Notice2025-05315

Dioctyl Terephthalate From Malaysia: Final Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value

Primary source

Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.

Published
March 28, 2025

Issuing agencies

Commerce DepartmentInternational Trade Administration

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP) from Malaysia is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 59 (Friday, March 28, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 59 (Friday, March 28, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14073-14075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05315]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-557-827]


Dioctyl Terephthalate From Malaysia: Final Affirmative 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that 
dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP) from

[[Page 14074]]

Malaysia is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at 
less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is 
January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023.

DATES: Applicable March 28, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nathan Araya, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office II, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On November 5, 2024, Commerce published in the Federal Register its 
preliminary affirmative determination in the LTFV investigation of DOTP 
from Malaysia and invited interested parties to comment.\1\ For a 
complete description of the events that followed the Preliminary 
Determination, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.\2\
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    \1\ See Dioctyl Terephthalate from Malaysia: Preliminary 
Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, 
Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional 
Measures, 89 FR 87848 (November 5, 2024) (Preliminary 
Determination).
    \2\ See Memorandum, ``Issues and Decision Memorandum for the 
Final Affirmative Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value 
Investigation of Dioctyl Terephthalate from Malaysia,'' dated 
concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues and 
Decision Memorandum).
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    The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on 
file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). 
ACCESS is available to registered users at <a href="https://access.trade.gov">https://access.trade.gov</a>. In 
addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can 
be accessed directly at <a href="https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx">https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx</a>.

Scope of the Investigation

    The product covered by this investigation is DOTP from Malaysia. 
For a full description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix 
I.

Scope Comments

    We received no comments from interested parties on the scope of the 
investigation as it appeared in the Preliminary Determination. 
Therefore, we made no changes to the scope of the investigation.

Verification

    Commerce verified the sales and cost information submitted by UPC 
Chemicals (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. (UPC MY) for use in our final 
determination, consistent with section 782(i) of the Tariff Act of 
1930, as amended (the Act).\3\ We used standard verification 
procedures, including an examination of relevant sales and accounting 
records, and original source documents provided by UPC MY.
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    \3\ See Memoranda, ``Verification of the Sales Response of UPC 
Chemicals (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. In the Less-Than-Fair-Value 
Investigation of Dioctyl Terephthalate from Malaysia,'' dated 
January 10, 2025; and ``Verification of the Cost Response of UPC 
Chemicals (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. (UPC MY) in the Less-Than-Fair-Value 
Investigation of Dioctyl Terephthalate from Malaysia,'' dated 
February 18, 2025.
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Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs submitted by 
interested parties in this investigation are addressed in the Issues 
and Decision Memorandum. A list of the issues addressed in the Issues 
and Decision Memorandum is attached to this notice as Appendix II.

Changes Since the Preliminary Determination

    We made certain changes to the dumping margin calculation of UPC MY 
since the Preliminary Determination. For a discussion of these changes, 
see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

All-Others Rate

    Sections 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provides that the estimated 
weighted-average dumping margin for all other producers and exporters 
not individually investigated shall be equal to the weighted average of 
the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for 
individually investigated exporters and producers, excluding rates that 
are zero, de minimis, or determined entirely under section 776 of the 
Act.
    For the final determination of this investigation, UPC MY was the 
only individually examined exporter/producer for which Commerce 
calculated an individual estimated weighted average dumping margin. 
Because UPC MY's dumping margin is the only individually calculated 
dumping margin that is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts 
otherwise available, the estimated weighted-average dumping margin 
calculated for UPC MY is the margin assigned to all other producers and 
exporters, pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act.

Final Determination

    Commerce determines that the following estimated weighted-average 
dumping margins exist:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Estimated
                                                               weighted-
                                                                average
                      Exporter/producer                         dumping
                                                                margin
                                                               (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPC Chemicals (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd............................        7.50
All Others..................................................        7.50
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclosure

    Commerce intends to disclose the calculations performed in 
connection with this final determination to interested parties within 
five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public 
announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Continuation of Suspension of Liquidation

    In accordance with section 735(c)(1)(B) of the Act, Commerce will 
instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to continue to 
suspend liquidation of all appropriate entries of subject merchandise, 
as described in Appendix I of this notice, which were entered, or 
withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, on or after November 5, 
2024, the date of publication of the Preliminary Determination in the 
Federal Register. These suspension of liquidation instructions will 
remain in effect until further notice.
    Pursuant to section 735(c)(1)(B)(ii) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.210(d), where appropriate, Commerce will instruct CBP to require a 
cash deposit equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin or 
the estimated all-others rate, as follows: (1) the cash deposit rate 
for the respondent listed above will be equal to the company-specific 
estimated weighted-average dumping margin determined in this final 
determination; (2) if the exporter is not a respondent identified 
above, but the producer is, then the cash deposit rate will be equal to 
the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margin 
established for that producer of the subject merchandise; and (3) the 
cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters will be equal 
to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin for all other 
producers and exporters.

U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Notification

    In accordance with section 735(d) of the Act, Commerce will notify 
the ITC of the final affirmative determination of sales at LTFV. 
Because Commerce's final determination is affirmative, in accordance 
with section 735(b)(2) of the

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Act, the ITC will make its final determination as to whether the 
domestic industry in the United States is materially injured, or 
threatened with material injury, by reason of imports or sales (or the 
likelihood of sales) for importation of DOTP no later than 45 days 
after this final determination. If the ITC determines that such injury 
does not exist, this proceeding will be terminated, all cash deposits 
posted will be refunded, and suspension of liquidation will be lifted. 
If the ITC determines that such injury does exist, Commerce will issue 
an antidumping order directing CBP to assess, upon further instruction 
by Commerce, antidumping duties on all imports of the subject 
merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or 
after the effective date of the suspension of liquidation, as discussed 
above in the ``Continuation of Suspension of Liquidation'' section.

Administrative Protective Order (APO)

    This notice will serve as a final reminder to parties subject to an 
APO of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary 
information disclosed under APO in accordance with accordance with 19 
CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of the return or 
destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order 
is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the 
terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This determination and notice are issued and published pursuant to 
sections 735(d) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.210(c).

    Dated: March 20, 2025.
Christopher Abbott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the 
non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I--Scope of the Investigation

    The merchandise covered by this investigation is dioctyl 
terephthalate (DOTP), regardless of form. DOTP that has been blended 
with other products is included within this scope when such blends 
include constituent parts that have not been chemically reacted with 
each other to produce a different product. For such blends, only the 
DOTP component of the mixture is covered by the scope of the 
investigations.
    DOTP that is otherwise subject to this investigation is not 
excluded when commingled with DOTP from sources not subject to these 
investigations. Commingled refers to the mixing of subject and non-
subject DOTP. Only the subject component of such commingled products 
is covered by the scope of these investigations.
    DOTP has the general chemical formulation of 
C<INF>6</INF>H<INF>4</INF> 
(C<INF>8</INF>H<INF>17</INF>COO)<INF>2</INF> and a chemical name of 
``bis (2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate'' and has a Chemical Abstract 
Service (CAS) registry number of 6422-86-2. Regardless of the label, 
all DOTP is covered by this investigation.
    Subject merchandise is currently classified under subheading 
2917.39.2000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTSUS). Subject merchandise may also enter under subheadings 
2917.39.7000 or 3812.20.1000 of the HTSUS. While the CAS registry 
number and HTSUS classifications are provided for convenience and 
customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this 
investigation is dispositive.

Appendix II--List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision 
Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Changes Since the Preliminary Determination
IV. Discussion of the Issues
    Comment 1: Treatment of Home Market Gross Price and Expense 
Variables
    Comment 2: Minor Corrections Presented at Verification
    Comment 3: Treatment of Packing Expenses
    Comment 4: Treatment of Shutdown Costs
    Comment 5: Treatment of Cost Adjustments in the Preliminary 
Determination
V. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2025-05315 Filed 3-27-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on March 28, 2025.

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