On January 24, 2024, the AJM Packaging Corporation (“AJM”), Aspen Products, Inc. (“Aspen”), Dart Container Corporation (“Dart”), Hoffmaster Group, Inc. (“Hoffmaster”), Huhtamaki Americas, Inc. (“Huhtamaki”), and Unique Industries, Inc. (“Unique”), collectively known as the American Paper Plate Coalition (the “APPC” or “Petitioner”), filed a petition for the imposition of antidumping duties on imports of certain paper plates from the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and countervailing duties on imports of certain paper plates from the People’s Republic of China, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION
The following language describes the imported merchandise from China that is within the
scope of this Petition:
The merchandise subject to this investigation is certain paper plates. Paper plates subject to this investigation may be uncolored, white, colored, or printed. Printed paper plates subject to this investigation may have any type of surface finish, and may be printed by any means with images, text and/or colors on one or both surfaces. Colored paper plates subject to this investigation may be colored by any method, including but not limited to printing, beater-dyeing, and dip-dyeing. Paper plates subject to this investigation may be produced from paper of any type, may have any caliper or basis weight, may have any shape or size, may have one or more than one section, may be embossed, may have foil or other substances adhered to their surface, and/or may be uncoated or coated with any type of coating.
The paper plates subject to this investigation remain covered by the scope of this investigation whether imported alone, or in any combination of subject and non-subject merchandise. The paper plates subject to this investigation include paper plates matching the above description that have been finished, packaged, or otherwise processed in a third country by performing finishing, packaging, or processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigations if performed in the country of manufacture of the paper plates. Excluded from the scope of this investigation are paper plates produced directly from liquid fiber that is formed into the desired shape and then cured.
Also excluded from the scope of this investigation are paper bowls, paper buckets, and paper food containers with closeable lids.
PETITIONERS
The American Paper Plate Coalition is comprised of six producers of paper plates in the United States:
| AJM Packaging Corporation E-4111 Andover Rd Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 Website: www.ajmpack.com Contact: Robert Epstein President Phone: (248) 901-0010 Email: repstein@ajmpack.com | Aspen Products, Inc. 4231 Clary Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64130 Website: www.aspenpro.com Contact: William Biggins, Jr. Owner Phone: (816) 921-0234 Email: bigginsjr@aspenpro.com |
| Dart Container Corporation 500 Hogsback Road Mason, MI 48854 Website: www.dartcontainer.com Contact: Frank Liesman EVP and General Counsel Phone: (517) 248-5960 Email: Frank.Liesman- GeneralCounsel@dart.biz | Hoffmaster Group, Inc. 2920 North Main Street Oshkosh, WI 54901 Website: www.hoffmaster.com Contact: Craig Cappel CEO Phone: (800) 558-9300 Email: Craig.Cappel@hoffmaster.com |
| Huhtamaki Americas, Inc. 9201 Packaging Drive De Soto, KS 66018 Website: www.huhtamaki.com Contact: Rochelle Stringer VP and General Counsel, Americas Phone: (913) 583-3025 Email: rochelle.stringer@huhtamaki.com | Unique Industries, Inc. 4750 League Island Boulevard Philadelphia, PA 19112 Website: www.favors.com Contact: Glenn Wattenmaker VP and General Counsel Phone: (215) 336-4300 Email: gwattenmaker@favors.com |
COUNSEL FOR PETITIONERS
THE BRISTOL GROUP PLLC
1707 L Street NW, Suite 570
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 991-2701
NAMED PRODUCERS/EXPORTERS
For a list of foreign producers/exporters alleged by Petitioners, please see Attachment I.
NAMED IMPORTERS
For a list of importers alleged by the Petitioner, please see Attachment II.
ESTIMATED SCHEDULE
| Event | Earliest Date |
| Petition Filed | January 25, 2024 |
| DOC Initiation | February 14, 2024 |
| ITC Preliminary Investigation: | |
| Questionnaires Due | February 8, 2024 |
| Request to appear at hearing | February 13, 2024 |
| Hearing | February 15, 2024 |
| Briefs | February 20, 2024 |
| ITC Vote | March 10, 2024 |
| DOC Investigation Schedule: | |
| DOC Preliminary Antidumping Determination | July 3, 2024 |
| DOC Final Antidumping Determination | September 16, 2024 |
| DOC Preliminary Countervailing Determination | April 19, 2024 |
| DOC Final Countervailing Determination | July 3, 2024 |
| ITC Final Investigation: | |
| ITC Final AD Determination | October 31, 2024 |
| ITC Final CVD Determination | August 17, 2024 |
ALLEGED DUMPING MARGINS
China: 142.45% – 168.45%
Thailand: 36.97% – 42.89%
Vietnam: 255.46% – 278.56%
ALLEGED COUNTERVAILING DUTY MARGINS
Above de minimis
ALLEGED SUBSIDIES
For a list of alleged subsidies the Petitioner, please see Attachment III.
IMPORTS OF SUBJECT MERCHANDISE
| Subject Imports 2020 – 2023 | ||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | Jan-Sept 2023 | |
| China | ||||
| Quantity (KG) | 27,804,263 | 38,775,203 | 71,569,838 | 41,227,519 |
| AUV ($/KG) | $2.54 | $2.52 | $2.50 | $ 2.30 |
| Thailand | ||||
| Quantity (KG) | 262,953 | 108,137 | 2,405,681 | 1,900,693 |
| AUV ($/KG) | $2.31 | $2.63 | $2.42 | $ 2.39 |
| Vietnam | ||||
| Quantity (KG) | 1,365,892 | 1,359,703 | 2,772,059 | 2,307,921 |
| AUV ($/KG) | $5.59 | $4.08 | $3.36 | $ 2.44 |
CONTACT US For more information concerning this petition and how it may affect your business, please contact Jeffrey Neeley, Nithya Nagarajan, Stephen Brophy, or Dan Wilson.