ITC votes to keep duties on ESBR imports from 4 countries

WASHINGTON—The U.S. International Trade Commission has decided to maintain existing antidumping duty orders on imports of emulsion SBR from four countries after completing a five-year sunset review of the measures.

In a July 10 ruling, the ITC determined that revoking the duties "would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time," according to a news release from the commission.

Antidumping orders on ESBR imports from Brazil, Mexico, Poland and South Korea were first set in July 2017 and ranged from 9.66 percent to 44.3 percent following a petition by Lion Elastomers L.L.C. and East-West Copolymers, the latter of which no longer is in business.

Companies impacted by the duties included South Korea's LG Chem Ltd. and Kumho Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Poland's Synthos S.A., Arlanxeo Brasil S.A. and Mexico's Negromex S.A. de C.V.-Planta Altamira.

The five-year reviews on the duties were instituted on Aug. 1, 2022. The commission then voted Nov. 4 to conduct full reviews and a hearing was held May 23.

During the July 10 vote, Chairman David Johanson and Commissioners Rhonda Schmidtlein, Jason Kearns and Amy Karpel voted to maintain the antidumping duties on the imports, while Commissioner Randolph Stayin didn't participate.

The ITC said its full report will be available by Aug. 21, when it can be accessed on the commission's website.

Back in December, the ITC determined that domestic producers of ESBR were not injured by imports of the material from the Czech Republic and Russia.

ESBR is used primarily in tire applications as well as in conveyor belts, shoe soles, hose, roller coverings and flooring. Lion Elastomers and Goodyear are the only U.S. producers of the material.