Hardwood Plywood from China, Inv. No. 701-490 (Final)

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

HP - US Instructions

Hardwood Plywood from China, Inv. No. 701-490 (Final)

OMB: 3117-0016

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

Hardwood Plywood from China
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-490 and 731-TA-1204 (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):
Fred Ruggles, investigator (202-205-3187; Email [email protected])
regarding general questions and trade and related information;
Charles Yost, auditor (202-205-3432; Email [email protected])
regarding financial information; and
James Fetzer, economist (202-705-5403; Email [email protected]
regarding pricing, market, and related information.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.-- This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on September 20, 2012,
by Columbia Forest Products, Greensboro, NC; Commonwealth Plywood Co., Ltd., Whitehall, NY;
Murphy Plywood, Eugene, OR; Roseburg Forest Products Co., Roseburg, OR; States Industries
LLC, Eugene, OR; and Timber Products Company, Springfield, OR combined as The Coalition for
Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood.. Countervailing and 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 subsidization and/or dumping.
Questionnaires and other information pertinent to this proceeding are available at
http://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/investigations/2012/hardwood_plywood
/finalphase.htm. Please direct questions regarding the questionnaire and correspondence to
INVESTIGATOR ([email protected], 202-205-3187) at the U.S. International Trade Commission,
500 E Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20436. Correspondence may be sent to the above address or via FAX to
202-205-3205. 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 July 29, 2013. 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.
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, Fred
Ruggles ([email protected], or 202-205-3187).
Electronic submission.-- Responding firms should submit their questionnaire responses
electronically in MS Word format. The submission of questionnaire responses in the MS Word
format allows the Commission to electronically extract data from questionnaires and thus, compile,
assess, and analyze submitted data more efficiently and promptly. Furthermore, the electronic
submission of questionnaires completed in MS Word facilitates the Commission’s ability to produce
documents that comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. There are three
electronic submissions options detailed below. .

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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/hard
wood_plywood/prelimphase.htm. Please do not attempt to modify the format or
permissions of the questionnaire document. Please complete the questionnaire and
submit it electronically using one of the methods noted below. If your firm is unable
to complete the MS Word questionnaire or cannot use one of the electronic methods
of submission, please contact the Commission for further instructions.
• 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: HPFC

• 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. 701-TA-490 & 731-TA-1204. 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.

• Compact disc (CD).—Copy your MS Word questionnaire onto a CD. Also, please include a
signed certification page (page 1) and mail to the U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street
SW, Washington, DC 20024. 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.
• 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
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.-- The merchandise subject to these investigations are hardwood and decorative plywood.
Hardwood and decorative plywood is a flat panel composed of an assembly of two or more layers or
plies of wood veneers in combination with a core. The veneers, along with the core, are glued or
otherwise bonded together to form a finished product. A hardwood and decorative plywood panel
must have face and back veneers which are composed of one or more species of hardwoods,
softwoods, or bamboo. Hardwood and decorative plywood may include products that meet the
American National Standard for Hardwood and Decorative Plywood, ANSI/HPVA HP–1–2009.
All hardwood and decorative plywood is included within the scope of this investigation, without
regard to dimension (overall thickness, thickness of face veneer, thickness of back veneer, thickness
of core, thickness of inner veneers, width, or length). However, the most common panel sizes of
hardwood and decorative plywood are 1219 × 1829 mm (48 × 72 inches), 1219 × 2438 mm (48 × 96
inches), and 1219 × 3048 mm (48 × 120 inches).
A ‘‘veneer’’ is a thin slice of wood which is rotary cut, sliced or sawed from a log, bolt or flitch. The
face veneer is the exposed veneer of a hardwood and decorative plywood product which is of a
superior grade than that of the back veneer, which is the other exposed veneer of the product (i.e., as
opposed to the inner veneers). When the two exposed veneers are of equal grade, either one can be
considered the face or back veneer. For products that are entirely composed of veneer, such as
Veneer Core Platforms, the exposed veneers are to be considered the face and back veneers, in
accordance with the descriptions above. The core of hardwood and decorative plywood consists of
the layer or layers of one or more material(s) that are situated between the face and back veneers.
The core may be composed of a range of materials, including but not limited to veneers,
particleboard, and medium-density fiberboard (‘‘MDF’’).
All hardwood and decorative plywood is included within the scope of this investigation regardless
of whether or not the face and/or back veneers are surface coated, unless the surface coating
obscures the grain, texture or markings of the wood. Examples of surface coatings which may not
obscure the grain, texture or markings of the wood include, but are not limited to, ultra-violet light
cured polyurethanes, oil or oil-modified or water based polyurethanes, wax, epoxy-ester finishes,
and moisture-cured urethanes. Hardwood and decorative plywood that has face and/or back veneers
which have an opaque surface coating which obscures the grain, texture or markings of the wood,
are not included within the scope of this investigation. Examples of surface coatings which may
obscure the grain, texture or markings of wood include, but are not limited to, paper, aluminum, high
pressure laminate (‘‘HPL’’), MDF, medium density overlay (‘‘MDO’’), and phenolic film).
Additionally, the face veneer of hardwood and decorative plywood may be sanded, smoothed or
given a ‘‘distressed’’ appearance through such methods as hand-scraping or wire brushing. The face
veneer may be stained.

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DEFINITIONS--Continued
The scope of the investigation excludes the following items: (1) Structural plywood (also known as
‘‘industrial plywood’’ or ‘‘industrial panels’’) that is manufactured and stamped to meet U.S.
Products Standard PS 1–09 for Structural Plywood (including any revisions to that standard or any
substantially equivalent international standard intended for structural plywood), including but not
limited to the ‘‘bond performance’’ requirements set forth at paragraph 5.8.6.4 of that Standard and
the performance criteria detailed at Table 4 through 10 of that Standard; (2) products which have a
face and back veneer of cork; (3) multilayered wood flooring, as described in the antidumping duty
and countervailing duty orders on Multilayered Wood Flooring from the People’s Republic of China,
Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
Investigation Nos. A–570–970 and C–570–971 (published December 8, 2011); (4) plywood which
has a shape or design other than a flat panel.
Imports of the subject merchandise are provided for under the following subheadings of the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (‘‘HTSUS’’): 4412.10.0500; 4412.31.0520;
4412.31.0540; 4412.31.0560; 4412.31.2510; 4412.31.2520; 4412.31.4040; 4412.31.4050;
4412.31.4060; 4412.31.4070; 4412.31.5135; 4412.31.5155; 4412.31.5165; 4412.31.5175;
4412.31.6000; 4412.31.9100; 4412.32.0520; 4412.32.0540; 4412.32.0560; 4412.32.2510;
4412.32.2520; 4412.32.3135; 4412.32.3155; 4412.32.3165; 4412.32.3175; 4412.32.3185;
4412.32.5600; 4412.39.1000; 4412.39.3000; 4412.39.4011; 4412.39.4012; 4412.39.4019;
4412.39.4031; 4412.39.4032; 4412.39.4039; 4412.39.4051; 4412.39.4052; 4412.39.4059;
4412.39.4061; 4412.39.4062; 4412.39.4069; 4412.39.5010; 4412.39.5030; 4412.39.5050;
4412.94.1030; 4412.94.1050; 4412.94.3111; 4412.94.3121; 4412.94.3131; 4412.94.3141;
4412.94.3160; 4412.94.3171; 4412.94.4100; 4412.94.6000; 4412.94.7000; 4412.94.8000;
4412.94.9000; 4412.99.0600; 4412.99.1020; 4412.99.1030; 4412.99.1040; 4412.99.3110;
4412.99.3120; 4412.99.3130; 4412.99.3140; 4412.99.3150; 4412.99.3160; 4412.99.3170;
4412.99.4100; 4412.99.5710; 4412.99.6000; 4412.99.7000; 4412.99.8000; 4412.99.9000;
4412.10.9000; 4412.31.4080; 4412.32.0570; 4412.32.2530; 4412.94.5100; 4412.94.9500;
4412.99.5115; and 4412.99.9500. While HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and
customs purposes, the written description of the subject merchandise as set forth herein 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
hardwood plywood (as defined above), including auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with
(whether or not physically separate from) such facilities.

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DEFINITIONS--Continued
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 hardwood plywood (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.
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 hardwood plywood (as defined above) from another firm that produces, imports, or
otherwise distributes hardwood plywood.
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).

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DEFINITIONS--Continued
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.
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. For the January-June
periods, calculate similarly and divide by 6.
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.

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DEFINITIONS--Continued
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 TitleMicrosoft Word - HP - U.S. Instructions
Authorfred.ruggles
File Modified2013-06-17
File Created2013-06-17

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