China Tongcheng Tianbai Plastic Co.,Ltd.

WASHINGTON (August 11, 2009) -- In a preliminary ruling, the U.S. Commerce Department has levied the highest possible anti-dumping duty of 122.88 percent on plastic bags exported to the U.S. by Master Packaging Co. Ltd. of Bangkok, Thailand.

The ruling, which will be published next week in the Federal Register, also placed a 22.02 percent anti-dumping duty on bags exported to the U.S. from the Thai Plastic Bags Group, which consists of Thai Plastic Bags Industries Co. Ltd., APEC Film Ltd. and Winner’s Pack Co. Ltd.

TPBG is in Raiking, Sampran in the Nakhon Pathom province about 30 miles outside of Bangkok.

Both rates are also the anti-dumping cash-deposit rates those companies must pay going forward, if the preliminary determinations are made final, either later this year or early next year.

Commerce said it assigned the highest possible anti-dumping duty on Master Packaging because the company did not respond to the agency’s request for information.

“Because Master Packaging has failed to provide the information we requested and thus has significantly impeded this proceeding, we conclude that the use of adverse interference is warranted,” leading to the rate of 122.8 percent.

The preliminary determinations against Thailand plastic bag manufacturers completes the agency’s annual administrative review of a 2004 anti-dumping order on imports of plastic grocery and shopping bags from Malaysia, Thailand, and China.

In its ruling on Thailand bag exports, Commerce said the anti-dumping cash deposit rate will remain at the most recent company-established rate for five Thailand bag exporters previously reviewed — C.P. Packaging Co. Ltd., C.P. Poly-Industry Co. Ltd, Naraipak Co. Ltd, Nari Packaging (Thailand) Ltd. and Poly Plast (Thailand) Ltd. The cash deposit rate for exports from all other Thailand companies who export bags to the U.S. will be 2.8 percent.

The Commerce Department rulings additionally maintain anti-dumping cash deposit rates for Malaysian and Chinese companies without individually established company rates at 84.94 percent and 77.57, respectively.