Large Newspaper Printing Presses and Components Thereof, Whether Assembled or Unassembled, From Japan: Final Results Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

AGENCY:

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice of final results of antidumping duty administrative review.

SUMMARY:

On October 19, 2000, the Department of Commerce published the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on large newspaper printing presses and components thereof, whether assembled or unassembled, from Japan (65 FR 62700). This review covers the U.S. sales of two manufacturers/exporters, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho, Ltd. The period of review is September 1, 1998, through August 31, 1999.

We gave interested parties an opportunity to comment on the preliminary results. Based on our analysis of the comments received, we have made changes in the margin calculations. Therefore, the final results differ from the preliminary results. The final weighted-average dumping margins for the reviewed firms are listed below in the “Final Results of Review” section of this notice.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

February 26, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James Nunno or Christopher Priddy, Office 2, AD/CVD Enforcement Group I, Import Administration, Room B099, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-0783, or (202) 482-1130, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Applicable Statute and Regulations

Unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), are references to the provisions effective January 1, 1995, the effective date of the amendments made to the Act by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA). In addition, unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the Department of Commerce's (the Department's) regulations are to 19 CFR Part 351 (April 1999).

Background

This review covers two manufacturers/exporters, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho, Ltd. (TKS).

On October 19, 2000, the Department of Commerce published in the Federal Register the preliminary results of the antidumping duty order on large newspaper printing presses and components thereof, whether assembled or unassembled, (LNPPs) from Japan. See Large Newspaper Printing Presses and Components Thereof, Whether Assembled or Unassembled, from Japan: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 65 FR 62700 (Oct. 19, 2000) (Preliminary Results).

We invited parties to comment on our preliminary results of review. At the request of MHI and its affiliate MLP U.S.A., Inc., we held a public hearing on December 20, 2000. The Department has conducted this administrative review in accordance with section 751 of the Act.

Scope of the Review

The products covered by this review are large newspaper printing presses, including press systems, press additions, and press components, whether assembled or unassembled, whether complete or incomplete, that are capable of printing or otherwise manipulating a roll of paper more than two pages across. A page is defined as a newspaper broadsheet page in which the lines of type are printed perpendicular to the running of the direction of the paper or a newspaper tabloid page with lines of type parallel to the running of the direction of the paper.

In addition to press systems, the scope of this review includes the five press system components. They are: (1) a printing unit, which is any component that prints in monocolor, spot color, and/or process (full) color; (2) a reel tension paster, which is any component that feeds a roll of paper more than two newspaper broadsheet pages in width into a subject printing unit; (3) a folder, which is a module or combination of modules capable of cutting, folding, and/or delivering the paper from a roll or rolls of newspaper broadsheet paper more than two pages in width into a newspaper format; (4) conveyance and access apparatus capable of manipulating a roll of paper more than two newspaper broadsheet pages across through the production process and which provides structural support and access; and (5) a computerized control system, which is any computer equipment and/or software designed specifically to control, monitor, adjust, and coordinate the functions and operations of large newspaper printing presses or press components.

A press addition is comprised of a union of one or more of the press components defined above and the equipment necessary to integrate such components into an existing press system.

Because of their size, large newspaper printing press systems, press additions, and press components are typically shipped either partially assembled or unassembled, complete or incomplete, and are assembled and/or completed prior to and/or during the installation process in the United States. Any of the five components, or collection of components, the use of which is to fulfill a contract for large newspaper printing press systems, press additions, or press components, regardless of degree of assembly and/or degree of combination with non-subject elements before or after importation, is included in the scope of this review. Also included in the scope are elements of a LNPP system, addition, or component, which taken altogether, constitute at least 50 percent of the cost of manufacture of any of the five major LNPP components of which they are a part.

For purposes of this review, the following definitions apply irrespective of any different definition that may be found in Customs rulings, Customs law or the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS): the term “unassembled” means fully or partially unassembled or disassembled; and (2) the term “incomplete” means lacking one or more elements with which the LNPP is intended to be equipped in order to fulfill a contract for a LNPP system, addition or component.

This scope does not cover spare or replacement parts. Spare or replacement parts imported pursuant to a LNPP contract, which are not integral to the original start-up and operation of the LNPP, and are separately identified and valued in a LNPP contract, whether or not shipped in combination with covered merchandise, are excluded from the scope of this review. Used presses are also not subject to this scope. Used presses are those that have been previously sold in an arm's-length transaction to a purchaser that used them to produce newspapers in the ordinary course of business.

Also excluded from the scope, in accordance with the Department's determination in a changed-circumstances antidumping duty administrative review of this order with respect to MHI which resulted in the partial revocation of the order with respect to certain merchandise, are elements and components of LNPP systems, and additions thereto, which feature a 22 inch cut-off, 50 inch web width and a rated speed no greater than 75,000 copies per hour. See Large Newspaper Printing Presses Components Thereof, Whether Assembled or Unassembled, from Japan: Final Results of Changed Circumstances Antidumping Duty Administrative Review and Intent to Revoke Antidumping Duty Order, In Part, 64 FR 72315 (Dec. 27, 1999). In addition to the specifications set out in this paragraph, all of which must be met in order for the product to be excluded from the scope of the order, the product must also meet all of the specifications detailed in the five numbered sections following this paragraph. If one or more of these criteria is not fulfilled, the product is not excluded from the scope of the order.

1. Printing Unit: A printing unit which is a color keyless blanket-to-blanket tower unit with a fixed gain infeed and fixed gain outfeed, with a rated speed no greater than 75,000 copies per hour, which includes the following features:

• Each tower consisting of four levels, one or more of which must be populated.
• Plate cylinders which contain slot lock-ups and blanket cylinders which contain reel rod lock-ups both of which are of solid carbon steel with nickel plating and with bearers at both ends which are configured in-line with bearers of other cylinders.
• Keyless inking system which consists of a passive feed ink delivery system, an eight roller ink train, and a non-anilox and non-porous metering roller.
• The dampener system which consists of a two nozzle per page spraybar and two roller dampener with one chrome drum and one form roller.
• The equipment contained in the color keyless ink delivery system is designed to achieve a constant, uniform feed of ink film across the cylinder without ink keys. This system requires use of keyless ink which accepts greater water content.

2. Folder: A module which is a double 3:2 rotary folder with 160 pages collect capability and double (over and under) delivery, with a cut-off length of 22 inches. The upper section consists of three-high double formers (total of 6) with six sets of nipping rollers.

3. RTP: A component which is of the two-arm design with core drives and core brakes, designed for 50 inch diameter rolls; and arranged in the press line in the back-to-back configuration (left and right hand load pairs).

4. Conveyance and Access Apparatus: Conveyance and access apparatus capable of manipulating a roll of paper more than two newspaper broadsheets across through the production process, and a drive system which is of conventional shafted design.

5. Computerized Control System: A computerized control system, which is any computer equipment and/or software designed specifically to control, monitor, adjust, and coordinate the functions and operations of large newspaper printing presses or press components.

Further, this review covers all current and future printing technologies capable of printing newspapers, including, but not limited to, lithographic (offset or direct), flexographic, and letterpress systems. The products covered by this review are imported into the United States under subheadings 8443.11.10, 8443.11.50, 8443.30.00, 8443.59.50, 8443.60.00, and 8443.90.50 of the HTSUS. Large newspaper printing presses may also enter under HTSUS subheadings 8443.21.00 and 8443.40.00. Large newspaper printing press computerized control systems may enter under HTSUS subheadings 8471.49.10, 8471.49.21, 8471.49.26, 8471.50.40, 8471.50.80, and 8537.10.90. Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, our written description of the scope of this review is dispositive.

Analysis of Comments Received

All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs by parties to this administrative review are addressed in the “Issues and Decision Memorandum” (Decision Memorandum) from Richard W. Moreland, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, to Bernard T. Carreau, fulfilling the duties of Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, dated February 15, 2001, which is hereby adopted by this notice. A list of the issues which parties have raised and to which we have responded, all of which are in the Decision Memorandum, is attached to this notice as an Appendix. Parties can find a complete discussion of all issues raised in this review and the corresponding recommendations in this public memorandum which is on file in the Central Records Unit in Room B-099 of the main Commerce Building. In addition, a complete version of the Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly on the Web at http://ia.ita.doc.gov. The paper copy and electronic version of the Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

Changes Since the Preliminary Results

Based on our analysis of comments received, we have made certain changes to the margin calculations. For a discussion of these changes, see the “Margin Calculations” section of the Decision Memorandum.

Final Results of the Review

As a result of this review, we have determined that the following margins exist for the period September 1, 1998 through August 31, 1999:

Assessment Rates

The Department shall determine, and the Customs Service shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries. The Department will issue appraisement instructions directly to the Customs Service. For entries of subject merchandise from MHI and TKS, we have calculated importer-specific assessment rates by aggregating the dumping margins calculated for all examined sales and dividing by the entered value of those sales. These rates will be assessed uniformly on all entries of that particular importer made with respect to the U.S. sales examined. In accordance with 19 CFR 351.106(c)(2), we will instruct the Customs Service to liquidate without regard to antidumping duties all entries of the subject merchandise for which the importer-specific assessment rate is zero or de minimis (i.e., less than 0.50 percent).

This notice serves as a final reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in the Secretary's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of double antidumping duties.

Cash Deposit Requirements

The following deposit requirements shall be effective for all shipments of the subject merchandise from Japan that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the publication date of the final results of these administrative review, as provided for by section 751(a)(1) of the Act: (1) The cash deposit rates for MHI and TKS will be the rates established above in the “Final Results of the Review” section; (2) for previously investigated companies not listed above, the cash deposit rates will continue to be the company-specific rates published for the most recent period; (3) if the exporter is not a firm covered in this review, or the original investigation, but the manufacturer is, the cash deposit rate will be the rate established for the most recent period for the manufacturer of the merchandise; and (4) the cash deposit rate for all other manufacturers or exporters of this merchandise will continue to be 58.69 percent, the all others rate made effective by the less-than-fair value investigation. These requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until publication of the final results of the next administrative review.

This notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 353.34(d). Timely written notification of return/destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulation and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

This administrative review and notice are issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.221.

Appendix—Issues in Decision Memorandum

Comments

1. Universe of Home Market Sales

2. Date of Sale

3. Time Period for Selling Expense and Cost Ratios

4. Denominator of the Profit and Selling Expense Ratios Used in Constructed Value

5. Allocation of General and Administrative Expenses to Further Manufacturing

6. Denominator of the General and Administrative Expense Ratio Applied to Further Manufacturing

7. Credit Expenses for the Pre-Production Period

8. Credit Expenses for the Post-Production Period