Petition Filed for New AD/CV Duties on Ceramic Abrasive Grains From China
A domestic producer recently filed a petition with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping and countervailing duties on sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains from China. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations, which could result in the imposition of permanent AD/CVD orders and the assessment of AD and CVD on importers. Saint-Gobain Ceramics and Plastics requested the investigation.
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Ceramic abrasive grains are a type of advanced abrasive used in the production of abrasive tools. After production, sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains are bonded or coated to grinding media or “backings” (i.e., sandpapers, grinding wheels, grinding cylinders, grinding discs, etc.) for end use in high-precision manufacturing tools across a variety of industries.
Proposed Scope
The petition proposes the following scope for the investigations:
"The merchandise covered by this investigation is sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains which are comprised of minimum 94% aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and may contain other compounds, including, but not limited to, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, calcium oxide, sodium superoxide, ferric oxide, magnesium oxide, di-aluminum magnesium tetroxide, zirconium dioxide, or zirconium carbonate. Grain sizes of sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains range from 0.85 mm to 0.0395 mm (which corresponds to ANSI grit sizes from 20 to 280).
"The sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains’ defining crystalline microstructure, as well as their irregular shapes, make them well suited for advanced abrasive applications, as compared with conventional fused grains. The shapes may be angular, sharp, extra sharp, blocky, splintery, round stripped, triangular or shaped like extruded rods or stars. The hardness ranges between 16 and 22 gigapascals by the by Vickers Diamond Indent Method. The microstructure crystalline size ranges from 0.1 to 30 µm. These ceramic abrasive grains come in blue, white, white-translucent, or off-white opaque colors.
"Ceramic abrasive grains are exclusively manufactured through a “sol gel” process which creates the ceramic’s unique, defining crystalline structure and imparts certain advanced properties that distinguish ceramic abrasive grains from conventional fused abrasive grains, such as extreme hardness and strength, resistance to abrasion and chemicals, high melting point, high thermal conductivity, high degree of refractoriness, high dielectric strength, and high electric resistivity at elevated temperatures.
"Sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains are covered by the scope of this investigation, whether or not incorporated into downstream articles, including but not limited to, abrasive papers, grinding wheels, grinding cylinders, and grinding discs. When incorporated into downstream articles, only the sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains component of such articles is covered by the product scope, and not the downstream product as a whole.
"The merchandise subject to these investigations is properly classified under subheading 2818.10.2090 and 2818.10.2090 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Other merchandise subject to the current scope, including when incorporated into the abovementioned downstream articles, may be classified under HTSUS subheadings 2818.10.1000, 2818.20.0000, 2818.30.0000, 3824.99.1100, 3824.99.1900, 6804.22.1000, 6804.22.4000, 6804.22.6000, 8204.12.0000, 8474.90.0010, 8474.90.0020, 8474.90.0050, and 8474.90.0090. Although the HTSUS statistical reporting numbers are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise is dispositive."
Commerce Accepting Comments on Petition Support
The Commerce Department is accepting comments on domestic industry support for the petitions to determine whether the petitions meet the dual requirements of support by domestic producers or workers accounting for (1) at least 25% of the total production of the domestic-like product and (2) more than 50% of the production of the domestic-like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition. If the petitions meet these requirements, among others, Commerce will initiate an antidumping duty investigation. Commerce will accept comments on industry support through Dec. 9.