18-3-3878 US purchasers' questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 18-3-3878; Expiration Date: 6/30/2020
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

LOST SALES AND LOST REVENUE SURVEY
GLYCINE FROM CHINA, INDIA, JAPAN AND THAILAND
This survey must be received by the Commission by April 11, 2018
See last page for filing instructions.
The information called for in this survey is for use by the United States International Trade Commission in connection with
countervailing duty investigations concerning glycine and certain precursor products from China, India, and Thailand and in
connection with antidumping investigations concerning glycine and certain precursor products from India, Japan and Thailand (Inv.
No. 701-TA-603-605 and 731-TA-1413-1415 (Preliminary)). The information requested in the survey 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 survey can be
obtained from Lauren Gamache ([email protected], 202-205-3489).

Name of firm
Address
City

State

Zip Code

Website
Has your firm purchased glycine (as defined on next page) at any time since January 1, 2015?

NO

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

YES

(Complete all parts of the survey, and return the entire survey 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: GLYC)
CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information herein supplied in this survey 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 survey
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

Signature

Phone

Email address

Business Proprietary
Lost Sales and Lost Revenue Survey- Glycine (Preliminary)

Page 2

GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.-- This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on March 28, 2018, by GEO
Specialty Chemical, Lafayette, Indiana and Chattem Chemicals, Inc., Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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. U.S. producers of glycine have provided the USITC with
allegations about sales or revenue that they have lost due to competition from imports of glycine from
#countries. One or more domestic producer(s) have named your firm in such an allegation.
Glycine covered by this proceeding is glycine, which in its solid (i.e.,crystallized) form is a free-flowing
crystalline material, like salt or sugar. Glycine is produced at varying levels of purity or grades. It is used
as a sweetener/taste enhancer, buffering agent, cleaning and polishing agent, reabsorbable amino acid,
chemical intermediate, metal complexing agent, and dietary supplement. It also has other
pharmaceutical, industrial, medical and cosmetic applications. The scope of this proceeding covers
glycine in any form and at any purity level or grade, regardless of additives. Glycine's chemical
composition is C2H5NO2 and is classified, since July 1, 2017, under subheading 2922.49.43.00 of the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States ("HTSUS"); before that date, it was classified under
subheading 2922.49.40.20 of the HTSUS.
The scope of this proceeding also covers precursors of dried crystalline glycine, including, but not limited
to, glycine slurry (i.e., glycine in a non-crystallized form), sodium glycinate and a non-reacted ammoniamonochloroacetic or chloroaectic acid mix. Glycine slurry is classified under the same HTSUS as
crystallized glycine (2922.49.43.00 as of July 1, 2017, and 2922.49.40.20 before that date), sodium
glycinate is classified under HTSUS 2922.49.80.00, and the non-reacted ammonia-monochloroacetic or
chloroacetic acid mix has been classified under a number of HTS US 2922.49 subheadings.
Reporting of information.--If information is not readily available from your records, provide carefully
prepared estimates.
Confidentiality.--The data furnished in response to this survey 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.
Release of information.--The information provided by your firm in response to this survey, 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. Please also retain a copy of the final document that you submit.

Business Proprietary
Lost Sales and Lost Revenue Survey- Glycine (Preliminary)

Page 3

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 survey. This
may or may not be the person whose signature is at the bottom of page 1.
Name
Title
Email
Telephone
Firms operating more than one establishment should combine the data for all establishments into a
single response.
PURCHASE INFORMATION
Purchases and imports.--Report separately your firm’s domestic purchases and imports of
glycine.

II-1.

“Purchase” – Purchase from a U.S. entity such as a U.S. producer, a U.S. importer, or other U.S.
firm.
“Import” – Purchase directly from a foreign supplier and your firm is the importer of record.
2015
Item

2016

2017

Quantity (in 1,000 pounds)

Purchases of glycine produced in—
United States
China
India
Japan
Thailand
All other countries1
Sources unknown
Total purchases

0

0

0

0

0

0

Imports of glycine from—
China
India
Japan
Thailand
All other countries1
Total imports
1

Please identify these countries:

Business Proprietary
Lost Sales and Lost Revenue Survey- Glycine (Preliminary)

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II-2. Changes in purchasing patterns.--Please indicate how the shares of your firm’s purchases of glycine
from different sources have changed since January 1, 2015.
Source of
purchases

Did not
purchase

Decreased

Increased

Constant

Fluctuated

Explanation for trend

United
States
China
India
Japan
Thailand
All other
countries
Sources
unknown
II-3. Major purchasing factors.--Please list, in order of their importance, the main factors your firm
considers in deciding from whom to purchase glycine.
1.
2.
3.
Please list any other factors that are very important in your purchase decisions:

Business Proprietary
Lost Sales and Lost Revenue Survey- Glycine (Preliminary)
II-4.

Page 5

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

Since January 2015, did your firm purchase imports of glycine from China, India, Japan,
and/or Thailand instead of U.S.-produced glycine? Respond for each subject country.

Source

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

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

China
India
Japan
Thailand
(b)

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

Yes

No

China
India
Japan
Thailand
(c)

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

Source

China
India
Japan
Thailand

Yes

If Yes, estimate the quantity
of imports purchased instead
of domestic product since
January 2015
(in 1,000 pounds)

No

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

Business Proprietary
Lost Sales and Lost Revenue Survey- Glycine (Preliminary)
II-5.

Page 6

U.S. producers and import competition.—
(a)

Since January 1, 2015, in connection with a sale or offer to sell glycine to your firm, did
U.S. producers reduce their prices of domestically produced glycine in order to compete
with lower-priced imports of glycine from the 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

China
India
Japan
Thailand
(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)

China

%

India

%

Japan

%

Thailand

%

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

II-6. Method of purchase.--Please provide a general description of your firm’s method(s) of purchase
(e.g., individual purchase, contract, bids, Internet purchases, etc.) for glycine.

Business Proprietary
Lost Sales and Lost Revenue Survey- Glycine (Preliminary)

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II-7. Price ranges by grade.--Please roughly estimate the range of prices paid by your firm for glycine
since 2015.

Grade

Minimum
price per pound
(dollars)

Maximum
price per pound
(dollars)

Pharmaceutical
USP
Technical
II-8.

Other explanations.--Please provide any additional comments in this box.

Business Proprietary
Lost Sales and Lost Revenue Survey- Glycine (Preliminary)

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OMB INFORMATION
II-9. OMB statistics.--Please report the actual number of hours required and the cost to your firm of
completing this survey.
Hours

Dollars

The questions in this survey 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 survey is estimated to average 4 hours per response,
including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering data, and completing and reviewing the
survey.
We welcome comments regarding the accuracy of this burden estimate, suggestions for reducing
the burden, and any suggestions for improving this survey. Please attach such comments to your
response or send to the Office of Investigations, USITC, 500 E St. SW, Washington, DC 20436.

HOW TO FILE YOUR SURVEY RESPONSE
Please do not attempt to modify the format or permissions of the survey document.
Please submit the completed survey using one of the methods noted below. If your firm
is unable to complete the MS Word survey 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 survey along with a scanned copy of the signed
certification page (page 1) through the Commission’s secure upload facility:
o
o
o

Web address: https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/
Enter Investigation: Select “INVESTIGATION-SPECIFIC MENU ITEM” in the drop down menu
Pin: GLYC

• E-mail.—E-mail the MS Word survey 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 did not purchase this product, please fill out page 1, print, sign, and submit a scanned copy
to the Commission.