16-3-3557 U.S. Purchasers' Questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 16-3-3557; Expiration Date: 6/30/2017
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

U.S. PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
CERTAIN BIAXIAL INTEGRAL GEOGRID PRODUCTS FROM CHINA
This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by October 26, 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 certain biaxial integral geogrid
products (“biaxial integral geogrids”) from China (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-554 and 731-TA-1309 (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 firm’s 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 biaxial integral geogrids (as defined on next page) or triaxial integral geogrids (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: GRID)
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
investigation 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 January 13, 2016, by
Tensar Corporation, Morrow, Georgia. Countervailing and 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 (“Commerce”) makes
an affirmative determination of subsidization and/or dumping. Questionnaires and other information
pertinent to this proceeding are available at:
https://usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2016/certain_biaxial_integral_geogrid_products_china/final.ht
m_0
IN-SCOPE MERCHANDISE
Biaxial Integral Geogrid covered by these investigations are a polymer grid or mesh material (whether
or not finished, slit, cut-to-length, attached to woven or non-woven fabric or sheet material, or
packaged) in which four-sided openings in the form of squares, rectangles, rhomboids, diamonds, or
other four-sided figures predominate. The products covered have integral strands that have been
stretched to induce molecular orientation into the material (as evidenced by the strands being thinner in
width toward the middle between the junctions than at the junctions themselves) constituting the sides
of the openings and integral junctions where the strands intersect. The scope includes products in which
four-sided figures predominate whether or not they also contain additional strands intersecting the
four-sided figures and whether or not the inside corners of the four-sided figures are rounded off or not
sharp angles. As used herein, the term ‘‘integral’’ refers to strands and junctions that are homogenous
with each other. The products covered have a tensile strength of greater than 5 kilonewtons per meter
(‘‘kN/m’’) according to American Society for Testing and Materials (‘‘ASTM’’) Standard Test Method
D6637/D6637M in any direction and average overall flexural stiffness of more than 100,000 milligramcentimeter according to the ASTM D7748/D7748M Standard Test Method for Flexural Rigidity of
Geogrids, Geotextiles and Related Products, or other equivalent test method standards.
Subject merchandise includes material matching the above description that has been finished,
packaged, or otherwise further processed in a third country, including by trimming, slitting, coating,
cutting, punching holes, stretching, attaching to woven or nonwoven fabric or sheet material, or any
other finishing, packaging, or other further processing that would not otherwise remove the
merchandise from the scope of the investigations if performed in the country of manufacture of the
biaxial integral geogrid.
The products subject to the scope are currently classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (‘‘HTSUS’’) under the following subheading: 3926.90.9995. Subject merchandise may also
enter under subheadings 3920.20.0050 and 3925.90.0000. The HTSUS subheadings set forth above are
provided for convenience and U.S. Customs purposes only. The written description of the scope is
dispositive.
OUT-OF-SCOPE MERCHANDISE
Triaxial integral geogrid are a polymer grid or mesh material (whether or not finished, slit, cut-tolength, attached to woven or non-woven fabric or sheet material, or packaged) in which three-sided
openings in the form of triangles predominate. Triaxial integral geogrids have integral strands that have
been stretched to induce molecular orientation into the material (as evidenced by the strands being

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Page 3

thinner in width toward the middle between the junctions than at the junctions themselves) constituting
the sides of the openings and integral junctions where the strands intersect. Triaxial integral geogrids
are oriented in three directions and further directions can be added. As referenced previously, the term
‘‘integral’’ refers to strands and junctions that are homogenous with each other. Triaxial integral
geogrids have a tensile strength of greater than 200 kilonewtons per meter (‘‘kN/m’’) according to
American Society for Testing and Materials (‘‘ASTM’’) Standard Test Method D6637 in any direction and
average overall flexural stiffness of more than 500,000 milligram-centimeter according to the ASTM
D7748 Standard Test Method for Flexural Rigidity of Geogrids, Geotextiles and Related Products, or
other equivalent test method standards.
Since the Commission defined the domestic like product as encompassing both in-scope biaxial integral
geogrids and out-of-scope triaxial integral geogrids in its preliminary determination as to injury, this
questionnaire in the final phase of these investigations seeks information on both product groups.
Geogrids.--For the purposes of this questionnaire, the term “geogrids” when referenced by itself refers
to both biaxial integral geogrids and triaxial integral geogrids, but excludes any other type of geogrid not
included in the definitions for biaxial and triaxial geogrids.
Purchaser.--Any firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary, in purchasing
biaxial integral geogrids from another firm that produces, imports, or otherwise distributes biaxial
integral geogrids.
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
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.

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Biaxial integral geogrids
I-1.

Page 4

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 biaxial integral geogrids,
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)

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Biaxial integral geogrids
I-4.

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

Yes--List the following information.

Firm name and country

I-6.

Page 5

Address

Affiliation

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

Yes--List the following information.
Address

Affiliation

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Unless otherwise indicated, please provide information in this U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire for all
geogrids (as defined on page 2). If your answer to any question differs between biaxial integral
geogrids and triaxial integral geogrids, please explain.
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 total U.S. purchases of geogrids. (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

2013

2014

2015

Quantity (in square yards)
Purchases of biaxial integral geogrids
produced in-United States
China
All other countries1
Sources unknown
Total purchases

0

0

Purchases of triaxial integral geogrids
1

II-2.

Please identify these countries:
Changes in purchasing patterns.--Please indicate how the shares of your firm’s purchases of
geogrids from different sources have changed since January 1, 2013.

Source of Did not
purchases purchase Decreased Increased Constant Fluctuated
United
States
China
All other
countries
Sources
unknown

Explanation for trend

0

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II-3.

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

II-4.

Supplier identification.--Please list your firm’s FIVE largest suppliers for geogrids since January
1, 2013. Also, provide the share of the quantity of your firm’s total purchases of biaxial integral
geogrids 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 geogrids (check all
that apply)?
End user/
Contractor

Distributor

Other

Describe

If your firm is a distributor of biaxial integral geogrids, 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 geogrids?
No

III-3.

Yes

If yes, please describe.

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

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

End uses.--List the top 3 products your firm makes using geogrids and estimate the percent of
your total production cost that is accounted for by geogrids 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-5.

Geogrids

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 geogrids changed since
January 1, 2013?
Increased

(b)

No change

Decreased

Fluctuated

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

Yes

Explain

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Biaxial integral geogrids
III-6.

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Substitutes.--Can other products be substituted for geogrids?
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 geogrids?
No Yes

Explanation

1.
2.
3.
III-7.

Demand trends.-- Indicate how demand within the United States and outside of the United
States (if known) for geogrids 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

Fluctuate
Overall
with no
decrease clear trend

Explanation and factors

Within the United
States
Outside the United
States
III-8.

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

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U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Biaxial integral geogrids
III-9.

Page 11

Conditions of competition.-(a)

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

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
geogrids since January 1, 2013?
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 geogrids 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-11. Availability of supply.--Has the availability of geogrids 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-12. Supply constraints.--Has any firm refused, declined, or been unable to supply your firm with
geogrids 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, been unable to meet timely shipment commitments, etc.)?
No

Yes

If yes, please describe.

III-13. Purchasing frequency.-(a)

How frequently does your firm make purchases of geogrids (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-14. Number of suppliers contacted.--How many suppliers does your firm generally contact before
making a purchase? Between
and
firms
III-15. Supplier negotiations.--Does your firm’s purchases of geogrids 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.

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III-16. 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-17. 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.

III-18. Supplier qualification.--Do you require your suppliers to be or to become certified or qualified
to sell biaxial integral geogrids 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

III-19. Failure to certify.--Since January 1, 2013, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their
attempts to certify or qualify their geogrids 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.

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III-20. Major purchasing factors.--Please list, in order of their importance, the main factors your firm
considers in deciding from whom to purchase geogrids (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:
III-21. Purchasing factors.--Please rate the importance of the following factors in your firm’s
purchasing decisions for geogrids.

Factor
Availability
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Packaging
Price
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Reliability of supply
Technical support/service
Engineering design support
Soils conditions testing
Job site visits
U.S. transportation costs

Very
important

Somewhat
important

Not
important

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III-22. Quality characteristics.--What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the
quality of geogrids?

III-23. Frequency of decisions based on price.--How often does your firm purchase the geogrids that
are offered at the lowest price?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never

III-24. 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 geogrids market since
January 1, 2013.
Firm(s)

Describe how the firm(s) exhibited price leadership

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III-25. Purchasing subject imports rather than domestic products.—
(a)

Since January 2013, did your firm purchase imports of biaxial integral geogrids from
China instead of U.S.-produced biaxial integral geogrids?
Yes
No
Source
(also respond to parts (b) and (c))
(If “No”, skip to next question)
China

(b)

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

Yes

No

China
(c)

If you responded “Yes” to part (a), was price a primary reason for purchasing subject
imports rather than domestic product?

Source

Yes

If Yes, estimate the quantity
of imports purchased instead
of domestic product since
January 2013 because of price
(in square yards)

No

If No, please indicate the
reason your firm purchased
imports instead of domestic
product

China
III-26. U.S. producers and import competition.—
(a)

Since January 1, 2013, in connection with a sale or offer to sell biaxial integral geogrids
to your firm, did U.S. producers reduce their prices of domestically produced biaxial
integral geogrids in order to compete with lower-priced imports of biaxial integral
geogrids from the subject countries?
Source

Yes (also respond to
question part (b))

No (If “No”, skip to next
question)

Don’t know

China
(b)

If your firm responded “yes”, 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
China

Estimated
reduction in U.S.
prices
(percent)
%

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

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PART IV.—PRODUCT COMPARISONS
IV-1.

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

China

Other
countries

Other countries (specify)

IV-2 (a). Interchangeability.—Are biaxial integral geogrids 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 geogrids 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 - Biaxial integral geogrids
IV-3.

Page 18

Factors other than price.--Are differences other than price (e.g., quality, availability,
transportation network, product range, technical support, etc.) between biaxial integral geogrids
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 biaxial integral geogrids, 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 biaxial integral geogrids
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 grades/types/sizes of biaxial integral geogrids only
available 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 biaxial integral geogrids 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 - Biaxial integral geogrids
IV-7.

Page 19

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

Superior

Inferior

Comparable

Factor

Superior

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
China

Product from
United States
compared to
product from
Nonsubject
countries

Availability
Delivery terms
Delivery time
Discounts offered
Extension of credit
Minimum quantity requirements
Packaging
Price1
Product consistency
Product range
Quality meets industry standards
Quality exceeds industry standards
Reliability of supply
Technical support/service
Engineering design support
Soils conditions testing
Job site visits
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 - Biaxial integral geogrids
IV-8.

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Minimum quality.--How often do biaxial integral geogrids 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.

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PART V.-- ALTERNATIVE PRODUCT INFORMATION
V-1.

Comparability of biaxial integral geogrids vs triaxial integral geogrids.--For each of the
following indicate whether biaxial integral geogrids (subject to these investigations) and triaxial
integral geogrids (a related product) are: fully comparable or the same, i.e., have no
differentiation between them; mostly comparable or similar; somewhat comparable or similar;
never or not-at-all comparable or similar; or no familiarity with products.
(a) Characteristics and Uses.-- The differences and similarities in the physical characteristics
and end uses between biaxial integral geogrids and triaxial integral geogrids.

Fully comparable

Mostly
comparable

Somewhat
comparable

Not at all
comparable

NA/no familiarity

Please provide a narrative discussion for the comparability ratings you provided in terms of their
characteristics and uses:

(b) Interchangeability.--The ability to substitute biaxial integral geogrids and triaxial integral
geogrids in the same application.
Fully
interchangeable

Mostly
interchangeable

Somewhat
interchangeable

Not at all
interchangeable

NA/no
familiarity

Please provide a narrative discussion for the comparability ratings you provided in terms of
their interchangeability:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Biaxial integral geogrids

Page 22

(c) Manufacturing facilities, production processes, and production employees.-- Whether
biaxial integral geogrids and triaxial integral geogrids are manufactured in the same
facilities, from the same inputs, on the same machinery and equipment, and using the
same employees.

Fully the same

Mostly the same

Somewhat the
same

Not at all the
same

NA/no familiarity

Please provide a narrative discussion for the comparability ratings you provided in terms of their
manufacturing processes:

(d) Channels of distribution.-- Channels of distribution/market situation through which biaxial
integral geogrids and triaxial integral geogrids are sold (i.e., sold direct to end users,
through distributors, etc.).

Fully comparable

Mostly
comparable

Somewhat
comparable

Not at all
comparable

NA/no familiarity

Please provide a narrative discussion for the comparability ratings you provided in terms of their
channels of distribution:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Biaxial integral geogrids

Page 23

(e) Customer and producer perceptions.--Perceptions as to the differences and/or similarities
in biaxial integral geogrids and triaxial integral geogrids in the market (e.g., sales/marketing
practices).

Fully comparable

Mostly
comparable

Somewhat
comparable

Not at all
comparable

NA/no familiarity

Please provide a narrative discussion for the comparability ratings you provided in terms of their
customer and producer perceptions:

(f)

Price.--Whether prices are comparable or differ between biaxial integral geogrids and
triaxial integral geogrids.

Fully comparable

Mostly
comparable

Somewhat
comparable

Not at all
comparable

NA/no familiarity

Please provide a narrative discussion for the comparability ratings you provided in terms of their
prices:

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire - Biaxial integral geogrids

Page 24

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://usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2016/certain_biaxial_integral_geogrid_products_china/final.ht
m_0
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: GRID

• 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.