[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14951-14952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4297]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

[TA-W-57,794]


Cognis Corporation Cincinnati, OH; Notice of Negative 
Determination on Reconsideration

    On November 29, 2005, the Department issued an Affirmative 
Determination Regarding Application for Reconsideration for the workers 
and former workers of Cognis Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio. The 
Department's Notice was published in the Federal Register on March 2, 
2006 (71 FR 10708).
    The negative determination was based on the findings that there was 
no shift of specialty chemical production abroad by the subject firm 
and no increased imports of specialty chemicals during the relevant 
period. Workers produce specialty chemicals, including fatty acids, 
glycerin, and ozone acids, and are not separately identifiable by 
product line.
    In the request for reconsideration, the United Steelworkers of 
America, Local 14340, asserted that workers produced ``certain oleo 
chemical products and fatty alcohol products which are sold to other 
companies for use as ingredients or additives in those companies' 
products such as cosmetics, soaps, tires, and paints.'' The Union also 
asserted that increased imports of articles like or directly 
competitive with those produced by the subject firm had contributed to 
the workers' separations.
    During the reconsideration investigation, the Department contacted 
the Union and the subject company to ascertain what product was made by 
the worker group and the reason(s) for the worker separations. The 
product at issue are APG surfactants.
    According to the Union and the company official, a major customer 
reformulated its product to use a blend of chemicals that has the same 
effect as the chemical purchased from the subject firm, alkyl 
polyglycoside (APG) surfactants, and, as a result, ceased purchasing 
APG surfactants from the subject firm. APG surfactants are used 
commercially in cleaning products.
    During the reconsideration investigation, the Department collected 
sales, production, and import data from the subject company regarding 
APG surfactants and conducted a survey of the major declining customer 
regarding its purchases of APG surfactants during 2003, 2004, January 
through August 2004, and January through August 2005.
    A careful review of the information provided by the subject company 
revealed reduced production of APG surfactants, no increased imports of 
APG surfactants, and no shift of APG surfactants production abroad 
during the relevant period.
    According to the customer, there is no one chemical which is like 
or directly competitive with APG surfactants because of its specific 
characteristics. The survey result revealed that the customer did not 
have any import purchases of APG surfactants during the relevant 
period.

Conclusion

    After careful reconsideration, I affirm the original notice of 
negative determination of eligibility to apply for worker adjustment 
assistance for workers and former workers of Cognis Corporation, 
Cincinnati, Ohio.


[[Page 14952]]


    Signed at Washington, DC this 14th day of March 2006.
Elliott S. Kushner,
Certifying Officer, Division of Trade Adjustment Assistance.
[FR Doc. E6-4297 Filed 3-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P