United States initiates anti-dumping investigation on polypropylene plastic boxes from Vietnam
The dumping margin alleged by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) for Vietnam is 52.07%, which is 11.22% higher than the petitioners’ proposed rate of 40.85%, but significantly lower than the alleged margins for China, which range from 74.98% to 83.64%.
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According to information from the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, on April 8, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) officially initiated an anti-dumping investigation on imports of polypropylene plastic boxes from Vietnam, classified under HS code 3923.10.9000.
On March 17, 2025, three U.S. companies—CoolSeal USA, Inteplast Group, and SeaCa Plastic Packaging & Technology Container—submitted a petition to the DOC.
According to the petitioners, based on U.S. Customs data, in 2024, Vietnam exported over USD 6 million worth of the subject products to the U.S., accounting for approximately 19.4% of total imports. Meanwhile, China exported nearly USD 13.4 million of the same products, representing around 43.3% of total imports. Combined, imports from Vietnam and China made up 62.7% of total imports of the investigated products into the U.S.
The petition named seven Vietnamese companies. The DOC has issued quantity and value questionnaires (with a response deadline of April 21, 2025) to related companies to gather information and select mandatory respondents (usually the two largest exporters from Vietnam based on customs data and questionnaire responses during the investigation period).
The alleged dumping margin for Vietnam is 52.07%, which is 11.22% higher than the petitioners’ proposed rate of 40.85%, but significantly lower than the alleged margin for China, which ranges from 74.98% to 83.64%.
As the U.S. considers Vietnam a non-market economy, the DOC will use surrogate values from a third country to calculate the dumping margin. In this case, the DOC is expected to use Indonesia as the surrogate country, as suggested by the petitioners. Interested parties have 60 days to comment on the surrogate country before the DOC issues a preliminary determination.
The anti-dumping investigation period spans from July 1 to December 31, 2024. The injury investigation period is from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2024.
Under U.S. law, the DOC is responsible for investigating the dumping practice and making a determination, while the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) evaluates injury to the domestic industry. Anti-dumping duties will only be imposed if both agencies issue affirmative determinations.
In light of this case, the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam recommends relevant industry associations promptly notify affected exporters to prepare and respond accordingly.
Exporters and manufacturers involved should closely monitor developments, proactively study U.S. anti-dumping regulations and procedures, diversify markets and product lines, and fully cooperate with the DOC throughout the process. Any sign of non-cooperation or insufficient response may lead to the use of adverse facts available or the imposition of the highest dumping margin.
Enterprises are encouraged to register an IA ACCESS account at the DOC’s electronic portal (https://access.trade.gov/login.aspx) to stay informed and submit necessary documentation.
Regular coordination with the Trade Remedies Authority is also advised to receive timely support.
Source: VnEconomy
