[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 225 (Thursday, November 21, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64339-64340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25277]


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 INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Inv. No. 337-TA-1184]


Certain Shaker Screens for Drilling Fluids, Components Thereof, 
and Related Marketing Materials; Institution of Investigation

AGENCY: U.S. International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the 
U.S. International Trade Commission on October 18, 2019, under section 
337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of M-I L.L.C. of 
Houston, Texas. An amended complaint was filed on November 7, 2019. The 
amended complaint alleges violations of section 337 based upon the 
importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the 
sale within the United States after importation of certain shaker 
screens for drilling fluids, components thereof, and related market 
materials by reason of infringement of: (1) Certain claims of U.S. 
Patent No. 7,210,582 (``the '582 patent''); U.S. Patent No. 7,810,649 
(``the '649 patent''); and U.S. Patent No. 8,925,735 (``the '735 
patent''); and (2) U.S. Trademark Registration No. 2,151,736 (``the 
'736 trademark'') and U.S. Trademark Registration No. 2,744,891 (``the 
'891 trademark''). The amended complaint further alleges that an 
industry in the United States exists as required by the applicable 
Federal Statute.
    The complainant requests that the Commission institute an 
investigation and, after the investigation, issue a general exclusion 
order, or in the alternative a limited exclusion order, and cease and 
desist orders.

ADDRESSES: The amended complaint, except for any confidential 
information contained therein, is 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, Room 
112, Washington, DC 20436, telephone (202) 205-2000. Hearing impaired 
individuals are advised that information on this matter can be obtained 
by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal on (202) 205-1810. Persons 
with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining 
access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 
(202) 205-2000. General information concerning the Commission may also 
be obtained by accessing its internet server at https://www.usitc.gov. 
The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the 
Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pathenia M. Proctor, The Office of 
Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 
telephone (202) 205-2560.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Authority: The authority for institution of this investigation is 
contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 
U.S.C. 1337, and in section 210.10 of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2019).
    Scope of Investigation: Having considered the amended complaint, 
the U.S. International Trade Commission, on November 15, 2019, ordered 
that--
    (1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 
1930, as amended, an investigation be instituted to determine:
    (a) Whether there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of section 
337 in the importation into the United States, the sale for 
importation, or the sale within the United States after importation of 
certain products identified in paragraph (2) by reason of infringement 
of one or more of claims 1-12 of the '582 patent; claims 1-7 and 9 of 
the '649 patent; and claims 1-9, 12, 13, and 16-19 of the '735 patent; 
and whether an industry in the United States exists as required by 
subsection (a)(2) of section 337; and
    (b) whether there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(C) of section 
337 in the importation into the United States, the sale for 
importation, or the sale within the United States after importation of 
certain products identified in paragraph (2) by reason of infringement 
of one or more of the '736 trademark and the '891 trademark, and 
whether an industry in the United States exists as required by 
subsection (a)(2) of section 337;
    (2) Pursuant to section 210.10(b)(1) of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10(b)(1), the plain language 
description of the accused products or category of accused products, 
which defines the scope of the investigation, is ``sifting screens 
(commonly referred to as `shaker screens') that are fitted into 
drilling mud shakers (also referred to as `shale shakers') to separate 
solids from liquid drilling muds brought up from down-hole when 
drilling for oil and gas, components thereof including the rigid frame 
over which the wire mesh sieving screen may be fitted, and related 
marketing materials'';
    (3) For the purpose of the investigation so instituted, the 
following are hereby named as parties upon which this notice of 
investigation shall be served:
    (a) The complainant is: M-I L.L.C., 5950 N. Course Drive, Houston, 
TX 77072.
    (b) The respondents are the following entities alleged to be in 
violation of section 337, and is/are the parties upon

[[Page 64340]]

which the amended complaint is to be served:

Hebei GN Solids Control Co., Ltd., No. 3 Industry Road, Dachang Chaobai 
River Development Area, Langfang, China 065300
GN Solids America LLC, 6710 Windfern Road, Houston, TX 77040
Anping Shengjia Hardware Mesh Co., Ltd., Huangcheng Industrial Zone, 
Anping County, Hengshui City, China 053600
Hebei Hengying Wire Cloth Co., Ltd., No. 17 Jing Wu Road, High and New 
Tech Development Zone, Anping County, Hebei Province, China 053600
Xi'an Brightway Energy Equipment Co., Ltd., Jinye Road, City Gate Block 
D, 12th Floor, Suite 1206, Xi'an City, High Tech Development Zone, 
China 710065
Brightway Solids Control Co., Ltd., 5855 Sovereign Drive, Suite A, 
Houston, TX 77036

    (c) The Office of Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. International 
Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20436; and
    (4) For the investigation so instituted, the Chief Administrative 
Law Judge, U.S. International Trade Commission, shall designate the 
presiding Administrative Law Judge.
    Responses to the amended complaint and the notice of investigation 
must be submitted by the named respondents in accordance with section 
210.13 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 
210.13. Pursuant to 19 CFR 201.16(e) and 210.13(a), such responses will 
be considered by the Commission if received not later than 20 days 
after the date of service by the Commission of the amended complaint 
and the notice of investigation. Extensions of time for submitting 
responses to the amended complaint and the notice of investigation will 
not be granted unless good cause therefor is shown.
    Failure of a respondent to file a timely response to each 
allegation in the amended complaint and in this notice may be deemed to 
constitute a waiver of the right to appear and contest the allegations 
of the amended complaint and this notice, and to authorize the 
Administrative Law Judge and the Commission, without further notice to 
the respondent, to find the facts to be as alleged in the amended 
complaint and this notice and to enter an initial determination and a 
final determination containing such findings, and may result in the 
issuance of an exclusion order or a cease and desist order or both 
directed against the respondent.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: November 18, 2019.
William Bishop,
Supervisory Hearings and Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-25277 Filed 11-20-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P