The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of ceramic tile from China that are allegedly subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value.
Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Irving A. Williamson, Meredith M. Broadbent, Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, and Jason E. Kearns voted in the affirmative.
As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue with its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations concerning imports of this product from China, with its preliminary countervailing duty determination due on or about July 5, 2019, and its preliminary antidumping duty determination due on or about September 17, 2019.
The Commission’s public report Ceramic Tile from China (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-621 and 731-TA-1447 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 4898, June 2019) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.
The report will be available after June 25, 2019; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: https://www.usitc.gov/commission_publications_library.
Factual Highlights
Ceramic Tile from China
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-621 and 731-TA-1447 (Preliminary)
Product Description: Ceramic tile (e.g., ceramic flooring tile, wall tile, paving tile, hearth tile, porcelain tile, mosaic tile, flags, finishing tile, etc.) that is fired so the raw materials are fused to produce a finished product that is less than 3.2 cm thick. All ceramic tile is subject to the scope regardless of end use, surface area, and weight; whether glazed or unglazed; regardless of the water absorption coefficient by weight; regardless of the extent of vitrification; and whether or not the tile is on a backing. Ceramic tile may include decorative features that may in spots exceed 3.2 cm in thickness. Subject merchandise also includes ceramic tile that undergoes minor processing (e.g., beveling, cutting, trimming, staining, painting, polishing, finishing, additional firing, etc.) in a third country prior to importation into the United States.
Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigations: Preliminary phase countervailing duty and antidumping investigations.
2. Petitioners: American Wonder Porcelain, Lebanon, Tennessee; Crossville Inc., Crossville, Tennessee; Dal‐Tile Corp., Dallas, Texas; Del Conca USA, Inc., Loudon, Tennessee; Florida Tile, Inc., Lexington, Kentucky; Florim USA, Clarksville, Tennessee; Landmark Ceramics, Mount Pleasant, Tennessee; and StonePeak Ceramics, Chicago, Illinois.
3. USITC Institution Date: Wednesday, April 10, 2019.
4. USITC Conference Date: Wednesday, May 1, 2019.
5. USITC Vote Date: Friday, May 24, 2019.
6. USITC Notification to Commerce Date: Friday, May 28, 2019.
U.S. Industry in 2018:
1. Number of U.S. producers: 9.
2. Location of producers’ plants: Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas.
3. Production and related workers: 2,976.
4. U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments: $1.2 billion.
5. Apparent U.S. consumption: $3.5 billion.
6. Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption: 17.8 percent.
U.S. Imports in 2018:
1. Subject imports: $626.3 million.
2. Nonsubject imports: $1.7 billion.
3. Leading import sources: Brazil, China, Italy, Mexico, and Spain.
