Product Description – The product under consideration (PUC) in the present application is “N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N’-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine” or also known as “PX-13” or “6 PPD’.
HS Codes – PX-13 is classified under Chapter 38 viz., ‘Miscellaneous chemicals products’ of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 under sub-heading 3812 39 of the tariff classification. The applicant has stated that PX-13 is imported under the ITC-HS codes 29215120, 29215130, 29215190, 38121000, 38122090, 38123100, 38123910, 38123920, 38123930 and 38123990.
Uses – PX-13 is an alkyl-aryl-PPD anti-degradant most widely used in the tyre and non-tyre sector of the rubber industry. PX-13 offers excellent resistance to rubber vulcanizates against degradative forces such as ozone (static as well as dynamic), flex-cracking and fatigue, oxidative heat ageing, metal-ion catalysed oxidative ageing, UV light and weathering. It is used as antioxidants in treating natural rubber, synthetic rubber (SBR, Butadiene Rubber, Nitrile Rubber, Carboxylated Rubber) and other synthetic rubber-based compounds used for manufacture of various rubber products to achieve the desired life cycle of the rubber product.
Countries Involved – China PR, European Union, Korea Rp and Kingdom of Thailand.
Applicant – NOCIL Limited
Period of Investigation – 1st October 2023 to 30th September 2024
Injury Period – 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022, 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023, 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 and the period of investigation.
Facts of the Present Case – The present application was filed by one of the two producers of PX-13 in India, namely NOCIL Limited. Lanxess India Private Limited and Finorchem Limited are the other producers of PX-13 in India. The applicant submitted that the domestic industry was suffering from material injury due to the dumped imports from the subject countries. Further, the price undercutting was positive for all the subject countries and the prices of the domestic industry have been depressed in the period of investigation. As a result, the applicant has incurred decline in its profitability and return on capital employed.