[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 96 (Monday, May 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27104-27105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12460]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Inv. No. 337-TA-480]


Certain Panel Fasteners, Products Containing Same, and Components 
Thereof; Notice of Commission Decision Not To Review an Initial 
Determination Terminating the Investigation on the Basis of a Consent 
Order; Issuance of Consent Order

AGENCY: U.S. International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade 
Commission has determined not to review the presiding administrative 
law judge's (``ALJ's'') initial determination (``ID'') terminating the 
above-captioned investigation on the basis of a consent order.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clara Kuehn, Esq., Office of the 
General Counsel, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20436, telephone (202) 205-3012. Copies of the 
ALJ's ID and all other nonconfidential documents filed in connection 
with this investigation are or will be available for inspection during 
official business hours (8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.) in the Office of the 
Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20436, telephone 202-205-2000. General information 
concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its 
Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). The public record for this 
investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket 
(EDIS-ON-LINE) at http://dockets.usitc.gov/eol/public. Hearing-impaired 
persons are advised that information on this matter can be obtained by 
contacting the Commission's TDD terminal on 202-205-1810.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission instituted this investigation 
on October 4, 2002, based on a complaint filed on behalf of Kason 
Industries, Inc. of Shenandoah, Georgia (``Kason''). 67 FR 62,264 
(2002). The complaint, as supplemented, alleged violations of section 
337 in the importation into the United States, sale for importation, 
and sale within the United States after importation of certain panel 
fasteners, products containing same, and components thereof by reason 
of infringement of claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 6,299,224, and claims 1-4 
of U.S. Patent No. 6,409,235. Id. The Commission named as respondents 
Cheng Tai Company of Kwun Tong Kowloon, Hong Kong (``Cheng Tai''); 
Ningbo Foreign Trading Company, Ltd. of Ningbo, China (``Ningbo''); and 
Component Hardware Group of Lakewood, New Jersey (``CHG''). Id.
    On March 24, 2003, respondent CHG filed an unopposed motion to 
terminate the investigation as to CHG on the basis of a proposed 
consent order. On April 2, 2003, the Commission investigative attorney 
(``IA'') filed a response supporting CHG's motion. In a paper filed 
April 7, 2003, respondent CHG noted that in light of the agreement by 
Cheng Tai and Ningbo to be bound by the proposed consent order, CHG was 
submitting a proposed joint consent order that applied to CHG, Cheng 
Tai, and Ningbo. On April 7, 2003, Cheng Tai also filed a consent order 
stipulation and a copy of the proposed joint consent order. On April 8, 
2003, Ningbo filed a consent order stipulation and a copy of the 
proposed joint consent order. On April 14, 2003, the IA filed a 
supplemental response supporting termination of the investigation as to 
respondents CHG, Cheng Tai, and Ningbo on the basis of the proposed 
joint consent order. On April 18, 2003, Kason responded that it did not 
oppose

[[Page 27105]]

the consent order stipulations filed by Cheng Tai and Ningbo.
    On April 21, 2003, the ALJ issued an ID (Order No. 7) terminating 
the investigation on the basis of the proposed joint consent order. No 
petitions for review of the ID were filed.
    The authority for the Commission's determination is contained in 
section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1337), and 
in section 210.42 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure 
(19 CFR 210.42).

    Issued: May 13, 2003.

    By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 03-12460 Filed 5-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P