MEXICO CITY—The Mexican Ministry of Economy instituted an investigation of emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber imported into Mexico from Poland, South Korea, Japan and the U.S.
Industrias Negromex, part of Madrid-based Dynasol Group and the only Mexican ESBR producer, petitioned the Mexican government for the investigation, which was announced in the Aug. 10 issue of the Diario Oficial de la Federacion, the Mexican equivalent to the Federal Register.
The product under investigation is SBR with butadiene content of 22.5 to 62.5 percent by weight, according to a Negromex/Dynasol Group press release issued Aug. 18.
Such SBR is classified within the 1500 series (non-extended cold polymerized polymers), 1700 (extended cold polymers with oil) and 1900 (high styrene) as classified in the numerical system of the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers, Negromex said.
The Ministry of Economy set an investigation period of Nov. 1, 2015 to Oct. 31, 2016, with the period of damage analysis from Nov. 1, 2013 to Oct. 31, 2016, according to Negromex. There was no word on hearing or document submission dates.
Negromex itself was part of a U.S. ESBR antidumping investigation, instituted in August 2016 at the request of Lion Elastomers L.L.C. and the now-defunct East West Copolymer L.L.C. The investigation was against ESBR producers in Mexico, Brazil, South Korea and Poland.
The U.S. Department of Commerce handed down a final dumping margin of 19.52 percent against Negromex on July 11. On Aug. 3, the ITC voted 2-2 to make a final affirmative determination of material injury in the case.