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Hexamine: New AD/CVD Investigations Deadlines & Scope

The Commerce Department issued notices in the Federal Register on its recently initiated antidumping duty investigations on hexamethylenetetramine (known as hexamine) from China, Germany, India and Saudi Arabia (A-570-180, A-428-854, A-533-932, A-517-807), and countervailing duty investigations on hexamine from China and India (C-570-181, C-533-933). The CVD investigations cover entries for the calendar year 2023. The AD investigations on Germany, India and Saudi Arabia cover entries July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, and the AD investigation on China covers entries Jan. 1, 2024, through June 30, 2024.

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The International Trade Commission will conduct a concurrent investigation to determine whether imports of dumped and illegally subsidized hexamine are injuring U.S. industry. If the ITC finds no injury in its preliminary injury determination, due Nov. 14, the investigations will immediately end. If Commerce finds dumping or illegal subsidization in the preliminary determinations of these investigations, due in December for CVD and March for AD, it will set AD and/or CVD cash deposit requirements for imports of merchandise subject to the investigation. If both Commerce and the ITC reach affirmative final determinations, Commerce will issue an AD and/or CVD order making duties permanent and beginning a process of annual administrative reviews to set final assessments of AD/CVD on importers and potentially change AD/CVD cash deposit rates.

AD/CVD Respondent Selection

Commerce sent quantity and value questionnaires to each potential respondent to its AD/CVD investigations on China and India, and will base respondent selection on the responses it receives. Exporters that don't get a quantity and value questionnaire can submit one using the forms available on Commerce's website. Responses are due Nov. 7.

Companies subject to the AD investigation on China also will have to submit a separate rate application to avoid getting the high China-wide rate. Separate rate applications will be due 30 days from the publication date of Commerce's AD initiation notice (i.e., Dec. 4).

For its AD investigations on Germany and Saudi Arabia, Commerce identified two companies in Germany (Prefere Paraform GmbH & Co Kg and Fiberpipe GFK Vertriebsgesellschaft) and two companies in Saudi Arabia (Methanol Chemicals Company and The Factory of Methanol Chemicals) as producers or exporters of hexamine. The agency will select these companies as respondents to its AD investigations on those two countries, respectively.

Scope of the AD/CVD Investigations

"The scope of the investigations covers hexamine in granular form, with a particle size of 5 millimeters or less, whether stabilized or unstabilized, whether or not blended, mixed, pulverized, or grounded with other products, containing 50 percent or more hexamine by weight.

"Hexamine is the common name for hexamethylene tetramine (Chemical Abstract Service #100-97-0), and is also referred to as 1,3,5,7-tetraazaadamantanemethenamine; HMT; HMTA; 1,3,5,7-tetraazatricyclo {3.3.1.13,7} decane; 1,3,5,7-tetraaza adamantane; hexamethylenamine. Hexamine has the chemical formula C6 H12 N4.

"Granular hexamine that has been blended with other product(s) is included in this scope when the resulting mix contains 50 percent or more of hexamine by weight, regardless of whether it is blended with inert additives, co-reactants, or any additives that undergo self-condensation.

"Subject merchandise includes merchandise matching the above description that has been processed in a third country, including by commingling, diluting, adding or removing additives, or performing any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigations if performed in the subject country.

"Merchandise covered by the scope of the investigations can be classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) of the United States under the subheading 2933.69.5000. The HTSUS subheading and Chemical Abstracts Service registry number are provided for convenience and customs purposes only; however, the written description of the scope is dispositive."

Comments on the scope of these investigations are due by 5 p.m. EST Nov. 12.

Investigations Timetable

EventAD DutyCV Duty
Petitions filed09/30/2409/30/24
DOC initiation date10/21/2410/21/24
ITC prelim determinations11/14/2411/14/24
DOC prelim determinations03/10/2512/26/24
DOC final determinations05/27/2503/11/25
ITC final determinations07/11/2504/25/25
Issuance of orders07/18/2505/02/25

These deadlines may be, and usually are, extended. The Commerce Department fact sheet on the initiation of these investigations is (here). See 2410010045 for a summary of the petition requesting these investigations.