India initiates SBR antidumping probe

NEW DELHI (Jan. 21, 2016) — An agency within the Indian Department of Commerce has initiated an antidumping investigation against 1500 and 1700 Series styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) imported from South Korea, Thailand and the European Union.

Indian Synthetic Rubber Pvt. Ltd. and Reliance Industries Ltd. filed the antidumping petition, according to the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping & Allied Duties (DGAD) in an initiation notification issued Jan. 14.

Series 1500 SBR is used to make tire treads and sidewalls, footwear, rubberized fabric, conveyor belts, hose and other goods, the DGAD said. Series 1700 is used in tires, water pipes, rubber machinery products, conveyor belts, hose and other products.

“The applicants have claimed that dumping of the product under consideration in India is materially retarding the establishment of the domestic industry,” the DGAD said.

Both companies provided detailed information relating to material injury, according to the agency. They also provided detailed comparisons between their business projections before the alleged dumping occurred and their actual performance after it occurred, the agency said.

The period of investigation will be Oct. 1, 2014, to Sept. 30, 2015, according to the initiation notification.

Indian Synthetic Rubber is a joint venture of Indian Oil Corp., TSRC Taiwan and Marubeni Corp., Japan, the document said. The company was scheduled to begin commercial production of SBR in February 2014, it said.

Reliance Industries also has built a plant for commercial production of SBR, but has yet to begin production there, although it is selling SBR in India, the document said.

The DGAD is seeking comment on the antidumping investigation for 40 days after official publication of the notification. Comments should be sent to The Designated Authority, DGAD, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Department of Commerce, 4th Floor, Jeevan Tara Bldg., 5 Parliament St., New Delhi-110001.