14-3-3293 U.S. Purchasers' Questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 14-3-3293; Expiration Date: 6/30/2017
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
CALCIUM HYPOCHLORITE FROM CHINA

This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by no later than OCTOBER 2, 2014
See 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 duty investigations concerning calcium hypochlorite (“calhypo”)
from China (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-510 and 731-TA-1245 (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 James Fetzer (202-708-5403,
[email protected]).

Name of firm
Address
City

State

Zip Code

Website
Has your firm purchased calhypo (as defined in the instruction booklet) from any source (domestic or foreign) at
any time since January 1, 2011?

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)

Return questionnaire via the U.S. International Trade Commission Drop Box by clicking
on the following link: https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/. (use the following PIN: HYPO)
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 this proceeding in any other import-injury proceedings conducted by
the Commission on the same or similar merchandise.
I acknowledge that information submitted in this questionnaire response and throughout this proceeding 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 proceeding or related proceedings for which this information is submitted, or in internal audits and
proceedings 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

Phone:
Signature

Email address
Fax

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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.

OMB statistics.--Please report 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.

OMB feedback.--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.

Establishments covered.-- Provide the name and address of establishment(s) covered by this
questionnaire, if different from that listed on the cover page (see page 3 of the instruction booklet
for reporting guidelines).

I-3.

Ownership.--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
(percent)

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

Related SUBJECT importers/exporters.--Does your firm have any related firms, either
domestic or foreign, which import calhypo from China into the United States or which export
calhypo from China to the United States?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

I-5.

Address

Related NONSUBJECT importers/exporters.--Does your firm have any related firms, either
domestic or foreign, which import calhypo from countries other than China into the United States
or which export calhypo from countries other than China to the United States?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name and country

I-6.

Affiliation

Address

Affiliation

Related producers.--Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which
produce calhypo?
No
Firm name

Yes--List the following information.
Address

Affiliation

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

Page 4

PART II.--PURCHASES
Contact information.-- Please identify the responsible individual and the manner by which Commission
staff may contact that individual regarding the confidential information submitted in this questionnaire.
Name
Title
Email
Telephone
Fax

II-1.

Purchases.— Report your firm’s U.S. purchases of calhypo (based on delivery date). Do not
include imports for which your firm was the importer of record; such imports should be reported
in your U.S. importer’s questionnaire.

Item
Purchases of calhypo produced in-United States
China
All other countries:1
1
Please identify these countries:

II-2.

2011

2012
Quantity (in pounds)

2013

Changes in purchasing patterns.--Please indicate how the shares of your firm’s purchases of
calhypo from different sources have changed in the last three years.

Source of Did not
purchases purchase Decreased Increased Constant Fluctuated Explanation for trend
United
States

China

All other
countries

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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PART II.--PURCHASES--Continued
II-3.

Purchases from one country only.--If your firm has purchased calhypo from only one country,
please explain the reasons for doing so.

II-4.

Supplier identification.--Please list your firm’s FIVE largest suppliers for calhypo since 2011.
Also, provide the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of calhypo that each of these
suppliers accounted for in 2013.

No.

Supplier’s name

City and state

Share of quantity of
2013 purchases

1

%

2

%

3

%

4

%

5

%

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

Page 6

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

Firm type.--Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of calhypo (check all
that apply)?
End user

III-2.

Distributor

Repacker

Retailer

Other

Describe other

End use application.-- What are the major end uses for the calhypo that your firm purchases?
Check all that apply.
Swimming pools and spas
Home septic/wastewater treatment
Industrial water treatment
Cleansers/detergents
Other:

If your firm is a distributor of calhypo, please answer questions III-3 and III-4.
III-3.

Competition for sales.--Do you compete for sales to your customers with the manufacturers or
importers from which you purchase calhypo?
No

III-4.

Yes

If yes, please describe.

Types of customers.--What are the major types of consumers to which you sell calhypo?

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
If your firm is an end user of calhypo, please answer questions III-5 and III-6.
III-5.

End uses.--List the top 3 products you make using calhypo and estimate the percent of your total
production cost that is accounted for by calhypo and by other inputs (such as labor, energy, and
other raw materials).
Share of total cost in each of the product(s) you
produce accounted for by
Product(s) you produce

III-6.

Calhypo

Other inputs

Total

%

+

%

=

0.0 %

%

+

%

=

0.0 %

%

+

%

=

0.0 %

Demand for end use products.-(a)

Has the demand for your firm’s final products incorporating calhypo changed since
January 1, 2011?
Increased

(b)

No change

Decreased

Fluctuated

Has this had any effect on your firm’s demand for calhypo?
No

Yes

Explain

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

Substitutes.--Can other products be substituted for calhypo?
No

Yes--Please fill out the table below.

End use in which this
substitute is used

Substitute

Have changes in the prices of this substitute
affected the price for calhypo?
No Yes

Explanation

1.
2.
3.

III-8.

Chlorine content.-- Can calhypo products that differ only in their available chlorine levels serve
as commercial substitutes with little or no reprocessing by the seller?
No

III-9.

Yes

Explain

Demand trends.-- Indicate how demand within the United States and outside of the United States
(if known) for calhypo has changed since January 1, 2011. Explain any trends and describe the
principal factors that have affected these changes in demand.

Market
Within
the United
States
Outside
the United
States

Fluctuate
Overall
No
Overall with no clear
increase change decrease
trend

Explanation and factors

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-10. Importance of purchasing domestic product.--Please fill out the table below, estimating the
percentage of your firm’s total 2013 purchases of calhypo that required calhypo produced in the
United States.

Purchases that did not require domestic product
Purchases that were required by law or regulation to be domestic
product (e.g., government purchases under “Buy American”
provisions)
Purchases that were not required by law or regulation, but were
required by your customers to be domestic product
Purchases that were required to be domestic product for other
reasons (explain:
)
Total (should sum to 100%)

Estimated
percentage of
your firm’s total
2013 purchases
of calhypo
%

%
%

0.0

%
%

III-11. Conditions of competition.-(a) Is the calhypo market subject to business cycles (other than general economy-wide
conditions) and/or other conditions of competition distinctive to calhypo?

Check all that apply.

Please describe.
Skip to question III-12.

No
Yes-Business cycles (e.g.
seasonal business)
Yes-Other distinctive
conditions of competition

(b) Have there been any changes in the business cycles or conditions of competition for calhypo
since January 1, 2011?
No

Yes

If yes, describe.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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

III-12. Decisions based on producer and country-of-origin.--How often does your firm, and if you
know, do your customers, make purchasing decisions involving calhypo based on its producer or
country of origin?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

If at least sometimes, explain.

Decision based on producer
Your firm
Your
customers
Decision based on country of origin
Your firm
Your
customers

III-13. Supply constraints.--Has any firm refused, declined, or been unable to supply calhypo since
January 1, 2011 (examples include placing customers on allocation or “controlled order entry,”
declining to accept new customers or renew existing customers, delivering less than the quantity
promised, been unable to meet timely shipment commitments, etc.)?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

III-14. Purchasing frequency.-(a)

How frequently do you make purchases of calhypo (check one)?
Daily

(b)

Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

Other

If other, specify

Has this purchasing frequency changed since January 1, 2011?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

III-15. Number of suppliers contacted.--How many suppliers do you generally contact before making a
purchase? Between
and
firms

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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

III-16. Supplier negotiations.--Do your purchases of calhypo usually involve negotiations between
supplier and purchaser?

No

Yes

If yes, explain the factors you generally negotiate and note whether
your firm quotes competing prices during negotiations.

III-17. Change in suppliers.--Have you changed suppliers since January 1, 2011?

No

Yes

If yes, please list the supplier(s), whether the firm was added or
dropped, the reasons for the change.

III-18. New suppliers.--Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have
entered the market since January 1, 2011?
No

Yes

If yes, please identify the firms.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-19. Supplier qualification—
(a)

Do you require your suppliers to be or to become certified or qualified to sell calhypo to
your firm?
If yes, provide the following information.

The number of days to qualify a new supplier.

A general description of the certification or qualification process. Also, a brief
description of the factors that you consider when qualifying a new supplier (e.g., quality
of product, reliability of supplier, etc.).

No

(b)

Yes

Number
of days Process and factors

Can tablets comprised of Chinese calhypo be used in tablet feeders designed by U.S.
calhypo producers in the various market segments (i.e., municipal public pools, water
treatment, etc.)?

Yes

No

If no, please identify the market segment and explain how certification
requirements or other factors restrict the use of Chinese calhypo.

III-20. Failure to certify.--Since January 1, 2011, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their
attempts to certify or qualify their calhypo with your firm or have any producers lost their
approved status?

No

Yes

If yes, please identify these firms, the countries where they are located,
and the reasons why they failed the certification/qualification.

III-21. Major purchasing factors.--Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors your
firm considers in deciding from whom to purchase calhypo (examples include availability,
extension of credit, contracts, price, quality, range of supplier’s product line, traditional supplier,
etc.).
1.
2.
3.
Please list any other factors that are very important in your purchase decisions:

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-22. Purchasing factors.-- Please rate the importance of the following factors in your firm’s
purchasing decisions for calhypo.

Factor

Very
important

Somewhat
important

Not
important

Around-the-clock customer service
Availability
Branding
Color quality
Customer rewards programs
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Packaging
Price
Product consistency
Product range
Quality exceeds industry standards
Quality meets industry standards
Reliability of supply
Solubility
“Takebacks” of unsold product
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs

III-23. Quality characteristics.--What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the
quality of calhypo?

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-24. Frequency of decisions based on price.--How often does your firm purchase the calhypo that is
offered at the lowest price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-25. Price difference.-- Is U.S.-produced calhypo sold at a premium price over calhypo imported
from China?

No

Yes

If yes, please explain why and identify the magnitude of the price
premium.

III-26. Price leaders.— 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 is not necessarily the lowest-priced supplier.
Please list the names of any firms you considered price leaders in the calhypo market since
January 1, 2011.
Firm(s)

Describe how the firm(s) exhibited price leadership

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS

IV-1.

Country knowledge.--Please indicate the countries of origin for calhypo for which your firm has
actual marketing/pricing knowledge.
United States

IV-2.

China

Other

Other countries (specify)

Interchangeability.--Is calhypo produced in the United States and in other countries
interchangeable (i.e., can they physically be used in the same applications)?
Please indicate A, F, S, N, or 0 in the table below:
A = the products from a specified country-pair are always interchangeable
F = the products are frequently interchangeable
S = the products are sometimes interchangeable
N = the products are never interchangeable
0 = no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair
Country-pair

China

Other countries

United States
China

For any country-pair producing calhypo which is sometimes or never interchangeable, please
identify the country-pair and explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-3.

Factors other than price.--Are differences other than price (e.g., quality, availability,
transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between calhypo produced in the
United States and in other countries a significant factor in your firm’s purchases of the products?
Please indicate A, F, S, N, or 0 in the table below:
A = such differences are always significant
F = such differences are frequently significant
S = such differences are sometimes significant
N = such differences are never significant
0 = no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair
Country-pair

China

Other countries

United States
China

For any country-pair for which factors other than price always or frequently are a significant
factor in your firm’s purchases of calhypo, identify the country-pair and report the advantages or
disadvantages imparted by such factors:

IV-4.

Country preferences.--Do you or your customers ever specifically order calhypo from one
country in particular over other possible sources of supply?
No

IV-5.

If yes, identify the countries and explain.

Availability of merchandise.--Are certain chlorine contents/grades/types/sizes of calhypo
available from only from certain country sources?
No

IV-6.

Yes

Yes

If yes, please identify the countries and the grade/type/size.

Choice of product not based on price.--If you purchased calhypo from one country source
although a comparable product was available from another country source at a lower price, please
explain your reasons for doing so (please specify by country).

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-7. Factor country comparisons.--For the factors listed below, please rate how calhypo produced in
each country you identified in your response to the first question in Part IV compares with calhypo
produced in each of the other countries you identified.
If you are unfamiliar with the product from a particular country, please leave the boxes for those
country comparisons blank.

Inferior

Comparable

product from
China
compared to
product from
nonsubject
countries

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

product from
United States
compared to
product from
nonsubject
countries

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

product from
United States
compared to
product from
China

Around-the-clock customer service
Availability
Branding
Color quality
Customer rewards programs
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Packaging
Price1
Product consistency
Product range
Quality exceeds industry standards
Quality meets industry standards
Reliability of supply
Solubility
“Takebacks” of unsold product
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs1
1

A rating of superior on price and U.S. transportation costs indicates that the first country generally has lower
prices/U.S. transportation costs than the second country.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire -- Calcium Hypochlorite from China (F)

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS--Continued
IV-8.

Minimum quality.--How often does calhypo from the following countries meet minimum quality
specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
Source

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or
never

Don’t
know

United States
China
Other:

IV-9.

Other explanations--If your firm would like to further explain a response to any question that
did not provide a narrative response box, please note the question number and the explanation in
the space provided below. Please also use this space to highlight any issues your firm had in
providing the data in this section, including but not limited to technical issues with the MS Word
questionnaire.