Steel Wire Garment Hangers from the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Antidumping Duty Investigation, 52855-52859 [E7-18247]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• International Trade Administration

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 179 (Monday, September 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52855-52859]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18247]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-918]


Steel Wire Garment Hangers from the People's Republic of China: 
Initiation of Antidumping Duty Investigation

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 17, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julia Hancock or Irene Gorelik, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office 9, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
1394 or (202) 482-6905, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Petition

    On July 31, 2007, the Department of Commerce (``Department'') 
received a petition concerning imports of steel wire garment hangers 
from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') (``Petition'') filed in 
proper form by M&B Metal Products Company, Inc. (``Petitioner''). In 
accordance with section 732(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended 
(``Act''), Petitioner alleges that imports of steel wire garment 
hangers from the PRC are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United 
States at less than fair value, within the meaning of section 731 of 
the Act, and that such imports are materially injuring, or threatening 
material injury to, an industry in the United States.
    On August 3, 2007, the Department issued a request for additional 
information and clarification of certain areas of the Petition. Based 
on the Department's request, Petitioner filed its response on August 8, 
2007. On August 16, 2007, the Department issued polling questionnaires 
to the domestic industry. In addition, the Department extended the 
initiation deadline because, pursuant to section 732(c)(1)(B) of the 
Act, the Department determined that it needed to poll the domestic 
industry to determine support for the Petition. See Steel Wire Garment 
Hangers from the People's Republic of China: Extension of the Deadline 
for Determining the Adequacy of the Antidumping Duty Petition, 72 FR 
46606 (August 21, 2007) (``Extension of Initiation Deadline'').\1\ On 
August 17, 2007, the Department issued a second request for additional 
information and clarification of certain areas of the Petition, to 
which Petitioner responded on August 27, 2007.
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    \1\ Twenty days from the original deadline is September 9, 2007. 
However, Department practice dictates that where a deadline falls on 
a weekend, the appropriate deadline is the next business day. See 
Notice of Clarification: Application of ``Next Business Day'' Rule 
for Administrative Determination Deadlines Pursuant to the Act, 70 
FR 24533 (May 10, 2005).
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    The Department finds that Petitioner filed this Petition on behalf 
of the domestic industry because Petitioner is an interested party as 
defined in section 771(9)(C) and (D) of the Act, and has demonstrated 
sufficient industry support with respect to the antidumping duty 
investigation that Petitioner is requesting that the Department 
initiate (see ``Determination of Industry Support for the Petition'' 
section below). The period of investigation (``POI'') is January 1, 
2007, through June 30, 2007. See 19 CFR 351.204(b).

Scope of Investigation

    The merchandise that is subject to this investigation is steel wire 
garment hangers, fabricated from carbon steel wire, whether or not 
galvanized or painted, whether or not coated with latex or epoxy or 
similar gripping materials, and/or whether or not fashioned with paper 
covers or capes (with or without printing) and/or nonslip features such 
as saddles or tubes. These products may also be referred to by a 
commercial designation, such as shirt, suit, strut, caped, or latex 
(industrial) hangers. Specifically excluded from the scope of this 
investigation are wooden, plastic, and other garment hangers that are 
classified under separate subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
of the United States (``HTSUS''). The products subject to this 
investigation are currently classified under HTSUS subheading 
7326.20.0020. Although the HTSUS subheading is provided for convenience 
and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise is 
dispositive.

Comments on the Scope of Investigation

    During our review of the Petition, we discussed the scope with 
Petitioner to ensure that it is an accurate reflection of the products 
for which the domestic industry is seeking relief. Moreover, as 
discussed in the preamble to the regulations, we are setting aside a 
period for interested parties to raise issues regarding product 
coverage. See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties; Final Rule, 62 
FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997). The Department encourages all 
interested parties to submit such comments within 20 calendar days of 
signature of this notice.

[[Page 52856]]

Comments should be addressed to Import Administration's Central Records 
Unit (``CRU''), Room 1870, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 - Attention: Julia 
Hancock and Irene Gorelik, Room 2814B. The period of scope 
consultations is intended to provide the Department with ample 
opportunity to consider all comments and to consult with parties prior 
to the issuance of the preliminary determination.

Comments on Product Characteristics for Antidumping Duty Questionnaire

    We are requesting comments from interested parties regarding the 
appropriate physical characteristics of steel wire garment hangers to 
be reported in response to the Department's antidumping questionnaire. 
For example, we are considering whether physical characteristics such 
as steel grade, types of steel wire and/or steel wire rod, steel wire 
gauge, hanger length, whether or not painted, type of latex, fashioned 
with a strut or saddle, fashioned with paper covers or capes, and the 
bottom bar length are relevant. This information will be used to 
identify the key physical characteristics of the subject merchandise in 
order for respondents to report more accurately the relevant factors of 
production, in accordance with the Department's non-market economy 
(``NME'') methodology, as described in the ``Normal Value'' section 
below.
    Interested parties may provide any information or comments that 
they believe are relevant to the development of an accurate listing of 
physical characteristics. Specifically, they may provide comments as to 
which characteristics are appropriate to use as the product reporting 
criteria. We note that it is not always appropriate to use all product 
characteristics as product reporting criteria.
    In order to consider the suggestions of interested parties in 
developing and issuing the antidumping duty questionnaire, we must 
receive non-proprietary comments at the above-referenced address by 
October 1, 2007, and rebuttal comments must be timely filed by October 
11, 2007.

Determination of Industry Support for the Petition

    Section 732(b)(1) of the Act requires that a petition be filed on 
behalf of the domestic industry. Section 732(c)(4)(A) of the Act 
provides that a petition meets this requirement if the domestic 
producers or workers who support the petition account for: (i) at least 
25 percent of the total production of the domestic like product; and 
(ii) more than 50 percent of the production of the domestic like 
product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support 
for, or opposition to, the petition. Moreover, section 732(c)(4)(D) of 
the Act provides that, if the petition does not establish support of 
domestic producers or workers accounting for more than 50 percent of 
the total production of the domestic like product, the Department 
shall: (i) poll the industry or rely on other information in order to 
determine if there is support for the petition, as required by 
subparagraph (A), or (ii) determine industry support using a 
statistically valid sampling method.
    Section 771(4)(A) of the Act defines the ``industry'' as the 
producers as a whole of a domestic like product. Thus, to determine 
whether a petition has the requisite industry support, the statute 
directs the Department to look to producers and workers who produce the 
domestic like product. The International Trade Commission (``ITC''), 
which is responsible for determining whether ``the domestic industry'' 
has been injured, must also determine what constitutes a domestic like 
product in order to define the industry. While both the Department and 
the ITC must apply the same statutory definition regarding the domestic 
like product (section 771(10) of the Act), they do so for different 
purposes and pursuant to a separate and distinct authority. In 
addition, the Department's determination is subject to limitations of 
time and information. Although this may result in different definitions 
of the like product, such differences do not render the decision of 
either agency contrary to law. See USEC, Inc. v. United States, 132 F. 
Supp. 2d 1, 8 (CIT 2001), citing Algoma Steel Corp. Ltd. v. United 
States, 688 F. Supp. 639, 644 (CIT 1988), aff'd 865 F.2d 240 (Fed. Cir. 
1989), cert. denied 492 U.S. 919 (1989).
    Section 771(10) of the Act defines the domestic like product as ``a 
product which is like, or in the absence of like, most similar in 
characteristics and uses with, the article subject to an investigation 
under this subtitle.'' Thus, the reference point from which the 
domestic like product analysis begins is ``the article subject to an 
investigation,'' (i.e., the class or kind of merchandise to be 
investigated, which normally will be the scope as defined in the 
petition).
    With regard to the domestic like product, Petitioner does not offer 
a definition of domestic like product distinct from the scope of the 
investigation. Based on our analysis of the information submitted on 
the record, we have determined that wire hangers constitute a single 
domestic like product and we have analyzed industry support in terms of 
that domestic like product. For a discussion of the domestic like 
product analysis in this case, see the Antidumping Duty Investigation 
Initiation Checklist: Steel Wire Garment Hangers from the People's 
Republic of China (PRC), Industry Support at Attachment II 
(``Initiation Checklist''), on file in the CRU.
    As stated above, on August 21, 2007, the Department published a 
notice extending the initiation deadline by 20 days to poll the 
domestic industry, in accordance with section 732(c)(4)D) of the Act, 
because it was ``not clear from the Petition whether the industry 
support criteria have been met...'' See Extension of Initiation 
Deadline, 72 FR at 46606. On August 16, 2007, we issued polling 
questionnaires to all known domestic producers of wire hangers 
identified in the Petition and by the Department's research. The 
questionnaires are on file in the CRU. For a detailed discussion of the 
responses received, see Initiation Checklist at Attachment II.
    Based on an analysis of the data collected from polling the 
domestic industry, we determine that the domestic producers or workers 
who support the Petition account for at least 25 percent of the total 
production of the domestic like product, and the requirements of 
section 732(c)(4)(A)(i) of the Act are met. Furthermore, given that 
Petitioner and supporters of the Petition represent more than 50 
percent of the production of the domestic like product provided by that 
portion of the industry expressing support or opposition to the 
Petition, the requirements of section 732(c)(4)(A)(ii) of the Act are 
also met. Accordingly, we determine that this Petition is filed on 
behalf of the domestic industry within the meaning of section 732(b)(1) 
of the Act. See Initiation Checklist at Attachment II.
    The Department finds that Petitioner filed the Petition on behalf 
of the domestic industry because it is an interested party as defined 
in sections 771(9)(C) and (D) of the Act and it has demonstrated 
sufficient industry support with respect to the antidumping duty 
investigation that it is requesting the Department initiate. See 
Initiation Checklist at Attachment II.
    Allegations and Evidence of Material Injury and Causation
    Petitioner alleges that the U.S. industry producing the domestic 
like product is being materially injured by reason of the imports of 
the subject

[[Page 52857]]

merchandise sold at less than NV. Petitioner contends that the 
industry's injured condition is illustrated by reduced market share, 
production, capacity and capacity utilization, shipments, by 
underselling and price depressing and suppressing effects, by lost 
revenue and sales, by reduced employment, by decline in financial 
performance, and by an increase in import penetration. We have assessed 
the allegations and supporting evidence regarding material injury, 
threat of material injury, and causation, and we have determined that 
these allegations are properly supported by adequate evidence and meet 
the statutory requirements for initiation. See Initiation Checklist at 
Attachment III.

Allegations of Sales at Less Than Fair Value

    The following is a description of the allegations of sales at less 
than fair value upon which the Department based its decision to 
initiate this investigation of imports of steel wire garment hangers 
from the PRC. The sources of data for the deductions and adjustments 
relating to the U.S. price and the factors of production are also 
discussed in the Initiation Checklist. See Initiation Checklist. Should 
the need arise to use any of this information as facts available, 
pursuant to section 776 of the Act, in our preliminary or final 
determination, we will reexamine the information and revise the margin 
calculations, if appropriate.

Export Price

    Petitioner relied on 12 U.S. prices for steel wire garment hangers 
manufactured in the PRC and offered for sale in the United States. The 
prices quoted were for four different types of steel wire garment 
hangers falling within the scope of the this Petition, for delivery to 
the U.S. customer within the POI. Petitioner deducted from the prices 
the costs associated with exporting and delivering the product, 
including ocean freight and insurance charges, and U.S. duty, port and 
wharfage fees. See Initiation Checklist. Petitioner provided 
declarations indicating the importer profit margin and based 
international freight on its knowledge and experience. See Petition at 
Exhibit 36, and Supplement to the Petition, dated August 8, 2007, at 
pages 16-17. Additionally, Petitioner deducted from the prices a U.S. 
credit adjustment using the average prime rate for the POI from the 
U.S. Federal Reserve, at https://www.federalreserve.gov. See Initiation 
Checklist, at Attachment V; Supplement to the Petition, dated August 
27, 2007, at Attachment 3.
    Petitioner also calculated a margin based on the weighted average 
unit value (``AUV'') data for the POI of imports from the PRC under 
HTSUS subheading 7326.20.0020, which contains only subject merchandise. 
Since the AUV for HTS 7326.20.0020 is on an FOB basis, there were no 
deductions made from the AUV to obtain the U.S. price.

Normal Value

    Petitioner stated that the PRC remains an NME country and no 
determination to the contrary has yet been made by the Department. 
Recently, the Department examined the PRC's market status and 
determined that NME status should continue for the PRC. See Memorandum 
from the Office of Policy to David M. Spooner, Assistant Secretary for 
Import Administration, Regarding the People's Republic of China Status 
as a Non-Market Economy, dated May 15, 2006. (This document is 
available online at https://ia.ita.doc.gov/download/prc-nme-status/prc-
nme-status-memo.pdf.) In addition, in two recent investigations, the 
Department also determined that the PRC is an NME country. See Final 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: Certain Activated 
Carbon from the People's Republic of China, 72 FR 9508 (March 2, 2007); 
Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Partial 
Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances: Certain Polyester 
Staple Fiber from the People's Republic of China, 72 FR 19690 (April 
19, 2007). In accordance with section 771(18)(C)(i) of the Act, the 
presumption of NME status remains in effect until revoked by the 
Department. The presumption of NME status for the PRC has not been 
revoked by the Department and remains in effect for purposes of the 
initiation of this investigation. Accordingly, the NV of the product is 
appropriately based on factors of production valued in a surrogate 
market economy country in accordance with section 773(c) of the Act. In 
the course of this investigation, all parties will have the opportunity 
to provide relevant information related to the issues of the PRC's NME 
status and the granting of separate rates to individual exporters.
    Petitioner selected India as the surrogate country arguing that, 
pursuant to section 773(c)(4) of the Act, India is an appropriate 
surrogate because it is a market economy country that is at a level of 
economic development comparable to that of the PRC and there is 
publicly available information from India. See Petition at 39. Although 
India is not a significant producer of steel wire garment hangers, 
Petitioner argued that India is a significant producer of comparable 
steel wire products. Id. at 40. Moreover, Petitioner argued that other 
potential surrogate countries, i.e., Egypt, Indonesia, the Philippines, 
and Sri Lanka, not only are not significant producers of steel wire 
garment hangers, but also are not significant producers of comparable 
steel wire products. Based on the information provided by Petitioner, 
we believe that the use of India as a surrogate country is appropriate 
for purposes of initiation. After the initiation of the investigation, 
we will solicit comments regarding surrogate country selection. Also, 
pursuant to 19 CFR 351.301(c)(3)(i), interested parties will be 
provided an opportunity to submit publicly available information to 
value factors of production within 40 days of the date of signature of 
the preliminary determination.
    Petitioner provided dumping margin calculations using the 
Department's NME methodology as required by 19 CFR 351.202(b)(7)(i)(C) 
and 19 CFR 351.408. Petitioner calculated NVs for each U.S. price 
discussed above based on the consumption rates for producing steel wire 
garment hangers from a U.S. producer, which it stated should be similar 
to the consumption of PRC producers. See Petition at 41. Petitioner 
used this U.S. producer's consumption figures for October 2005 to 
September 2006. See Supplement to the Petition, dated August 8, 2007, 
at Exhibit I.
    For the NV calculations, Petitioner was unable to obtain surrogate 
value figures contemporaneous with the POI for all material inputs, and 
accordingly relied upon the most recent information available. The 
source of this data is the World Trade Atlas compilation of Indian 
import statistics, which provided data through December 2006 at the 
time the Petition was filed. See Petition at Exhibit 29. To value 
certain factors of production, Petitioner used official Indian 
government import statistics, excluding those values from countries 
previously determined by the Department to be NME countries and 
excluding imports into India from Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, and 
Thailand, because the Department has previously excluded prices from 
these countries because they maintain broadly available, non-industry 
specific export subsidies. See Final Results of Administrative Review 
and Final Results of New Shipper Review: Hand Trucks and Certain Parts 
Thereof from the People's Republic of China, 72 FR 27287 (May 15, 
2007), and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum at Comment 23. 
Additionally, Petitioner also

[[Page 52858]]

disregarded prices from North Korea, as the Department has in previous 
cases. See Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review: 
Chrome-Plated Lug Nuts from the People's Republic of China, 61 FR 58514 
(November 15, 1996); Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty 
Administrative Review: Certain Frozen Fish Fillets from the Socialist 
Republic of Vietnam, 71 FR 53387, 53399 (September 11, 2006).
    For inputs valued in Indian rupees and not contemporaneous with the 
POI, Petitioner used information from the wholesale price indices 
(``WPI'') in India as published in International Financial Statistics 
by the International Monetary Fund to inflate the input prices. See 
Petition at Exhibits 33 and 34; Supplement to the Petition, dated 
August 27, 2007, at Attachment 1. In addition, Petitioner made currency 
conversions, where necessary, based on the average rupee/U.S. dollar 
exchange rate for the POI, as reported on the Department's Web site at 
https://ia.ita.doc.gov/exchange/.
    Petitioner valued electricity in the production of steel wire 
garment hangers based on the Indian electricity rate as reported in the 
Key World Energy Statistics 2003, published by the International Energy 
Agency for the year 2000. See Petition at Exhibit 30 (Memorandum to the 
File, through Alex Villanueva, Program Manager, Office 9, Import 
Administration, from Matthew Renkey, Senior Analyst, RE: Antidumping 
Duty Administrative Review of Glycine from the People's Republic of 
China: Surrogate Values for the Preliminary Results, dated April 2, 
2007 (``Glycine from the PRC'')). Petitioner valued water using the 
value from Glycine from the PRC, which was calculated from the simple 
average rate of water for industrial use from various regions as 
reported by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation at 
https://midcindia.org., dated June 1, 2003. Id. Petitioner valued 
natural gas using the 2005 rate for India published by the American 
Chemistry Council. See Petition at Exhibit 31. In each case, Petitioner 
adjusted these figures for inflation to the POI using WPI data. See 
Supplement to the Petition, dated August 27, 2007, at Attachments 1-2.
    For the NV calculations, Petitioner calculated the surrogate 
financial ratios from the factory overhead, selling, general and 
administrative expenses, and profitability of an Indian manufacturer of 
steel fasteners, Lakshmi Precision Screws Ltd. (``Lakshmi''), which 
were used in the initiation of certain steel nails from the PRC. See 
Initiation of Antidumping Investigation: Certain Steel Nails from the 
People's Republic of China and the United Arab Emirates, 72 FR 38816 
(July 16, 2007) (``Initiation of Nails from the PRC''); see also 
Petition at 42 and Exhibit 35. Petitioner claims that Lakshmi is an 
appropriate source for surrogate financial ratios because the company 
produces fabricated wire products that use the same input, steel wire, 
as steel wire garment hangers and the company's data is publicly 
available. Petitioner states that Lakshmi produces its finished 
downstream wire products in a manner similar to steel wire garment 
hangers, i.e., specifically feeding the steel wire from coils into a 
machine where the wire is straightened, cut to the designated length, 
and formed into the finished product. See Supplement to the Petition, 
dated August 8, 2007, at 26. Petitioner stated that it was unable to 
find public financial statements from Indian steel wire garment hanger 
producers because India does not have a domestic garment hanger 
industry; therefore, Petitioner argues, Lakshmi provides the best 
information reasonably available as a surrogate for the production of 
steel wire garment hangers in the PRC. See Supplement to the Petition, 
dated August 8, 2007, at 19.
    The Department finds that Petitioner's use of Lakshmi as the source 
for the surrogate financial expenses is appropriate for purposes of 
initiation. Specifically, the Department finds that Lakshmi is the best 
publicly available source for the surrogate financial ratios because 
Lakshmi produces wire products using a main input and a production 
process similar to that of steel wire garment hangers. However, the 
Department made minor modifications to the surrogate financial ratios 
calculated by Petitioner. Additionally, the Department made a minor 
modification to the weighted average NV for the POI of imports from the 
PRC under HTSUS subheading 7326.20.0020. As a result, the calculations 
for the 12 NVs, the weighted-average NV, and the resulting margin 
calculations changed slightly. See Initiation Checklist at Attachment 
V.

Fair Value Comparisons

    Based on the data provided by Petitioner, there is reason to 
believe that imports of steel wire garment hangers from the PRC are 
being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair 
value. Based on comparisons of export price to NV, calculated in 
accordance with section 773(c) of the Act, the estimated dumping 
margins for steel wire garment hangers from the PRC range from 203.02 
to 618 percent. However, the Department may re-examine these carefully 
if it becomes necessary to consider the Petition margins for purposes 
of applying adverse facts available.

Initiation of Antidumping Investigation

    Based upon the examination of Petition on steel wire garment 
hangers from the PRC, the Department finds that the Petition meets the 
requirements of section 732 of the Act. Therefore, we are initiating 
this antidumping duty investigation to determine whether imports of 
steel wire garment hangers from the PRC are being, or are likely to be, 
sold in the United States at less than fair value. In accordance with 
section 733(b)(1)(A) of the Act, unless postponed, we will make our 
preliminary determination no later than 140 days after the date of this 
initiation.

Separate Rates

    The Department recently modified the process by which exporters and 
producers may obtain separate-rate status in NME investigations. See 
Policy Bulletin 05.1: Separate-Rates Practice and Application of 
Combination Rates in Antidumping Investigations involving Non-Market 
Economy Countries (April 5, 2005) (Separate Rates and Combination Rates 
Bulletin), available on the Department's website at https://
ia.ita.doc.gov/policy/bull05-1.pdf. The process requires the submission 
of a separate-rate status application. Based on our experience in 
processing the separate-rate applications in the following antidumping 
duty investigations, we have modified the application for this 
investigation to make it more administrable and easier for applicants 
to complete. See Initiation of Antidumping Duty Investigation: Certain 
New Pneumatic Off-the-Road Tires from the People's Republic of China, 
72 FR 43591 (August 6, 2007) (``Tires from the PRC''); Initiation of 
Nails from the PRC, 72 FR 38816; Initiation of Antidumping Duty 
Investigation: Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the 
People's Republic of China, 72 FR 36663 (July 5, 2007); and Initiation 
of Antidumping Duty Investigations: Coated Free Sheet Paper from 
Indonesia, the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea, 
71 FR 68537 (November 27, 2006). The specific requirements for 
submitting the separate-rate application in this investigation are 
outlined in detail in the application itself, which will be available 
on the Department's website at https://ia.ita.doc.gov/ia-highlights-and-
news.html on the date of publication of this initiation notice in

[[Page 52859]]

the Federal Register. The separate-rate application is due no later 
than November 9, 2007.

Respondent Selection and Quantity and Value Questionnaire

    In recent NME investigations, it has been the Department's practice 
to request quantity and value information from all known exporters 
identified in the petition. See Initiation of Nails from the PRC, 72 FR 
at 38821; Tires from the PRC, 72 FR at 43595. However, for this 
investigation, because HTSUS subheading 7326.20.00.20, as discussed 
above in the ``Scope of the Investigation,'' provides comprehensive 
coverage of imports of steel wire garment hangers, the Department 
expects to select respondents in this investigation based on U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection (``CBP'') data of U.S. imports under 
HTSUS subheading 7326.20.0020 from the POI.

Use of Combination Rates in an NME Investigation

    The Department will calculate combination rates for certain 
respondents that are eligible for a separate rate in this 
investigation. The Separate Rates and Combination Rates Bulletin, 
states:
    {w{time} hile continuing the practice of assigning separate rates 
only to exporters, all separate rates that the Department will now 
assign in its NME investigations will be specific to those producers 
that supplied the exporter during the period of investigation. Note, 
however, that one rate is calculated for the exporter and all of the 
producers which supplied subject merchandise to it during the period of 
investigation. This practice applies both to mandatory respondents 
receiving an individually calculated separate rate as well as the pool 
of non-investigated firms receiving the weighted-average of the 
individually calculated rates. This practice is referred to as the 
application of ``combination rates'' because such rates apply to 
specific combinations of exporters and one or more producers. The cash-
deposit rate assigned to an exporter will apply only to merchandise 
both exported by the firm in question and produced by a firm that 
supplied the exporter during the period of investigation.
See Separate Rates and Combination Rates Bulletin, at 6.

Distribution of Copies of the Petition

    In accordance with section 732(b)(3)(A) of the Act, copies of the 
public version of the Petition have been provided to the representative 
of the Government of the PRC. We will attempt to provide a copy of the 
public version of the Petition to the foreign producers/exporters, 
consistent with 19 CFR 351.203(c)(2).

International Trade Commission Notification

    We have notified the ITC of our initiation, as required by section 
732(d) of the Act.

Preliminary Determinations by the International Trade Commission

    The ITC will preliminarily determine, within 25 days after the date 
on which it receives notice of this initiation, whether there is a 
reasonable indication that imports of steel wire garment hangers from 
the PRC are causing, or threatening to cause, material injury to a U.S. 
industry. See section 733(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Act. A negative ITC 
determination will result in the investigation being terminated; 
otherwise, this investigation will proceed according to statutory and 
regulatory time limits.
    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 777(i) of 
the Act.

    Dated: September 10, 2007.
Joseph A. Spetrini,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-18247 Filed 9-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S