Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol From Taiwan: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG) from Taiwan is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 216 (Tuesday, November 10, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 10, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72517-72519]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22940]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-583-882]


Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol From Taiwan: Preliminary 
Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, 
Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional 
Measures

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily 
determines that polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG) from Taiwan is 
being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair 
value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is April 1, 2025, 
through March 31, 2026. Interested parties are invited to comment on 
this preliminary determination.

DATES: Applicable November 10, 2026.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Javeria Ali or Jacob Waddell, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office VI, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-0462 or (202) 482-1369, 
respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 
733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce 
published the notice of initiation of this investigation on May 5, 
2026.\1\ On August 28, 2026, Commerce postponed the preliminary 
determination of this investigation and the revised deadline is now 
November 4, 2026.\2\
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    \1\ See Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol from the People's 
Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and the Socialist 
Republic of Vietnam: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value 
Investigations, 91 FR 24162 (May 5, 2026) (Initiation Notice); see 
also Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol from the People's Republic of 
China, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and the Socialist Republic of 
Vietnam: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations; 
Correction, 91 FR 27266 (May 14, 2026).
    \2\ See Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol from the Republic of 
Korea, Taiwan, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Postponement 
of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value 
Investigations, 91 FR 55514 (August 28, 2026).
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    For a complete description of the events that followed the 
initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum.\3\ A list of topics

[[Page 72518]]

included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix 
II to this notice. The Preliminary 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), which is available to registered users at <a href="https://access.trade.gov">https://access.trade.gov</a>. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at <a href="https://access.trade.gov/frnotices">https://access.trade.gov/frnotices</a>.
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    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of 
Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol from Taiwan,'' dated concurrently 
with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation

    The product covered by this investigation is PTMEG from Taiwan. For 
a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix 
I.

Scope Comments

    In accordance with the Preamble to Commerce's regulations,\4\ the 
Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise 
issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope).\5\ Certain interested 
parties commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in 
the Initiation Notice. For a summary of the product coverage comments 
and rebuttal comments submitted to the record for this preliminary 
determination, and accompanying discussion and analysis of all comments 
timely received, see the Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum.\6\ 
Commerce is preliminarily not modifying the scope language as it 
appeared in the Initiation Notice. See the scope in Appendix I to this 
notice.
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    \4\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule, 
62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997) (Preamble).
    \5\ See Initiation Notice, 91 FR at 24163.
    \6\ See Memorandum, ``Less-than-Fair-Value Investigations of 
Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol from the People's Republic of China, 
the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and the Socialist Republic of 
Vietnam: Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum,'' dated concurrently 
with this notice (Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum).
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Methodology

    Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with 
section 731 of the Act. Commerce has calculated export prices in 
accordance with section 772(a) of the Act. Normal value is calculated 
in accordance with section 773 of the Act. Pursuant to section 776(a) 
and (b) of the Act, Commerce has preliminarily relied upon facts 
otherwise available, with adverse inferences, for Formosa Asahi Spandex 
Co., Ltd (FAS). For a full description of the methodology underlying 
the preliminary determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

All-Others Rate

    Sections 733(d)(1)(ii) and 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that in 
the preliminary determination, Commerce shall determine an estimated 
all-others rate for all exporters and producers not individually 
examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of 
the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for 
exporters and producers individually investigated, excluding any zero 
and de minimis margins, and any margins determined entirely under 
section 776 of the Act.
    In this investigation, Commerce preliminarily assigned a rate based 
entirely on adverse facts available to FAS. Therefore, the only rate 
that is not zero, de minimis or based entirely on facts otherwise 
available is the rate calculated for Dairen Chemical Corporation 
(Dairen). Consequently, the rate calculated for Dairen is also assigned 
as the rate for all other producers and exporters.

Preliminary Determination

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Estimated
                                                               weighted-
                                                                average
                      Exporter/producer                         dumping
                                                                margin
                                                               (percent)
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Dairen Chemical Corporation.................................        7.46
Formosa Asahi Spandex Co., Ltd..............................     * 26.42
All Others..................................................        7.46
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* Rate based on facts available with adverse inferences.

Suspension of Liquidation

    In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will 
direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation 
of entries of subject merchandise, as described in Appendix I, entered, 
or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Further, pursuant 
to section 733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), 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 respondents listed above will be 
equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping 
margins determined in this preliminary 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. These suspension of liquidation 
instructions will remain in effect until further notice.

Disclosure

    Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis 
performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination 
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 accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).
    Consistent with 19 CFR 351.224(e), Commerce will analyze and, if 
appropriate, correct any timely allegations of significant ministerial 
errors by amending the preliminary determination. However, consistent 
with 19 CFR 351.224(d), Commerce will not consider incomplete 
allegations that do not address the significance standard under 19 CFR 
351.224(g) following the preliminary determination. Instead, Commerce 
will address such allegations in the final determination together with 
issues raised in the case briefs or other written comments.

Verification

    As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to 
verify the information relied upon in making its final determination.

Public Comment

    Non-scope related case briefs or other written comments may be 
submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no 
later than seven days after the date on which the last verification 
report is issued in this investigation. Rebuttal briefs, limited to 
issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed not later than five days 
after the date for filing case briefs.\7\ Interested parties who submit 
case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding must submit: (1) a 
table of contents listing each issue; and (2) a table of 
authorities.\8\
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    \7\ See 19 CFR 351.309(d); see also Administrative Protective 
Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 88 FR 67069, 67077 (September 29, 
2023) (APO and Service Procedures).
    \8\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2)
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    As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2)(iii) and (d)(2)(iii), we 
request that interested parties provide at the beginning of their 
briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised

[[Page 72519]]

in their briefs.\9\ Further, we request that interested parties limit 
their executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not 
including citations. We intend to use the executive summaries as the 
basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision 
memorandum that will accompany the final determination in this 
investigation. We request that interested parties include footnotes for 
relevant citations in the executive summary of each issue. Note that 
Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the 
service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f).\10\
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    \9\ We use the term ``issue'' here to describe an argument that 
Commerce would normally address in a comment of the Issues and 
Decision Memorandum.
    \10\ See APO and Service Procedures.
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    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to 
request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal 
briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days 
after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain: 
1) the party's name, address, and telephone number; 2) the number of 
participants and whether any participant is a foreign national; and 3) 
a list of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is 
made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to be 
determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and 
location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.

Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional 
Measures

    Section 735(a)(2) of the Act provides that a final determination 
may be postponed until not later than 135 days after the date of the 
publication of the preliminary determination if, in the event of an 
affirmative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement 
is made by exporters who account for a significant proportion of 
exports of the subject merchandise, or in the event of a negative 
preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by 
the petitioner. Section 351.210(e)(2) of Commerce's regulations 
requires that a request by exporters for postponement of the final 
determination be accompanied by a request for extension of provisional 
measures from a four-month period to a period not more than six months 
in duration.
    On August 20, 2026, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(e), Dairen requested 
that Commerce postpone the final determination and that provisional 
measures be extended to a period not to exceed six months.\11\ In 
accordance with section 735(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.210(b)(2)(ii), because: (1) the preliminary determination is 
affirmative; (2) the requesting exporter accounts for a significant 
proportion of exports of the subject merchandise; and (3) no compelling 
reasons for denial exist, Commerce is postponing the final 
determination and extending the provisional measures from a four-month 
period to a period not greater than six months. Accordingly, Commerce 
will make its final determination no later than 135 days after the date 
of publication of this preliminary determination.
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    \11\ See Dairen's Letter, ``Request to Postpone the Final 
Determination,'' dated September 8, 2026.
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U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Notification

    In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify 
the ITC of its preliminary determination of sales at LTFV. If the final 
determination is affirmative, the ITC will determine before the later 
of 120 days after the date of this preliminary determination or 45 days 
after the final determination whether these imports are materially 
injuring, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This determination is issued and published in accordance with 
sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.205(c).

    Dated: November 4, 2026.
Scot Fullerton,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing 
Duty Operations.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

    The merchandise covered by the investigation is 
polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG), which is a polymer 
consisting of linear diols (i.e., organic chemical compound that has 
two hydroxyl (- OH) functional groups) with a molecular backbone of 
repeating tetramethylene units (- CH2CH2CH2CH2-) interconnected 
through ether bonds (i.e., a single oxygen atom bonded to two carbon 
atoms), with a chemical formula HO{(CH2)4{time} nOH. PTMEG is also 
referred to as Polytetrahydrofuran, PTHF, Polytetramethylene ether 
glycol, PTMG, and Polybutylene glycol. PTMEG is typically blended 
with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) or another stabilizer such as 
higher molecular weight hindered phenols or phosphoric acid. In 
addition to a stabilizer, PTMEG is sometimes blended with a modifier 
or additive, such as phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid. The scope 
includes all blends consisting of PTMEG and stabilizers, modifiers, 
and/or additives, where the stabilizers, modifiers, and/or additives 
collectively account for no more than two percent of the total 
weight of the PTMEG blend. PTMEG is normally associated with 
Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry number 25190-06-1.
    The scope includes all forms of PTMEG, regardless of physical 
form, purity, molecular weight, number of hydroxyls, number of 
acids, color, density, softening point, glass transition point, 
flash point, water content, viscosity, and packaging. PTMEG that has 
been blended with other products is included within this scope when 
such blends include constituent parts that have been intermingled 
but that have not been chemically reacted with each other to produce 
a different product. For such blends, only the PTMEG component of 
the mixture, inclusive of any stabilizers, modifiers, and/or 
additives collectively accounting for no more than two percent of 
the combined weight of the PTMEG component and the stabilizers, 
modifiers, and/or additives, is covered by the scope of the 
investigation.
    The scope includes merchandise matching the above description 
that has been processed in a third country, including by 
commingling, diluting, introducing, or removing stabilizers, 
modifiers, or additives, or performing any other processing that 
would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the 
investigation if performed in the subject country. The scope also 
includes PTMEG that is commingled or blended with PTMEG from sources 
not subject to the investigation. Only the subject component of such 
commingled products is covered by the scope of the investigation.
    The subject merchandise is classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) under subheading 3907.29.0000. 
Subject merchandise may also be imported under HTSUS subheadings 
2932.11.0000 and 3404.90.5150. Although the HTSUS subheading and CAS 
registry number are provided for convenience and customs purposes, 
the written description of the scope is dispositive.

Appendix II

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Affiliation
V. Application of Facts Available and Use of Adverse Inference
VI. Discussion of the Methodology
VII. Currency Conversion
VIII. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2026-22940 Filed 11-9-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P


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