[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 209 (Monday, October 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55241-55242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26877]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[A-821-803]


Titanium Sponge From Russia; Preliminary Results of Antidumpting 
Duty Administrative Review

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

action: Notice of preliminary results of antidumping duty 
administrative review.

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summary: In response to a request from two U.S. producers, Oregon 
Metallurgical Corporation (OREMET) and Titanium Metals Corporation 
(TIMET), the Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an 
administrative review of the antidumping finding on titanium sponge 
from Russia. The review covers four manufacturers/exporters, VILS-All 
Union Institute of Light Alloys (VILS), Verkhnaya Salda Metallurgical 
Production Organization (VSMPO), V/O Techsnabexport (TENEX), and the 
Berezniki Titanium-Magnesium Works (AVISMA), and exports of the subject 
merchandise to the United States for the period August 1, 1992 through 
July 31, 1993.
    We have preliminarily determined that respondents did not export 

[[Page 55242]]
    titanium sponge to the United States during the period of review. If 
these preliminary results are adopted in our final results of review we 
will instruct U.S. customs to maintain the cash deposit rate of 83.96 
percent, which is the rate established in the final results of the last 
administrative review of the antidumpting finding on titanium sponge 
from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
    Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary 
results.

effective date: October 30, 1995.

for further information contact: David Genovese or Zev Primor, Office 
of Antidumping Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230, telephone: (202) 482-5254

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On August 28, 1968, the Department of the Treasury published an 
antidumping findings on titanium sponge from the Union of Soviet 
Socialist Republics (USSR) (33 FR 12138). In December 1991, the USSR 
divided into fifteen independent states. To conform to these changes, 
the Department changed the original antidumping finding into fifteen 
findings applicable to the Baltic states and the former Republics of 
the USSR (57 FR 36070, August 12, 1992).
    On August 3, 1993, the Department published a notice of 
``Opportunity to Request an Administrative Review'' (58 FR 41239) of 
the antidumping finding on titanium sponge from Russia. On August 27 
and 30 1993, TIMET and OREMET, respectively, requested an 
administrative review. The Department initiated the review on September 
30, 1993 (58 FR 51053), The Department initiated the review on 
September 30, 1993 (58 FR 51053), covering the period August 1, 1992, 
through July 31, 1993. The Department is conducting this review in 
accordance with section 751 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act). Unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the statute and to 
the Department's regulations are references to the provisions as they 
existed on December 31, 1994.

Scope of the Review

    The merchandise covered by this review is titanium sponge from 
Russia. Titanium sponge is chiefly used for aerospace vehicles, 
specifically, in the construction of compressor blades and wheels, 
stator blades, rotors, and other parts in aircraft gas turbine engines.
    Imports of titanium sponge are currently classifiable under the 
harmonized tariff schedule (HTS) subheading 8108.10.50.10. The HTS 
subheading is provided for convenience and U.S. Customs purposes; our 
written description of the scope of this finding is dispositive.
    This review covers four manufacturers/exporters of titanium sponge, 
VILS, VSMPO, TENEX, and AVISMA. The review period is August 1, 1992, 
through July 31, 1993.

Preliminary Results of Review

    In response to the Department's request for U.S. sales information, 
VILS, TENEX, and VSMPO, reported that they did not export titanium 
sponge to the United States during the period of review. AVISMA 
reported that it produced and sold titanium sponge during the period of 
review but that it sold to unrelated intermediaries without knowledge 
of the ultimate destination of the merchandise. Because AVISMA did not 
have knowledge of the ultimate destination of the merchandise at the 
time of sale, AVISMA is a non-shipper for the purposes of this review. 
Accordingly, the effective cash deposit rate for Russian titantium 
sponge that entered the United States during the period of review will 
continue to be the rate from the most recent review, which is 83.96 
percent.
    Parties to the proceeding may request a hearing within 10 days of 
publication of this notice. Any hearing, if requested, will be held 44 
days after the date of publication of this notice, or the first workday 
thereafter and will be limited to those issues raised in the case 
briefs and/or written comments. Case briefs and/or written comments 
from interested parties may be submitted not later than 30 days after 
the date of publication. Rebuttal briefs and rebuttals to written 
comments, limited to the issues raised in the case briefs and comments, 
may be filed not later than 37 days after the date of publication. The 
Department will publish the final results of this administrative 
review, including the results of its analysis of any written comments 
or case briefs.
    Furthermore, the following deposit requirement will be effective 
for all shipments of the subject merchandise, entered or withdrawn from 
warehouse, for consumption on or after the publication date of the 
final results of this administrative review, as provided by section 
751(a)(1) of the Act: the cash deposit rate for entries of titanium 
sponge from Russia will be that rate established in the final results 
of this administrative review.
    These deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect 
until publication of the final results of the next administrative 
review.
    This notice also serves as a preliminary reminder to importers of 
their responsibility under 19 CFR 353.26 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.
    This administrative review and notice are in accordance with 
section 751(a)(1) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1675(a)(1)) and 19 CFR 353.22.

    Dated: October 20, 1995.
Susan G. Esserman,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
FR Doc. 95-26877 Filed 10-27-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P-M