18-4-3999 Foreign producers' questionnaire

OMB No. 3117-0016/USITC No. 18-4-3999; Expiration Date: 6/30/2020
(No response is required if currently valid OMB control number is not displayed)

FOREIGN PRODUCERS’/EXPORTERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
QUARTZ SURFACE PRODUCTS FROM CHINA
This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by January 18, 2019
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 antidumping and countervailing duty investigations concerning quartz surface products from
China (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-606 and 731-TA-1416 (Final)). The information requested in the questionnaire is
requested under the authority of the Tariff Act of 1930, title VII.

Name of firm
Address
Website
Has your firm produced or exported quartz surface products (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 questionnaire to the Commission)

YES

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

Return questionnaire via the Commission Drop Box by clicking on the following link:
https://dropbox.usitc.gov/oinv/. (PIN: QSP)
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 means of 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 proceedings 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

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)

Page 2

PART I.--GENERAL INFORMATION
Background. --This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on April 17, 2018 by
Cambria Company LLC, Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Antidumping and countervailing 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://www.usitc.gov/investigations/701731/2018/quartz_surface_products_china/final.htm
Quartz surface products covered by these investigations are slabs and other surfaces created from a
mixture of materials that includes predominately silica (e.g., quartz, quartz powder, cristobalite) as well
as a resin binder (e.g., an unsaturated polyester). The incorporation of other materials, including, but
not limited to, pigments, cement, or other additives does not remove the merchandise from the scope
of these investigations. However, the scope of these investigations only includes products where the
silica content is greater than any other single material, by actual weight. Quartz surface products are
typically sold as rectangular slabs with a total surface area of approximately 45 to 60 square feet and a
nominal thickness of one, two, or three centimeters. However, the scope of these investigations
includes surface products of all other sizes, thicknesses, and shapes. In addition to slabs, the scope of
these investigations includes, but is not limited to, other surfaces such as countertops, backsplashes,
vanity tops, bar tops, work tops, tabletops, flooring, wall facing, shower surrounds, fire place surrounds,
mantels, and tiles. Certain quartz surface products are covered by these investigations whether polished
or unpolished, cut or uncut, fabricated or not fabricated, cured or uncured, edged or not edged, finished
or unfinished, thermoformed or not thermoformed, packaged or unpackaged, and regardless of the type
of surface finish.
In addition, quartz surface products are covered by these investigations whether or not they are
imported attached to, or in conjunction with, non-subject merchandise such as sinks, sink bowls,
vanities, cabinets, and furniture. If quartz surface products are imported attached to, or in conjunction
with, such non-subject merchandise, only the quartz surface product is covered by the scope.
Subject merchandise includes material matching the above description that has been finished,
packaged, or otherwise fabricated in a third country, including by cutting, polishing, curing, edging,
thermoforming, attaching to, or packaging with another product, or any other finishing, packaging, or
fabrication that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of these investigations if
performed in the country of manufacture of the quartz surface products.
The scope of these investigations does not cover quarried stone surface products, such as granite,
marble, soapstone, or quartzite. Specifically excluded from the scope of these investigations are crushed
glass surface products. Crushed glass surface products are surface products in which the crushed glass
content is greater than any other single material, by actual weight.
The products subject to the scope are currently classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (HTSUS) under the following subheading: 6810.99.0010. Subject merchandise may also
enter under subheadings 6810.11.0010, 6810.11.0070, 6810.19.1200, 6810.19.1400, 6810.19.5000,
6810.91.0000, 6810.99.0080, 6815.99.4070, 2506.10.0010, 2506.10.0050, 2506.20.0010, 2506.20.0080.
The HTSUS subheadings set forth above are provided for convenience and U.S. Customs purposes only.
The written description of the scope is dispositive.

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)

Page 3

Quartz surface products within the scope of these investigations include not fabricated slabs, fabricated
quartz surface products, and custom-finished fully-fabricated quartz products.
Not fabricated slabs ("Slabs") are defined as quartz surface products that have not been fabricated or
finished in any way (i.e. cutting to a specific size, edging, attaching to another product, or any other
fabrication or finishing, etc.). Slabs require further fabrication to be ready for installation. Synonyms:
Slabs, unfabricated quartz surface products, unfabricated QSP, not fabricated quartz surface products,
not fabricated QSP, unfabricated slabs, quartz slabs.
Fabricated quartz surface products ("Fabs") are defined as quartz products that have been fabricated or
finished to any degree (i.e. cutting to a specific size, edging, attaching to another product, or any other
fabrication or finishing, etc.). Fabs may be ready for installation or may require some additional
fabrication prior to installation. Synonyms: Fabs, fabricated quartz surface products, fabricated QSP,
fabricated products.
Custom-finished fully-fabricated quartz surface products (“CFFFQSP”) are defined as a fully finished
fabricated quartz surface products designed to work with other quartz and non-quartz components and
to be installed without further cutting or fabrication. CFFFQSP are quartz surface products fabricated
with fully finished edges and joints, and all exposed surfaces are polished. CFFFQSP are created for
particular projects that have already been completely designed, including details such as specialized
edge styles, shapes and sizes of sinks, counter shapes, millwork, and other details. CFFFQSP has a range
of prefinished products (e.g., vanities and backsplashes), assembled to form structural units or attached
together to form a perceived single unit, which can be installed without further fabrication. CFFFQSP
are a subset of fabricated quartz surface products.
Equation 1: 𝑸𝑺𝑷 = 𝑺𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒔 + 𝑭𝒂𝒃𝒔
Equation 2: 𝑸𝑺𝑷 = 𝑺𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒔 + (𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒃𝒔 + 𝑪𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑸𝑺𝑷)
Equation 3: 𝑭𝒂𝒃𝒔 = 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒃𝒔 + 𝑪𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑸𝑺𝑷
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,
purchaser and/or foreign producer 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

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)

Page 4

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.
Valid number error messages.--If you are completing this form in a country that uses periods (“.”) to
delineate multiples of 1000 (e.g., one million would appear as $1.000.000 rather than $1,000,000), you
may be unable to enter in numbers greater than 999 in numeric form fields. The solution to this data
entry issue is to temporarily change your operating system’s number formatting to be consistent with the
U.S. number formatting system while you complete this form. Detailed instructions on how to resolve
this issue is provided at the end of this questionnaire and is available upon request from Lawrence Jones
(202-205-3358, [email protected].
I-1.

OMB statistics.--Please report below 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 20
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 establishment(s) covered by this
questionnaire. If your firm is publicly traded, please specify the stock exchange and trading
symbol.
“Establishment”--Each facility of a firm in China involved in the production or export of quartz
surface products, including auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction with (whether or not
physically separate from) such facilities. Firms operating more than one establishment in China
should combine the data for all establishments into a single report.

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)
I-3.

Related producers and fabricators.--Does your firm or any related firm produce or fabricate,
have the capability to produce or fabricate, or have any plans to produce or fabricate quartz
surface products in the United States or other countries?

No

I-4.

Yes

Yes

2
3
4
5

If yes, please name the firm(s) below and ensure that they complete the
Commission’s importer questionnaire:

U.S. importers.--Please provide the names, contacts, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses
of the FIVE largest U.S. importers of your firm’s quartz surface products in 2017.

Importer’s name
1

If yes, please name the firm(s) and country(ies) below and, if U.S.
producer(s), ensure that they complete the Commission’s producer
questionnaire:

Related U.S. importers.--Does your firm or any related firm import or have any plans to import
quartz surface products into the United States?

No

I-5.

Page 5

Contact person

Email

Telephone

Share of your
firm’s 2017 U.S.
exports (%)

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)

Page 6

PART II.--TRADE AND RELATED INFORMATION
Further information on this part of the questionnaire can be obtained from Lawrence Jones (202-2053358, [email protected]). Supply all data requested on a calendar-year basis.
II-1.

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

II-2a.

Changes in operations.--Please indicate whether your firm has experienced any of the following
changes in relation to the production of quartz surface products since January 1, 2015.
(check as many as appropriate)
plant openings
plant closings
relocations
expansions
acquisitions
consolidations
prolonged shutdowns or
production curtailments
revised labor agreements
other (e.g., technology)

(If checked, please describe; leave blank if not applicable)

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)
II-2b.

Anticipated changes in operations.--Does your firm anticipate any changes in the character of
its operations or organization (as noted above) relating to the production of quartz surface
products in the future?

No

II-3a.

Yes

If yes, supply details as to the time, nature, and significance of such
changes and provide underlying assumptions.

Product shifting for slabs.--

(i)

Is your firm able to switch production (capacity) between the production of quartz slabs and
other products using the same equipment and/or labor?

No

(ii)

II-3b.

Page 7

Yes

If yes (i.e., have produced other products or are able to
produce other products)--Please identify other actual or
potential products:

Please describe the factors that affect your firm’s ability to shift production capacity
between products (e.g., time, cost, relative price change, etc.), and the degree to which
these factors enhance or constrain such shifts.

Production constraints for slab production.--Please describe the constraint(s) that set the limit(s)
on your firm’s production capacity of quartz slabs.

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)
II-4a.

Page 8

Product shifting for fabs.-(i)

Is your firm able to switch production (capacity) between the production of fabricated
quartz surface products and other products using the same equipment and/or labor?

No

(ii)

Yes

If yes (i.e., have produced/fabricated other products or are
able to produce/fabricate other products)--Please identify
other actual or potential products:

Please describe the factors that affect your firm’s ability to shift production capacity
between products (e.g., time, cost, relative price change, etc.), and the degree to which
these factors enhance or constrain such shifts.

II-4b.

Production constraints for fab production.--Please describe the constraint(s) that set the limit(s) on
your firm’s production/fabrication capacity relating to fabricated quartz surface products.

II-5.

Share of sales.--What percentage of your firm’s total sales in its most recent fiscal year was
represented by sales of quartz surface products?
percent.

II-6.

Firm's estimated share of production in China.--Please estimate the percentage of total production
of quartz surface products in the country specified on the certification page accounted for by your
firm’s production in 2017.
percent.

II-7.

Firm's estimated share of country's exports.--Please estimate the percentage of total exports to
the United States of quartz surface products from the country specified on the certification page
accounted for by your firm’s exports in 2017.
percent.

II-8.

Third country trade actions.--Are the quartz surface products exported by your firm subject to
antidumping/countervailing duty/safeguard findings, remedies, or proceedings?

No

Yes

If yes--List the products(s), countries affected, and the date of such
findings/remedies/proceedings.

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)

Page 9

Note.--The data reported in II-9 and II-10 should be mutually exclusive (no double counting) and cover
all of your firm's production of quartz surface products (whether shipped as unfabricated quartz slabs or
as fabricated quartz surface products). If your firm responded to the foreign producers' questionnaire in
the preliminary phase of these investigations, the data summed between II-9 and II-10 in this submission
should match the data your firm reported in the preliminary phase for the overlapping time periods.
II-9.

Trade data--Slabs.--Report your firm’s production capacity, production, shipments, and
inventories related to the production of unfabricated quartz slabs in your establishment(s) in
China during the specified periods. Do not include resales of slabs that your firm did not
produce in this question; those data to the degree they are exported to the United States should
only be reported in question II-12. Do not report production and internal consumption of slabs
your firm further fabricates in this question.
Do not submit data by manufacturing facility if they are in the same country. If your firm has
multiple manufacturing establishments within one country, you are required to combine data
for those establishments within one foreign producer questionnaire response.
“Average production capacity” or “capacity” -- The level of production that your
establishment(s) could reasonably have expected to attain during the specified periods for all
products manufactured in that establishment using the same manufacturing equipment.
Assume normal operating conditions (i.e., using equipment and machinery in place and ready to
operate; normal operating levels (hours per week/weeks per year) and time for downtime,
maintenance, repair, and cleanup; and a typical or representative product mix).
“Production” -- All production in your establishment(s) in China, including production consumed
internally within your firm, but excluding production that is fabricated (production of quartz that
your firm fabricates should be reported in II-10)
“Shipments” -- Shipments of products produced in your establishment(s) in China. Quantities
reported should be net of returns.
“Home market commercial shipments” -- Shipments, other than internal consumption and
transfers to related firms, within China.
“Home market internal consumption/transfers to related firms” -- Shipments made to
related firms in China, including product consumed internally by your firm. Do not report
fabrication as internal consumption.
“Export shipments” -- Shipments to destinations outstide of the country indicacted on page 1
(China), including shipments to related firms.
“Inventories” -- Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work-in-progress.
Note: As requested in Part I of this questionnaire, please keep all supporting documents/records
used in the preparation of the trade data, as Commission staff may contact your firm regarding
questions on the trade data. The Commission may also request that your company submit copies
of the supporting documents/records (such as production and sales schedules, inventory records,
etc.) used to compile these data.

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)
II-9.

Page 10

Trade data--Slabs.--Continued.

Slabs
Quantity (in square feet)
Projections1

Actual experience
Calendar year
Item

2015

2016

January-September
2017

2017

2018

Calendar year
2018

2019

Average production capacity2 (A)
Beginning-of-period inventories (B)
Production (C)
Home market shipments:
Internal consumption/ transfers
(D)
Commercial shipments (E)
Exports to the United States (F)
Exports to all other markets3 (G)
Total exports (H)
(should equal F+G)

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Total shipments (I)
(should equal D+E+F+G)

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

End-of-period inventories (J)
1

Please explain the basis for your firm’s projections.
.
The production capacity reported is based on operating
hours per week,
weeks per year. Please
describe the methodology used to calculate production capacity, and explain any changes in reported capacity.
3
Identify principal other export markets.
.
2

.

RECONCILIATION OF SHIPMENTS, PRODUCTION, AND INVENTORY.--Generally, the data reported for the
end-of-period inventories (i.e., line J) should be equal to the beginning-of-period inventories (i.e., line B),
plus production (i.e., line C), less total shipments (i.e., lines D, E, F, and G). Please ensure that any
differences are not due to data entry errors in completing this form, but rather actually reflect your firm’s
records; and also provide any likely explanations for any differences (e.g., theft, loss, damage, record
systems issues, etc.) if they exist.
Actual experience
Calendar year
Item

2015

2016

Projections

January-September
2017

2017

2018

Calendar year
2018

2019

B + C - D - E - F - G - J = should equal
zero ("0") or provide an explanation.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Explanation if the calculated fields above are returning values other than zero (i.e., “0”) but are nonetheless
accurate:

0

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)
II-10.

Page 11

Trade data--Fabs.--Report your firm’s production capacity, production, shipments, and
inventories related to the production of fabricated quartz surface products ("fabs") in your
establishment(s) in China during the specified periods. Do not include resales of quartz surface
products that your firm did not produce in this question; those data to the degree they are
exported to the United States should only be reported in question II-12.
Do not submit data by manufacturing facility if they are in the same country. If your firm has
multiple manufacturing establishments within one country, you are required to combine data
for those establishments within one foreign producer questionnaire response.
“Average production capacity” or “capacity” -- The level of production that your
establishment(s) could reasonably have expected to attain during the specified periods for all
products produced in that establishment using the same production equipment. Assume normal
operating conditions (i.e., using equipment and machinery in place and ready to operate;
normal operating levels (hours per week/weeks per year) and time for downtime, maintenance,
repair, and cleanup; and a typical or representative product mix).
“Production” -- All production in your establishment(s) in China, including production consumed
internally within your firm.
“Shipments” -- Shipments of products produced in your establishment(s) in China. Quantities
reported should be net of returns.
“Home market commercial shipments” -- Shipments, other than internal consumption and
transfers to related firms, within China.
“Home market internal consumption/transfers to related firms” -- Shipments made to
related firms in China, including product consumed internally by your firm. If your firm attaches
any of its fully finished fabricated quartz surface products to other products such as cabinetry or
vanities prior to sale, report those shipments as internal consumption. .
“Export shipments” -- Shipments to destinations outstide of the country indicacted on page 1
(China), including shipments to related firms.
“Inventories” -- Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work-in-progress.
Note: As requested in Part I of this questionnaire, please keep all supporting documents/records
used in the preparation of the trade data, as Commission staff may contact your firm regarding
questions on the trade data. The Commission may also request that your company submit copies
of the supporting documents/records (such as production and sales schedules, inventory records,
etc.) used to compile these data.

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)
II-10.

Page 12

Trade data--Fabs.--Continued.

Fabs
Quantity (in square feet)
Projections1

Actual experience
Calendar year
Item

2015

2016

January-September
2017

2017

2018

Calendar year
2018

2019

2

Average production capacity (A)
Beginning-of-period inventories (B)
Production (C)
Home market shipments:
Internal consumption/ transfers
(D)
Commercial shipments (E)
Exports to the United States (F)
Exports to all other markets3 (G)
Total exports (H)
(should equal F+G)

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Total shipments (I)
(should equal D+E+F+G)

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

End-of-period inventories (J)
1

Please explain the basis for your firm’s projections.
.
The production capacity reported is based on operating
hours per week,
weeks per year. Please
describe the methodology used to calculate production capacity, and explain any changes in reported capacity.
3
Identify principal other export markets.
.
2

.

RECONCILIATION OF SHIPMENTS, PRODUCTION, AND INVENTORY.--Generally, the data reported for the
end-of-period inventories (i.e., line J) should be equal to the beginning-of-period inventories (i.e., line B),
plus production (i.e., line C), less total shipments (i.e., lines D, E, F, and G). Please ensure that any
differences are not due to data entry errors in completing this form, but rather actually reflect your firm’s
records; and also provide any likely explanations for any differences (e.g., theft, loss, damage, record
systems issues, etc.) if they exist.
Actual experience
Calendar year
Item

2015

2016

Projections

January-September
2017

2017

2018

Calendar year
2018

2019

B + C - D - E - F - G - J = should equal
zero ("0") or provide an explanation.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Explanation if the calculated fields above are returning values other than zero (i.e., “0”) but are nonetheless
accurate:

0

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)
II-11.

Page 13

Level of fabrication--Fabs.--Report your firm’s exports to the United States of fabricated quartz
surface products by level of fabrication.
Quantity (in square feet)
Projections1

Actual experience
Calendar year
Item

2015

2016

January-September
2017

2017

2018

Calendar year
2018

2019

Exports to the United States:
CFFFQSP (K)
Partial fabs (L)
1

Please explain the basis for your firm’s projections.

.

RECONCILIATION OF EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES.--Please ensure that the quantities reported for your
firm's exports to the United States by level of fabrication (i.e., lines K and L) in each time period equal the
quantity reported for exports to the United States(i.e., line F) in each time period. If the calculated fields below
return values other than zero (i.e., “0”), the data reported must be revised prior to submission to the
Commission.
Actual experience
Calendar year
Item

2015

2016

Projections

January-September
2017

2017

Calendar year

2018

2018

2019

K + L - F = should equal zero ("0") or
provide an explanation.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Explanation if the calculated fields above are returning values other than zero (i.e., “0”) but are nonetheless
accurate:
II-12.

0

Exports to the United States not produced by your firm.--Report your firm’s exports to the
United States of quartz surface products that were produced or fabricated in China but not by
your firm (these data should reflect simple resales with no fabrication activity conducted by
your firm) during the specified periods. Note these data should not be included in questions II-9
or II-10.
Quantity (in square feet)
Actual experience
Calendar year
Item

2015

2016

Projections

January-September
2017

2017

2018

Calendar year
2018

2019

Exports to the United States not
produced or fabricated by your
firm (i.e., simple resales)1
Unfabricated quartz slabs
Fabricated quartz surface
products
All resales exported to
the Unites States
1

List the producer(s).

0

0

0

0

0

0

0
.

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)

Page 14

II-13a. Technology.--Does your firm produce quartz surface products using the patented production
process and machinery developed by Breton S.p.A.?

No

Yes

If no--Describe the extent to which your production technology is similar
or dissimilar to Breton technology.

II-13b. Technology share.--What percentage of your firm’s 2017 exports of quartz surface products to the
United States were produced using Breton technology?
percent.
II-14a. Production cost differences.--Are there noticeable cost differences in the production associated
with unfabricated quartz slabs based on design characteristics or production technology?
Item

No

Yes

If yes--Please describe.

Design characteristics
Production technology (i.e.,
Breton vs other)
II-14b. Production changeover for quartz slabs.-(i)

Please describe how long it takes to change over production between designs, as well as the
steps involved.
Average change over time
(in hours)

(ii)

Steps

What factors most impact your firm's production changeover efficiency?
Factors

II-15.

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

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)

Page 15

Correcting Valid number error messages.--If you are completing a Commission

questionnaire in a country that uses periods (“.”) to delineate multiples of 1000 (e.g., one million would
appear as $1.000.000 instead of as $1,000,000), you may be unable to enter in numbers greater than
999 in numeric form fields. This issues stem from your computer number formatting setting (e.g., not
the MS Word document itself, but the computer from which you are opening up the document). In the
United States commas (,) delineate multiples of 1000 and periods (.) delineate fractions less than
one. Many EU countries use the reverse where multiples of 1000 are delineated with periods (.) and
fractions less than one are delineated with commas (,). The US International Trade Commission’s
questionnaires are set-up in the United States with the U.S. number formatting. When this formatting
interacts with a computer set to EU number formatting, we believe this may cause this issue.
The solution to this data entry issue is to temporarily change your operating system’s number
formatting to be consistent with the U.S. number formatting system while you complete the
questionnaire.
To temporarily change your computer’s number settings to U.S. settings, please do the following (for
Microsoft Windows Operating system):






START
Control Panel
Region and Language (under Clock, Language, and Region category)
Format tab
Change the Format from your existing one (e.g. “Italian (Italy)”) to “English (United States)” (see
screen shots below)

When you do this the number “twelve million dollars and thirty five cents” would change from
$12.000.000,35 (Italy format) to $12,000,000.35 (U.S. format), and then there will be no conflict with
the USITC foreign producer questionnaire form. When you finish reporting the data then you can close
the questionnaire and switch back to Italy settings.

Contains Business Proprietary Information
Foreign Producers’ Questionnaire – Quartz Surface Products (Final)

Page 16

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/701731/2018/quartz_surface_products_china/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: QSP

• E-mail.--E-mail your 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 did not produce or export 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, you are 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 you submit (see 19 CFR
§ 207.7). Service of the questionnaire must be made in paper form.