US 'confirms dumping' of styrene-butadiene rubber from Italy

Washington – The US department of commerce has concluded its investigations into the dumping of emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR) from Versalis SpA of Italy, with an “affirmative determination of sales at less than fair value.”

The investigation follows a November 2021 petition by Lion Elastomrrs, which claimed that EBSR imported from Czechia, Italy and Russia was being dumped in the US market.

The petition covered grades of ESBR included in the IISRP 1500 and 1700 series of synthetic rubber materials sold in all solid forms. 

Commerce said 26 April that it had determined that these materials imported from Italy between 1 Oct 2020 and 30 Sept 2021 were “being, or is likely to be, sold in the US at less than fair value.”

Based on its investigation, the US department proposed an antidumping rate of 29% on ESBR produced by Versalis.

The US international trade commission now has 120 days to determine whether these imports are "materially injuring, or threaten material injury to, the US industry."

According to Commerce, the US imported 3.1 million kilogrammes of ESBR from Italy in 2021, valued at just under $6 billion (€5.7 billion).

The determination announcement did not cover producers from Czechia or Russia.