15-3-3380 U.S. Purchaser Questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 15-3-3380; Expiration Date: 6/30/2017
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
MELAMINE FROM CHINA AND TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by September 3, 2015
See last page 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/antidumping investigations concerning melamine from China and Trinidad &
Tobago (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-526-527 and 731-TA-1262-1263 (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 Lauren Gamache (202-205-3489,
[email protected]).

Name of firm
Address
City

State

Zip Code

Website
Has your firm purchased melamine (as defined on next page) from any source (domestic or foreign) at any time
since January 1, 2012?

NO

(Sign the certification below and promptly return only this page of the questionnaire to the Commission)

YES

(Complete all parts of the questionnaire, and return the entire questionnaire to the Commission)

Return questionnaire via the U.S. International Trade Commission Drop Box by clicking on the
following link: https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/. (PIN: MEL15)
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

Fax

Email address

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 2

PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.—This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on November 12, 2014 by
Cornerstone Chemical Company, Waggaman, Louisiana. Countervailing and/or antidumping duties may
be assessed on the subject imports as a result of these proceedings 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://usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2015/melamine_china_and_trinidad_tobago/final.htm.
Melamine.—The merchandise subject to these investigations is melamine (Chemical Abstracts Service
(“CAS”) registry number 108-78-01, molecular formula C3H6N6). Melamine is a crystalline powder or
granule typically (but not exclusively) used to manufacture melamine formaldehyde resins. All melamine
is covered by the scope of these investigations irrespective of purity, particle size, or physical form.
Melamine that has been blended with other products is included within this scope when such blends
include constituent parts that have been intermingled, but that have not been chemically reacted with
each other to produce a different melamine. For such blends, only the melamine component of the
mixture is covered by the scope of these investigations. Melamine that is otherwise subject to these
investigations is not excluded when commingled with melamine from sources not subject to these
investigations. Only the subject component of such commingled products is covered by the scope of
these investigations.
The subject merchandise is provided for in subheading 2933.61.00 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of
the United States (“HTSUS”). Although the HTSUS subheading and CAS registry number are provided for
convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope is dispositive.
Purchaser.--Any firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary, in purchasing
melamine from another firm that produces, imports, or otherwise distributes melamine.
Reporting of information.-- If information is not readily available from your records, provide carefully
prepared estimates. If your firm is completing more than one questionnaire (i.e., a producer, importer,
and/or purchaser questionnaire), you need not respond to duplicated questions.
Confidentiality.—The commercial and financial data furnished in response to this questionnaire 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, general 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 this questionnaire is subject to audit and verification by the
Commission. To facilitate possible verification of data, please keep all files, worksheets, and supporting
documents used in the preparation of the questionnaire response. Please also retain a copy of the final
document that you submit.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 3

Release of information.—The information provided by your firm in response to this questionnaire, 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.
I-1.

OMB statistics.—Please report the actual number of hours required and the cost to your firm of
completing this questionnaire.
Hours

Dollars

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, gathering data, and
completing and reviewing the questionnaire.
We welcome comments regarding the accuracy of this burden estimate, suggestions for
reducing the burden, and any suggestions for improving this questionnaire. Please attach such
comments to your response or send to the Office of Investigations, USITC, 500 E St. SW,
Washington, DC 20436.
I-2.

Establishments covered.—Provide the name and address of your U.S. establishment(s) covered
by this questionnaire, if different from that listed on the cover page. Firms operating more than
one establishment should combine the data for all establishments into a single report.
“Establishment” – Each facility of a firm involved in the purchase of melamine, including
auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or not physically separate from) such
facilities.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine
I-3.

Ownership.—Is your firm owned, in whole or in part, by any other firm?
No

Yes—List the following information.

Firm name

I-4.

Address

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

Address

Affiliation

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

Yes—List the following information.

Firm name and country

I-6.

Extent of ownership
(percent)

Related SUBJECT importers/exporters.—Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic
or foreign, which import melamine from China and/or Trinidad & Tobago into the United States
or which export melamine from China and/or Trinidad & Tobago to the United States?
No

I-5.

Page 4

Address

Affiliation

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

Yes—List the following information.
Address

Affiliation

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 5

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
Purchases.—Report your firm’s U.S. purchases of melamine. (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).

II-1.

Item
Purchases of melamine produced in--

2012

2013

2014

Quantity (in pounds)

United States
China
Trinidad & Tobago
Germany
Netherlands
All other countries:1
1

II-2.

Please identify these countries:
Changes in purchasing patterns.—Please indicate how the shares of your firm’s purchases of
melamine from different sources have changed in the last three years.

Source of Did not
purchases purchase Decreased Increased Constant Fluctuated
United
States
China
Trinidad &
Tobago
All other
countries

Explanation for trend

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 6

II-3.
Since January 1, 2012, did your firm switch purchases of melamine from U.S. producers to
suppliers of melamine imported from China and/or Trinidad & Tobago?
Switch from
U.S. Product
to Subject
Country
Product?

Source

Yes

No

Was Price the primary reason for shift?

Yes

If yes, estimate the
percent of your purchases
shifted since January 2012
because of the price

If no, please indicate the
reason for shifting
No

China
Trinidad &
Tobago
II-4.

Since January 1, 2012, did U.S. producers reduce their prices of melamine in order to compete
with prices of melamine imported from China and/or Trinidad & Tobago?

Source

Prices Reduced to Compete If “Yes,” please describe when (years and/or
with Subject Countries?
months) and by what percent domestic
producers had to reduce their prices in order
Yes
No
to compete with these imports.

China

Period:
Percent reduction:

Trinidad & Tobago

Period:
Percent reduction:

II-5.

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

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine
II-6.

Page 7

Supplier identification.—Please list your firm’s FIVE largest suppliers for melamine since January
1, 2012. Also, provide the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of melamine that
each of these suppliers accounted for in 2014.

No.

Supplier’s name

Share of quantity of
2014 purchases

City and state

1

%

2

%

3

%

4

%

5

%

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

Firm type.—Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of melamine (check
all that apply)?
Resin
producer

Other end user
(Specify:
)

Distributor

Other

Describe other

If your firm is a distributor of melamine, please answer questions III-2 and III-3.
III-2.

Competition for sales.—Does your firm compete for sales to customers with the manufacturers
or importers from which your firm purchases melamine?
No

III-3.

Yes

If yes, please describe.

Types of customers.—What are the major types of consumers to which your firm sells
melamine?

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 8

If your firm is an end user of melamine, please answer questions III-4 and III-5.
III-4.

End uses.—List the top 3 products your firm makes using melamine and estimate the percent of
your total production cost that is accounted for by melamine and by other inputs (such as labor,
energy, and other raw materials).
Share of total cost in each of the melamine(s) your
firm produces accounted for by
Product(s) your firm
produces

Melamine

Other inputs

Total
(should
sum to
100.0%
across)

% +

%

=

0.0 %

% +

%

=

0.0 %

% +

%

=

0.0 %

III-5.

Demand for end use products.—

(a)

Has the demand for your firm’s final products incorporating melamine changed since January 1,
2012?
Increased

(b)

No change

Decreased

Fluctuated

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

Yes

Explain

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 9

III-6.

Substitutes.—

(a)

Can other products be substituted for melamine?
No

Yes—Please fill out the table.

End use in which this
substitute is used

Substitute

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

Explanation

1.
2.
3.
(b)

Is your firm able to switch between various packaging sizes (e.g. 50 to 60 pound bags, 1,000 to
3,000 pound bags, or bulk/loose)?

No

(c)

Yes

If no, please explain. If yes, please explain if your firm has
preference for a particular size, and what factors would prompt
your firm to switch between packaging sizes.

Since January 1, 2012, has your firm switched purchases from one packaging size to another
because of price differences? If so, please explain.
No

Yes

If yes, please explain.

(d)
Since January 1, 2012, what percentage of your firms’ total purchases of melamine were
satisfied by each of the following packaging sizes?
Packaging Size
50 - 60 lb. bags
1,000-3,000 lb. bags
Bulk/loose
Other (Describe:
)

Share of purchases, 2012-14

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 10

III-7.

Demand trends.—

(a)

Indicate how demand within the United States and outside of the United States (if known) for
melamine has changed since January 1, 2012. Explain any trends and describe the principal
factors that have affected these changes in demand.

Market

Overall
increase

No
change

Fluctuate
Overall
with no
decrease clear trend

Explanation and factors

Within the United
States
Outside the United
States
(b)

Indicate how demand for melamine in 50 to 60 pound bags, 1,000 to 3,000 pound bags, and
loose melamine (bulk) has changed since January 1, 2012. Explain any trends and describe the
principal factors that have affected these changes in demand.

Market

Overall
increase

No
change

Overall
decrease

Fluctuate
with no
clear trend

Explanation and factors

50 to 60 pound bags
1,000 to 3,000 bags
Bulk/loose
III-8.

Importance of purchasing domestic product.—Please fill out the table below, estimating the
percentage of your firm’s total 2014 purchases of melamine that required melamine 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 100.0%)

Estimated percentage of
your firm’s total 2014
purchases of melamine
%
%
%
%
0.0 %

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine
III-9.

Page 11

Conditions of competition.—
(a)

Is the melamine market subject to business cycles (other than general economy-wide
conditions) and/or other conditions of competition distinctive to melamine?

Check all that apply.

Please describe.

No

Skip to question III-10.

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
melamine since January 1, 2012?
No

Yes

If yes, describe.

III-10. Decisions based on producer and country-of-origin.—How often does your firm, and if known,
do your customers, make purchasing decisions involving melamine 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-11. Production process differences based on source.—Does your firm modify or change the
production process in any way based on country source?

No

Yes

If yes, describe the production changes, and identify the country
source.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 12

III-12. Availability of supply.—Has the availability of melamine in the U.S. market changed since
January 1, 2012? Do you anticipate any future changes?
Availability in the U.S.
Please explain, noting the countries and reasons for the
market
No Yes changes.
U.S.-produced product
Imports from China
Imports from Trinidad
& Tobago
Nonsubject imports
III-13. Supply constraints.—Has any firm refused, declined, or been unable to supply your firm with
melamine since January 1, 2012 (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,
announcing force majeure, etc.)?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

III-14. Impurities, contaminants, or physical defects in product.—Since January 1, 2012 has your firm
experienced impurities, contaminants, or other physical defects (e.g., “clumping”) in its
melamine purchases?
No

Yes

If yes, please explain and indicate the country source.

III-15. Purchasing frequency.—
(a)

How frequently does your firm make purchases of melamine (check one)?
Daily

(b)

Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

Other

Has this purchasing frequency changed since January 1, 2012?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

If other, specify

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 13

III-16. Number of suppliers contacted.—How many suppliers does your firm generally contact before
making a purchase? Between
and
firms.
Please explain:
III-17. Supplier negotiations.—Does your firm’s purchases of melamine usually involve negotiations
between supplier and purchaser?

No

Yes

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

III-18. Change in suppliers.—Has your firm changed suppliers since January 1, 2012?

No

Yes

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

III-19. New suppliers.—Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have
entered the market since January 1, 2012?
No

Yes

If yes, please identify the firms.

III-20. Supplier qualification.—Do you require your suppliers to be or to become certified or qualified
to sell melamine 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 melamine, reliability of supplier, etc.).

No

Yes

Number
of days Process and factors

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 14

III-21. Failure to certify.—Since January 1, 2012, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their
attempts to certify or qualify their melamine 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-22. Major purchasing factors.—Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors
your firm considers in deciding from whom to purchase melamine (examples include availability,
extension of credit, contracts, price, quality, range of supplier’s melamine line, traditional
supplier, etc.).
1.
2.
3.
Please list any other factors that are very important in your purchase decisions:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 15

III-23. Purchasing factors.—Please rate the importance of the following factors in your firm’s
purchasing decisions for melamine.
Very
important

Factor

Somewhat
important

Not
important

Acidic impurities
Availability
Clumpiness
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
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs
III-24. Quality characteristics.—What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the
quality of melamine?

III-25. Frequency of decisions based on price.—How often does your firm purchase melamine that is
offered at the lowest price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 16

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 melamine market since
January 1, 2012.
Firm(s)

Describe how the firm(s) exhibited price leadership

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS
IV-1.

Country knowledge.—Please indicate the countries of origin for melamine for which your firm
has actual marketing/pricing knowledge.

United
States

China

Trinidad
&
Tobago

Germany Netherlands

Other
countries

Other countries (specify)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine
IV-2.

Page 17

Interchangeability.—Is melamine 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

Trinidad &
Tobago

Germany

Netherlands Other countries

United States
China
Trinidad & Tobago
Germany
Netherlands
For any country-pair producing melamine that is sometimes or never interchangeable, identify
the country-pair and explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine
IV-3.

Page 18

Factors other than price.—Are differences other than price (e.g., quality, availability,
transportation network, melamine range, technical support, etc.) between melamine 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

Trinidad &
Tobago

Germany

Netherlands

Other countries

United States
China
Trinidad & Tobago
Germany
Netherlands
For any country-pair for which factors other than price always or frequently are a significant factor in
your firm’s purchases of melamine, identify the country-pair and report the advantages or
disadvantages imparted by such factors:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine
IV-4.

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

IV-5.

Yes

If yes, identify the countries and explain.

Availability of merchandise.—Are certain grades/types/sizes of melamine available from only
from certain country sources?
No

IV-6.

Page 19

Yes

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

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

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 20

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

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Germany

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Trinidad & Tobago

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
China

Acidic impurities
Availability
Clumpiness
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
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs
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.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine
IV-7.

Page 21

Continued.

If you are unfamiliar with the melamine from a particular country, please leave the boxes for those
country comparisons blank.

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
China
compared to
product from
Trinidad & Tobago

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
all other sources

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Netherlands

Acidic impurities
Availability
Clumpiness
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
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs
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.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine
IV-7.

Page 22

Continued.

If you are unfamiliar with the melamine from a particular country, please leave the boxes for those
country comparisons blank.

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
China
compared to
product from
all other sources

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
China
compared to
product from
Netherlands

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor

Superior

Product from
China
compared to
product from
Germany

Acidic impurities
Availability
Clumpiness
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
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs
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.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine
IV-7.

Page 23

Continued.

If you are unfamiliar with the melamine from a particular country, please leave the boxes for those
country comparisons blank.

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor

Superior

Product from
Product from
Product from
Trinidad & Tobago Trinidad & Tobago Trinidad & Tobago
compared to
compared to
compared to
product from
product from
product from
Germany
Netherlands
all other sources

Acidic impurities
Availability
Clumpiness
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
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs
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.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine
IV-8.

Page 24

Minimum quality.—How often does melamine 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
Trinidad & Tobago
Germany
Netherlands
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.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Melamine

Page 25

HOW TO FILE YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSE
This questionnaire is available as a “fillable” form in MS Word format on the
Commission’s website at:
http://www.usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2015/melamine_china_and_trinidad_toba
go/final.htm
Please do not attempt to modify the format or permissions of the questionnaire
document. Please submit the completed questionnaire 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 MS Word questionnaire 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: MEL15

• E-mail.—E-mail the MS Word questionnaire to [email protected]; include a scanned copy of
the signed certification page (page 1). 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.
If your firm does not purchase this melamine, please fill out page 1, print, sign, and submit a scanned
copy to the Commission.
Parties to this proceeding.—If your firm is a party to this proceeding, it is required to serve a copy of the
completed questionnaire on parties to the proceeding that are subject to administrative protective
order (see 19 CFR § 207.7). A list of such parties may be obtained from the Commission’s Secretary (202205-1803). A certificate of service must accompany the completed questionnaire your firm submits (see
19 CFR § 207.7). Service of the questionnaire must be made in paper form.