US will not implement antidumping duties on PET resins after ITC ruling

CHICAGO (ICIS)–The US will not implement antidumping duties on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) imports from five countries, following a negative final determination from the International Trade Commission (ITC).

The US industry is not materially injured or threatened with material injury due to resin imports from Brazil, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan and Taiwan, the ITC ruled in a unanimous vote on Thursday.

The ITC’s ruling follows a Department of Commerce final determination in September that PET resin imports from the countries were sold in the US at less than fair value rates.

As a result of the ITC decision, the investigation is now terminated, and no antidumping duty orders will be issued on resin imports from these countries.

Resin import values for 2017 were Brazil ($152.5m), Indonesia ($44.9m), Korea ($127.3m), Pakistan ($82.6m) and Taiwan ($154m), according to the ITC.

The antidumping investigation began in autumn 2017 when US producers DAK Americas, Indorama Ventures, M&G Polymers and Nan Ya Plastics petitioned the US government. Indorama was not a petitioner in the Indonesia investigation.

The investigation covered PET of intrinsic viscosity of 0.70-0.88 dL/g.

See the timeline below for major events influencing the US PET market.

Major producers of US PET are Indorama, DAK, Nan Ya and Far Eastern New Century (FENC).