PET imports into USA from changing mix of sources amid anti dumping investigation

05-Jun-15

Imports of polyethylene terephthalate into the US have declined and have also been coming from a changing mix of sources in the wake of an anti-dumping investigation, as per market sources in Platts. The US Department of Commerce has commenced investigations into alleged dumped and subsidized PET resin. The Department of Commerce will have determinations on preliminary countervailing duties this month and determinations on preliminary antidumping duties in August, the Department of Commerce said. US producers DAK Americas, M&G Chemicals and Nan Ya filed a petition with the US International Trade Commission on March 10 claiming damage due to dumping by producers in Canada, China, India and Oman and by government subsidies to producers in China, India and Oman. A distributor said an increasing amount of West Coast imports have come from Taiwan instead of China, and a producer said the East Coast has seen an increase in imported Brazilian product. US PET producers have also claimed a larger market share since the anti-dumping investigation, sources have said. A trading source expected to see prices of imported Chinese PET to drop due to the risks of duties that may be applied to the product. From 2012 to 2014, Canada, China, India and Oman provided 55.83% of US imports of the PET specified in the petition, according to ITC data. The four countries supplied a combined 820,000 mt over that period, with imports from China and Oman increasing 70.9% and 53.3%, respectively, during that period.