Strontium Chromate from Austria and France Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1422-1423 (Preliminary) Publication 4836 October 2018 U.S. International Trade Commission Washington, DC 20436 U.S. International Trade Commission COMMISSIONERS David S. Johanson, Chairman Irving A. Williamson Meredith M. Broadbent Rhonda K. Schmidtlein Jason E. Kearns Catherine DeFilippo Director of Operations Staff assigned Kristina Lara, Investigator Samantha DeCarlo, Industry Analyst Tana von Kessler Economist Jennifer Brinckhaus, Accountant KaDeadra McNealy, Statistician David Goldfine, Attorney Douglas Corkran, Supervisory Investigator Address all communications to Secretary to the Commission United States International Trade Commission Washington, DC 20436 U.S. International Trade Commission Washington, DC 20436 www.usitc.gov Strontium Chromate from Austria and France Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1422-1423 (Preliminary) Publication 4836 October 2018 CONTENTS Page ....................................................................................................................... 1 ........................................................................................................ 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................ I‐1 Background ................................................................................................................................ I‐1 Statutory criteria and organization of the report ..................................................................... I‐1 Statutory criteria ................................................................................................................... I‐1 Organization of report ........................................................................................................... I‐3 Market summary ....................................................................................................................... I‐3 Summary data and data sources ............................................................................................... I‐4 Previous and related investigations .......................................................................................... I‐5 Nature and extent of alleged sales at LTFV ............................................................................... I‐5 The subject merchandise .......................................................................................................... I‐5 Commerce’s scope ................................................................................................................ I‐5 Tariff treatment ..................................................................................................................... I‐6 The product ............................................................................................................................... I‐7 Description and applications ................................................................................................. I‐7 Manufacturing processes .................................................................................................... I‐10 Domestic like product issues ................................................................................................... I‐11 Part II: Conditions of competition in the U.S. market ............................................................ II‐1 U.S. market characteristics ....................................................................................................... II‐1 Channels of distribution ........................................................................................................... II‐2 Geographic distribution ........................................................................................................... II‐2 Supply and demand considerations ......................................................................................... II‐3 U.S. supply ............................................................................................................................ II‐3 U.S. demand ......................................................................................................................... II‐5 i CONTENTS Page Substitutability issues ............................................................................................................... II‐7 Lead times ............................................................................................................................ II‐7 Factors affecting purchasing decisions................................................................................. II‐7 Comparison of U.S.‐produced and imported strontium chromate ..................................... II‐7 Part III: U.S. producer’s production, shipments, and employment ....................................... III‐1 U.S. producer ........................................................................................................................... III‐1 Production‐related activities of WPC's toller ...................................................................... III‐2 U.S. production, capacity, and capacity utilization ................................................................. III‐3 Alternative products ............................................................................................................ III‐3 U.S. producer’s U.S. shipments and exports ........................................................................... III‐4 U.S. producer's historical U.S. shipments............................................................................ III‐4 U.S. producer's U.S. shipments by product form ................................................................ III‐4 U.S. producer’s inventories ..................................................................................................... III‐5 U.S. producer’s imports and purchases .................................................................................. III‐5 U.S. employment, wages, and productivity ............................................................................ III‐6 Part IV: U.S. imports, apparent U.S. consumption, and market shares ................................ IV‐1 U.S. importers.......................................................................................................................... IV‐1 U.S. Imports ............................................................................................................................. IV‐2 Negligibility .............................................................................................................................. IV‐3 Cumulation considerations ..................................................................................................... IV‐3 Fungibility ............................................................................................................................ IV‐4 Geographical markets ......................................................................................................... I V ‐ 4 Presence in the market ....................................................................................................... I V ‐ 5 Apparent U.S. consumption .................................................................................................... I V ‐ 8 U.S. market shares .................................................................................................................. IV‐8 ii CONTENTS Page Part V: Pricing data ............................................................................................................... V‐1 Factors affecting prices ............................................................................................................ V‐1 Raw material costs ............................................................................................................... V‐1 Transportation costs to the U.S. market .............................................................................. V‐1 U.S. inland transportation costs ........................................................................................... V‐2 Pricing practices ....................................................................................................................... V‐2 Pricing methods .................................................................................................................... V‐2 Sales terms and discounts .................................................................................................... V ‐ 2 Price data .................................................................................................................................. V‐2 Import purchase costs .......................................................................................................... V‐4 Price and purchase cost trends ............................................................................................ V‐6 Price comparisons ................................................................................................................ V‐6 Lost sales and lost revenue ...................................................................................................... V‐7 Part VI: Financial experience of U.S. producers .................................................................... VI‐1 Background .............................................................................................................................. VI‐1 Operations on strontium chromate