to screen for hazardous
materials; this additional processing results in substantial delays in delivery.
Note: If you are a party to the proceeding, and service of the questionnaire is required, such
service should be made in paper form.
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DEFINITIONS
Product.—Dry xanthan gum, whether or not coated or blended with other products. Further,
xanthan gum is included in this investigation regardless of physical form, including but not limited
to, solutions, slurries, dry powders of any particle size, or unground fiber.
Xanthan gum that has been blended with other products is included in this scope when the resulting
mix contains 15 percent or more of xanthan gum by dry weight. Other products with which xanthan
gum may be blended include, but are not limited to, sugars, minerals, and salts.
Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide produced by fermentation of Xanthomonas campestris. The
chemical structure of the repeating pentasaccharide monomer unit consists of a backbone of two
P-1,4-D-Glucose monosaccharide units, the second with a trisaccharide side chain consisting of
P-D-Mannose-(1,4)-P-DGlucuronic acid-(1,2)-a-D-Mannose monosaccharide units. The terminal
mannose may be pyruvylated and the internal mannose unit may be acetylated.
Merchandise covered by the scope of this investigation is classified in the Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States (HTS) at subheading 3913.90.20. This tariff classification is provided
for convenience and customs purposes; however, the written description of the scope is dispositive.
Firm.--An individual proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation (including
any subsidiary corporation), business trust, cooperative, trustee in bankruptcy, or receiver under
decree of any court.
Related firm.--A firm that your firm solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled; a
firm that solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled your firm; and/or a firm that was
solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled by a firm that also solely or jointly owned,
managed, or otherwise controlled your firm.
Establishment.--Each facility of a firm involved in the production, importation, and/or purchase of
xanthan gum (as defined above), including auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether
or not physically separate from) such facilities.
United States.--For purposes of this proceeding, the 50 States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
and the District of Columbia.
Importer.--Any person or firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary,
in importing xanthan gum (as defined above) into the United States from a foreign manufacturer or
through its selling agent.
Imports.--Those products identified for Customs purposes as imports for consumption for which
your firm was the importer of record (i.e., was responsible for paying any import duty) or consignee
(i.e., to which the merchandise was first delivered).
Import quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.

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DEFINITIONS--Continued
Import values.--Values reported should be landed, duty-paid values at the U.S. port of entry,
including ocean freight and insurance costs, brokerage charges, and import duties (i.e., all charges
except inland freight in the United States).
Purchaser.--Any person or firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary,
in purchasing xanthan gum (as defined above) from another firm that produces, imports, or
otherwise distributes xanthan gum.
Purchases.--Purchases from all sources, NOT including direct imports from foreign sources located
outside of the United States (which should be reported in an importer questionnaire).
Purchase quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Purchase values.--Values reported should be net values (i.e., gross purchase values less all
discounts, allowances, rebates, and the value of returned goods), delivered to your U.S.
receiving point.
Shipments.--Shipments of products produced in or imported by your establishment(s). Include
shipments to the contracting firm of product produced by your firm under a toll agreement.
Shipment quantities.--Quantities reported should be net of returns.
Shipment values.--Values reported should be net values (i.e., gross sales values less all
discounts, allowances, rebates, prepaid freight, and the value of returned goods), f.o.b. your
U.S. point of shipment. The value of domestic shipments to the contracting firm under a toll
agreement is the conversion fee (including profit).
Types of shipments:
U.S. shipments.--Commercial shipments, internal consumption, and transfers to related
firms within the United States.
Commercial shipments.--Shipments, other than internal consumption and transfers
to related firms, within the United States.
Internal consumption.--Product consumed internally by your firm.
Transfers to related firms.--Shipments made to related domestic firms.
Export shipments.--Shipments to destinations outside the United States, including
shipments to related firms.
Inventories.--Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work-in-progress.

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DEFINITIONS--Continued
Average production capacity.--The level of production that your establishment(s) could reasonably
have expected to attain during the specified periods. Assume normal operating conditions (i.e.,
using equipment and machinery in place and ready to operate; normal operating levels (hours per
week/weeks per year) and time for downtime, maintenance, repair, and cleanup; and a typical or
representative product mix).
Toll agreement.--Agreement between two firms whereby the first firm furnishes the raw materials
and the second firm uses the raw materials to produce a product that it then returns to the first firm
with a charge for processing costs, overhead, etc.
Production.--All production in your establishment(s), including production consumed internally
within your firm and production for another firm under a toll agreement.
PRWs.--Production and related workers, including working supervisors and all nonsupervisory
workers (including group leaders and trainees) engaged in fabricating, processing, assembling,
inspecting, receiving, storage, handling, packing, warehousing, shipping, trucking, hauling,
maintenance, repair, janitorial and guard services, product development, auxiliary production for
plant=s own use (e.g., power plant), recordkeeping, and other services closely associated with the
above production operations.
Average number employed.--Add the number of employees, both full-time and part-time, for the 12
pay periods ending closest to the 15th of the month and divide that total by 12.
Hours worked.--Include time paid for sick leave, holidays, and vacation time. Include overtime
hours actually worked; do not convert overtime pay to its equivalent in straight-time hours.
Wages paid.--Total wages paid before deductions of any kind (e.g., withholding taxes, old-age and
unemployment insurance, group insurance, union dues, bonds, etc.). Include wages paid directly by
your firm for overtime, holidays, vacations, and sick leave.
Fiscal year.--The 12-month period between settlement of your firm=s financial accounts.

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File Typeapplication/pdf
File TitleMicrosoft Word - Instructions US
Authorcynthia.trainor
File Modified2013-02-22
File Created2013-02-22

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