16-3-3470 U.S. Purchasers' Questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 16-3-3470; Expiration Date: 6/30/2017
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
CERTAIN COLD-ROLLED STEEL PRODUCTS
This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by April 7, 2016
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 and antidumping investigations concerning cold-rolled steel from Brazil, China,
India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-540-544 and 731-TA-1283-1287 and 1289-1290
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 Cindy Cohen (202-205-3230, [email protected]).
Name of firm
Address
City

State

Zip Code

Website
Has your firm purchased cold-rolled steel (as defined on next page) from any source (domestic or foreign) at any
time since January 1, 2013?

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: COLD)
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, the undersigned, acknowledge that information submitted in response to this request for information and throughout this
proceeding or other proceeding may be disclosed to and used: (i) by the Commission, its employees and Offices, and contract
personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the records of this or a related proceeding, or (b) in internal investigations, audits,
reviews, and evaluations relating to the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including under 5 U.S.C.
Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. government employees and contract personnel, solely for cybersecurity purposes. I understand that all
contract personnel will sign appropriate nondisclosure agreements.
Name of Authorized Official

Title of Authorized Official

Date

Phone:
Signature

Fax

Email address

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PART I.—GENERAL INFORMATION
Background. This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on July 28, 2015, by AK Steel
Corporation (West Chester, OH), ArcelorMittal USA LLC (Chicago, IL), Nucor Corporation (Charlotte, NC), Steel
Dynamics, Inc. (Fort Wayne, IN), and United States Steel Corporation (Pittsburgh, PA). 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
https://www.usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2015/cold_rolled_steel_products_brazil_china_india/final.htm
Certain cold-rolled steel products (“cold-rolled steel”).-- The products covered by these investigations
are certain cold-rolled (cold-reduced), flat-rolled steel products, whether or not annealed, painted,
varnished, or coated with plastics or other non-metallic substances. The products covered do not
include those that are clad, plated, or coated with metal. The products covered include coils that have a
width or other lateral measurement (‘‘width’’) of 12.7 mm or greater, regardless of form of coil (e.g., in
successively superimposed layers, spirally oscillating, etc.). The products covered also include products
not in coils (e.g., in straight lengths) of a thickness less than 4.75 mm and a width that is 12.7 mm or
greater and that measures at least 10 times the thickness. The products covered also include products
not in coils (e.g., in straight lengths) of a thickness of 4.75 mm or more and a width exceeding 150 mm
and measuring at least twice the thickness. The products described above may be rectangular, square,
circular, or other shape and include products of either rectangular or non-rectangular cross-section
where such cross-section is achieved subsequent to the rolling process, i.e., products which have been
‘‘worked after rolling’’ (e.g., products which have been beveled or rounded at the edges). For purposes
of the width and thickness requirements referenced above:
(1) Where the nominal and actual measurements vary, a product is within the scope if application
of either the nominal or actual measurement would place it within the scope based on the
definitions set forth above, and
(2) Where the width and thickness vary for a specific product (e.g., the thickness of certain products
with non-rectangular cross-section, the width of certain products with non-rectangular shape,
etc.), the measurement at its greatest width or thickness applies.
Steel products included in the scope of this proceeding are products in which: (1) Iron predominates, by
weight, over each of the other contained elements; (2) the carbon content is 2 percent or less, by
weight; and (3) none of the elements listed below exceeds the quantity, by weight, respectively
indicated:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

2.50 percent of manganese, or
3.30 percent of silicon, or
1.50 percent of copper, or
1.50 percent of aluminum, or
1.25 percent of chromium, or
0.30 percent of cobalt, or
0.40 percent of lead, or
2.00 percent of nickel, or
0.30 percent of tungsten (also called wolfram), or
0.80 percent of molybdenum, or
0.10 percent of niobium (also called columbium), or
0.30 percent of vanadium, or
0.30 percent of zirconium.

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Unless specifically excluded, products are included in this scope regardless of levels of boron and
titanium.
For example, specifically included in this scope are vacuum degassed, fully stabilized (commonly
referred to as interstitial-free (IF)) steels, high strength low alloy (HSLA) steels, motor lamination steels,
Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS), and Ultra High Strength Steels (UHSS). IF steels are recognized as
low carbon steels with micro-alloying levels of elements such as titanium and/or niobium added to
stabilize carbon and nitrogen elements. HSLA steels are recognized as steels with micro-alloying levels of
elements such as chromium, copper, niobium, titanium, vanadium, and molybdenum. Motor lamination
steels contain micro-alloying levels of elements such as silicon and aluminum. AHSS and UHSS are
considered high tensile strength and high elongation steels, although AHSS and UHSS are covered
whether or not they are high tensile strength or high elongation steels.
Subject merchandise includes cold-rolled steel that has been further processed in a third country,
including but not limited to annealing, tempering, painting, varnishing, trimming, cutting, punching,
and/or slitting, or any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the
scope of the investigation if performed in the country of manufacture of the cold-rolled steel.
All products that meet the written physical description, and in which the chemistry quantities do not
exceed any one of the noted element levels listed above, are within the scope of this proceeding unless
specifically excluded. The following products are outside of and/or specifically excluded from the scope
of this proceeding:
• Ball bearing steels;1
• Tool steels;2
• Silico-manganese steel;3
• Grain-oriented electrical steels (GOES).4
• Non-Oriented Electrical Steels (NOES).5
1

Ball bearing steels are defined as steels which contain, in addition to iron, each of the following elements by
weight in the amount specified: (i) Not less than 0.95 nor more than 1.13 percent of carbon; (ii) not less than 0.22
nor more than 0.48 percent of manganese; (iii) none, or not more than 0.03 percent of sulfur; (iv) none, or not
more than 0.03 percent of phosphorus; (v) not less than 0.18 nor more than 0.37 percent of silicon; (vi) not less
than 1.25 nor more than 1.65 percent of chromium; (vii) none, or not more than 0.28 percent of nickel; (viii) none,
or not more than 0.38 percent of copper; and (ix) none, or not more than 0.09 percent of molybdenum.
2
Tool steels are defined as steels which contain the following combinations of elements in the quantity by weight
respectively indicated: (i) More than 1.2 percent carbon and more than 10.5 percent chromium; or (ii) not less
than 0.3 percent carbon and 1.25 percent or more but less than 10.5 percent chromium; or (iii) not less than 0.85
percent carbon and 1 percent to 1.8 percent, inclusive, manganese; or (iv) 0.9 percent to 1.2 percent, inclusive,
chromium and 0.9 percent to 1.4 percent, inclusive, molybdenum; or (v) not less than 0.5 percent carbon and not
less than 3.5 percent molybdenum; or (vi) not less than 0.5 percent carbon and not less than 5.5 percent tungsten.
3
Silico-manganese steel is defined as steels containing by weight: (i) Not more than 0.7 percent of carbon; (ii) 0.5
percent or more but not more than 1.9 percent of manganese, and (iii) 0.6 percent or more but not more than 2.3
percent of silicon.
4
As defined in the final determination of the U.S. Department of Commerce in Grain-Oriented Electrical Steel from
Germany, Japan, and Poland: Final Determinations of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Certain Final Affirmative
Determination of Critical Circumstances, 79 FR 42501, July 22, 2014. This determination defines grain-oriented
electrical steel as ‘‘a flat-rolled alloy steel product containing by weight at least 0.6 percent but not more than 6
percent of silicon, not more than 0.08 percent of carbon, not more than 1.0 percent of aluminum, and no other
element in an amount that would give the steel the characteristics of another alloy steel, in coils or in straight
lengths.’’
5
As defined in the antidumping orders issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce in Non-Oriented Electrical
Steel From the People’s Republic of China, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan:
Antidumping Duty Orders, 79 FR 71741, December 3, 2014. The orders define NOES as ‘‘cold-rolled, flat-rolled,

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The products subject to this proceeding are currently imported under the following Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) provisions: 7209.15.0000, 7209.16.0030, 7209.16.0060,
7209.16.0070, 7209.16.0091, 7209.17.0030, 7209.17.0060, 7209.17.0070, 7209.17.0091, 7209.18.1530,
7209.18.1560, 7209.18.2510, 7209.18.2520, 7209.18.2580, 7209.18.6020, 7209.18.6090, 7209.25.0000,
7209.26.0000, 7209.27.0000, 7209.28.0000, 7209.90.0000, 7210.70.3000, 7211.23.1500, 7211.23.2000,
7211.23.3000, 7211.23.4500, 7211.23.6030, 7211.23.6060, 7211.23.6075, 7211.23.6085, 7211.29.2030,
7211.29.2090, 7211.29.4500, 7211.29.6030, 7211.29.6080, 7211.90.0000, 7212.40.1000, 7212.40.5000,
7225.50.6000, 7225.50.8015, 7225.50.8085, 7225.99.0090, 7226.92.5000, 7226.92.7050, and
7226.92.8050.6
Purchaser.--Any firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary, in purchasing
cold-rolled steel from another firm that produces, imports, or otherwise distributes cold-rolled steel.
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.
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
alloy steel products, whether or not in coils, regardless of width, having an actual thickness of 0.20 mm or more, in
which the core loss is substantially equal in any direction of magnetization in the plane of the material. The term
‘substantially equal’ means that the cross grain direction of core loss is no more than 1.5 times the straight grain
direction (i.e., the rolling direction) of core loss. NOES has a magnetic permeability that does not exceed 1.65 Tesla
when tested at a field of 800 A/m (equivalent to 10 Oersteds) along (i.e., parallel to) the rolling direction of the
sheet (i.e., B800 value). NOES contains by weight more than 1.00 percent of silicon but less than 3.5 percent of
silicon, not more than 0.08 percent of carbon, and not more than 1.5 percent of aluminum. NOES has a surface
oxide coating, to which an insulation coating may be applied.’’
6
The products subject to this proceeding may also be imported under the following HTSUS provisions:
7210.90.9000, 7212.50.0000, 7215.10.0010, 7215.10.0080, 7215.50.0016, 7215.50.0018, 7215.50.0020,
7215.50.0061, 7215.50.0063, 7215.50.0065, 7215.50.0090, 7215.90.5000, 7217.10.1000, 7217.10.2000,
7217.10.3000, 7217.10.7000, 7217.90.1000, 7217.90.5030, 7217.90.5060, 7217.90.5090, 7225.19.0000,
7226.19.1000, 7226.19.9000, 7226.99.0180, 7228.50.5015, 7228.50.5040, 7228.50.5070, 7228.60.8000, and
7229.90.1000.
The HTSUS subheadings above are provided for convenience and U.S. Customs purposes only. The written
description of the scope of this proceeding is dispositive.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)

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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 cold-rolled steel, including
auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or not physically separate from) such
facilities.

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)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)
I-4.

Related SUBJECT importers/exporters.--Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic
or foreign, which import cold-rolled steel from Brazil, China, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and/or
the United Kingdom into the United States or which export cold-rolled steel from Brazil, China,
India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and/or the United Kingdom to the United States?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name

I-5.

Address

Affiliation

Related NONSUBJECT importers/exporters.--Does your firm have any related firms, either
domestic or foreign, which import cold-rolled steel from countries other than Brazil, China,
India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom into the United States or which export coldrolled steel from countries other than Brazil, China, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United
Kingdom to the United States?
No

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name and country

I-6.

Page 6

Address

Affiliation

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

Yes--List the following information.
Address

Affiliation

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)

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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 and inventories.—
(a) Purchases.--Report your firm’s total U.S. purchases of cold-rolled steel. (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 cold-rolled steel produced
in-United States
Brazil
China
India
Japan
Korea
Russia
United Kingdom
Canada
All other countries:1
Sources unknown
1

Please identify these countries:

2013

2014
Quantity (in short tons)

2015

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)
II-1.

Page 8

(b) Inventories.—Report your firm’s ending inventories of cold-rolled steel.
Item

Ending inventories of cold-rolled steel
produced in:
United States
Brazil
China
India
Japan
Korea
Russia
United Kingdom
Canada
All other countries
Sources unknown

2013

2014
Quantity (in short tons)

2015

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)
II-2.

Page 9

Changes in purchasing patterns.--Please indicate how the shares of your firm’s purchases of
cold-rolled steel from different sources have changed since January 1, 2013. If your purchases
fluctuated over the period, please describe the changes in each year.
Source of Did not
purchases purchase Decreased Increased Constant Fluctuated
United
States
Brazil

China

India

Japan

Korea

Russia
United
Kingdom
Canada
All other
countries
Sources
unknown

Explanation for trend

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II-3.

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

II-4.

Supplier identification.--Please list your firm’s FIVE largest suppliers for cold-rolled steel since
January 1, 2013. Also, provide the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of coldrolled steel that each of these suppliers accounted for in 2015.

No.

Supplier’s name

City and state

Share of quantity of
2015 purchases

1

%

2

%

3

%

4

%

5

%

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

Firm type.--Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of cold-rolled steel
(check all that apply)?
Automotive
end user

Construction
end user

Consumer
appliance
end user

Container
manufacturer
end user

Steel service
center or
distributor

Other

Describe other

If your firm is a distributor of cold-rolled steel, please answer questions III-2 to III-4.
III-2.

Competition for sales.--Does your firm compete for sales to customers with the manufacturers
or importers from which your firm purchases cold-rolled steel?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

III-3.

Types of customers.--What are the major types of consumers to which your firm sells cold-rolled
steel?

III-4.

Sales destination.—
(a) Are your firm’s purchases of cold-rolled steel intended for general inventory or destined for
specific customers?
General inventory

Specific customers (answer part b)

(b) If your firm’s purchases are for specific customers, does your firm have contracts with these
customers that specify the cold-rolled steel supplier?
No

Yes

Please explain, noting any differences by country.

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If your firm is an end user of cold-rolled steel, please answer questions III-5 and III-6.
III-5.

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

III-6.

Cold-rolled steel

Total
(should
sum to
100.0%
across)

Other inputs
%

+

%

=

0.0 %

%

+

%

=

0.0 %

%

+

%

=

0.0 %

Demand for end use products.-(a)

Has the demand for your firm’s final products incorporating cold-rolled steel changed
since January 1, 2013?
Increased

(b)

No change

Decreased

Fluctuated

Has this had any effect on your firm’s demand for cold-rolled steel?
No

Yes

Explain

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)
III-7.

Page 13

Substitutes.--Can other products be substituted for cold-rolled steel?
No

Substitute

Yes--Please fill out the table.

End use in which this
substitute is used

Have changes in the price of this substitute
affected the price for cold-rolled steel?
No Yes

Explanation

1.
2.
3.
III-8.

Demand trends.- Indicate how demand within the United States and outside of the United
States (if known) for cold-rolled steel has changed since January 1, 2013. 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

Within the United
States
Outside the United
States
III-9.

Importance of purchasing domestic product.--Please fill out the table below, estimating the
percentage of your firm’s total 2015 purchases of cold-rolled steel that required cold-rolled steel
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 2015
purchases of cold-rolled
steel
%
%
%
%
0.0 %

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III-10. Conditions of competition.-(a)

Is the cold-rolled steel market subject to business cycles (other than general economywide conditions) and/or other conditions of competition distinctive to cold-rolled steel?

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
cold-rolled steel since January 1, 2013?
No

Yes

If yes, describe.

III-11. Decisions based on producer and country-of-origin.--How often does your firm, and if known,
do your customers, make purchasing decisions involving cold-rolled steel 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

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III-12. Availability of supply.--Has the availability of cold-rolled steel in the U.S. market changed since
January 1, 2013?
Availability in the U.S.
Please explain, noting the countries and reasons for the
market
No Yes changes.
U.S.-produced product
Subject imports
Nonsubject imports
III-13. Supply constraints.--Has any firm refused, declined, or been unable to supply your firm with
cold-rolled steel since January 1, 2013 (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, inability to meet timely shipment commitments,
extended delivery times, weather-related supply issues, etc.)?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

III-14. Purchasing frequency.-(a)

How frequently does your firm make purchases of cold-rolled steel (check one)?
Daily

(b)

Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

Other

If other, specify

Has this purchasing frequency changed since January 1, 2013?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

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

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III-16. Supplier negotiations.—
(a) Does your firm’s purchases of cold-rolled steel usually involve negotiations between
supplier and purchaser?

No

(b)

Yes

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

Do changes in raw material costs affect your firm’s price negotiations with your coldrolled steel suppliers?
No

(c)

Yes

Please explain.

Are your firm’s purchase prices of cold-rolled steel indexed to raw material costs?
Purchase prices

No

Yes

Please explain.

Contract prices
Spot market prices
III-17. Change in suppliers.--Has your firm changed suppliers since January 1, 2013?

No

Yes

If yes, please list the supplier(s), whether the firm was added or
dropped, and 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, 2013?
No

Yes

If yes, please identify the firms.

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III-19. Supplier qualification.—
(a) Do you require your suppliers to be or to become certified or qualified to sell cold-rolled steel 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

Yes

Number
of days Process and factors

(b) If your firm has an additional approval process for certain specifications of cold-rolled steel,
please list the types of cold-rolled steel, the number of days to qualify a supplier for these
products, and your firm’s approved suppliers for these products.
General product
description

Number
of days

Approved suppliers (list by country, including the United
States)

III-20. Failure to certify.--Since January 1, 2013, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their
attempts to certify or qualify their cold-rolled steel 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 main factors your firm
considers in deciding from whom to purchase cold-rolled steel (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:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)

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III-22. Purchasing factors.--Please rate the importance of the following factors in your firm’s
purchasing decisions for cold-rolled steel.

Factor

Very
important

Somewhat
important

Not
important

Availability
Continuously-annealed product
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Packaging
Price
Prior experience with supplier
Product consistency
Product range
Quality exceeds industry standards
Quality meets industry standards
Reliability of supply
Supplier certification
Technical support/service
U.S. transportation costs
III-23. Quality characteristics.--What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the
quality of cold-rolled steel?

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)

Page 19

III-24. Frequency of decisions based on price.--How often does your firm purchase the cold-rolled
steel that is offered at the lowest price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-25. 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 cold-rolled steel market
since January 1, 2013.
Firm(s)

Describe how the firm(s) exhibited price leadership

III-26. Purchasing subject imports rather than domestic products.—
(a)

Since January 2013, did your firm purchase cold-rolled steel imported from subject
countries instead of U.S.-produced cold-rolled steel? Respond for each subject country.

Source
Brazil
China
India
Japan
Korea
Russia
United Kingdom

Yes
(also respond to parts (b)
and (c))

No
(If “No” for all countries, skip to
next question)

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)
(b)

Page 20

If you responded “Yes” to part (a), was the imported product priced lower than the
domestic product?
Source

Yes

No

Brazil
China
India
Japan
Korea
Russia
United Kingdom
(c)

If you responded “Yes” to part (a) above, was price a primary reason for the shift?

Source

Brazil
China
India
Japan
Korea
Russia
United
Kingdom

Yes

If Yes, estimate the quantity
of purchases that your firm
shifted to imports since
January 2013 because of price
(in short tons)

No

If No, please indicate the
reason for the shift

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)

Page 21

III-27. U.S. producers and import competition.—
(a)

Since January 1, 2013, in connection with a sale or offer to sell cold-rolled steel to your
firm, did U.S. producers reduce their prices of domestically produced cold-rolled steel in
order to compete with lower-priced imports of cold-rolled steel from subject countries?
Respond for each subject country.
Source

Yes (also respond to
question part (b))

No (If “No” for all countries,
skip to next question)

Don’t know

Brazil
China
India
Japan
Korea
Russia
United
Kingdom
(b)

If your firm responded “yes” to any of the above countries, please provide an estimate
of the reduction in U.S. producers’ prices, and any additional explanations, such as
timing (e.g., months/years), frequency of price reductions, or other market/competitive
factors.

Source

Estimated
reduction in U.S.
prices
(percent)

Brazil

%

China

%

India

%

Japan

%

Korea

%

Russia

%

United
Kingdom

%

Additional explanation, including such information as
timing (e.g., months/years), frequency of price
reductions, or other market/competitive factors

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)

Page 22

PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS
IV-1.

Country knowledge.--Please indicate the countries of origin for cold-rolled steel for which your
firm has actual marketing/pricing knowledge.

United
Other
United
Brazil China India Japan Korea Russia Kingdom countries
States

IV-2.

Other countries
(specify)

Interchangeability.--Is cold-rolled steel 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 Brazil China India

Japan

Korea

Russia

UK

Canada

Other
countries

U.S.
Brazil
China
India
Japan
Korea
Russia
UK
Canada
For any country-pair producing cold-rolled steel 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 - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)
IV-3.

Page 23

Factors other than price.--Are differences other than price (e.g., quality, availability,
transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between cold-rolled steel
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 Brazil China India

Japan

Korea

Russia

UK

Canada

Other
countries

U.S.
Brazil
China
India
Japan
Korea
Russia
UK
Canada
For any country-pair for which factors other than price always or frequently are a significant
factor in your firm’s purchases of cold-rolled steel, identify the country-pair and report the
advantages or disadvantages imparted by such factors:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)
IV-4.

Country preferences.--Do you or your customers ever specifically order cold-rolled steel 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 cold-rolled steel only available
from certain country sources?
No

IV-6.

Page 24

Yes

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

Choice of product not based on price.—

(a) If you purchased cold-rolled steel 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).

(b) Is your firm willing to pay more for U.S. produced cold-rolled steel than for cold-rolled steel
imported from subject countries? If yes, please identify how much more your firm is willing to
pay for U.S.-produced product.

No

Yes

If yes, how much
more? (percent)
%

If your answer varies by subject country, please
explain.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)
IV-7.

Page 25

Factor country comparisons.--For the factors listed below, please rate how cold-rolled steel
produced in each country you identified in your response to the first question in Part IV
compares with cold-rolled steel 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.

Availability
Continuously-annealed
product
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity
requirements
Packaging
Price1
Prior experience with
supplier
Product consistency
Product range
Quality exceeds industry
standards
Quality meets industry
standards
Reliability of supply
Supplier certification
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.

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Japan

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
India

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
China

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Brazil

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)
IV-7.

Page 26

Continued.

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

Availability
Continuously-annealed
product
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity
requirements
Packaging
Price1
Prior experience with
supplier
Product consistency
Product range
Quality exceeds industry
standards
Quality meets industry
standards
Reliability of supply
Supplier certification
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.

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Nonsubject
countries

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Product from
Product from
United States
United States
compared to
compared to
product from
product from
Russia
United Kingdom

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Korea

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)
IV-8.

Page 27

Minimum quality.--How often does cold-rolled steel 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
Brazil
China
India
Japan
Korea
Russia
United Kingdom
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 - Cold-Rolled Steel (Final)

Page 28

HOW TO FILE YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSE
This questionnaire is available as a “fillable” form in MS Word format on the Commission’s website at:
https://www.usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2015/cold_rolled_steel_products_brazil_china_india/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: COLD

• E-mail.—E-mail the MS Word questionnaire to [email protected]; include a scanned copy of the
signed certification page (page 1). Submitters are strongly encouraged to encrypt nonpublic documents
that are electronically transmitted to the Commission to protect your sensitive information from
unauthorized disclosure. The USITC secure drop-box system and the Electronic Document Information
System (EDIS) use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 cryptographic algorithms to
encrypt data in transit. Submitting your nonpublic documents by a means that does not use these
encryption algorithms (such as by email) may subject your firm’s nonpublic information to unauthorized
disclosure during transmission. If you choose a non-encrypted method of electronic transmission, the
Commission warns you that the risk of such possible unauthorized disclosure is assumed by you and not
by the Commission.
If your firm does not purchase this product, 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.