SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce published the notice of initiation of this investigation on May 5, 2026.^[1] On August 28, 2026, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this investigation and the revised deadline is now November 4, 2026.^[2]

For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.^[3] A list of topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS), which is available to registered users at access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at access.trade.gov/​frnotices.

Scope of the Investigation

The product covered by this investigation is PTMEG from China. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.

Scope Comments

In accordance with the Preamble to Commerce's regulations,^[4] the Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise issues regarding product coverage ( i.e., scope).^[5] Certain interested parties commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. For a summary of the product coverage comments and rebuttal responses submitted to the record for this investigation, and accompanying discussion and analysis of all comments timely received, see the Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum.^[6] Commerce is preliminarily not modifying the scope language as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. See the scope in Appendix I to this notice.

Methodology

Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with section 731 of the Act. Pursuant to sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act, Commerce preliminarily has relied upon facts otherwise available, with adverse inferences, for the China-wide entity. For a full description of the methodology underlying Commerce's preliminary determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Combination Rates

In the Initiation Notice,^[7] Commerce stated that it would calculate producer/exporter combination rates for the respondents that are eligible for a separate rate in this investigation. Policy Bulletin 05.1 describes this practice.^[8] In this case, because no respondent qualified for a separate rate, producer/exporter combination rates were not calculated.

Preliminary Determination

Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated weighted-average dumping margin exists:

Suspension of Liquidation

In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise as described in Appendix I, entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register . Further, pursuant to section 733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin, as follows: (1) for all Chinese producers/exporters of subject merchandise, which are treated as part of the China-wide entity because they ( printed page 72521) have not established eligibility for a separate rate, the cash deposit rate will be equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin established for the China-wide entity; and (2) for all third-county exporters of merchandise under consideration, the cash deposit rate is the cash deposit rate applicable to the China-wide entity that supplied that third-country exporter.

These suspension of liquidation instructions will remain in effect until further notice.

Disclosure

Normally, Commerce discloses to interested parties the calculations performed in connection with a preliminary determination within five days of its public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b). However, because Commerce preliminarily applied total adverse facts available (AFA) to the China-wide entity in this investigation, in accordance with section 776 of the Act, and the applied AFA rate is based solely on the Petition, there are no calculations to disclose.

Verification

Because no company has established separate rate eligibility, verification will not be conducted.

Public Comment

Non-scope related case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than 14 days after the date of publication of the preliminary determination in the Federal Register . Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed not later than five days after the date for filing case briefs.^[9] Interested parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding must submit: (1) a table of contents listing each issue; and (2) a table of authorities.^[10]

As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2)(iii) and (d)(2)(iii), we request that interested parties provide at the beginning of their briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs.^[11] Further, we request that interested parties limit their executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. We intend to use the executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision memorandum that will accompany the final determination in this investigation. We request that interested parties include footnotes for relevant citations in the executive summary of each issue. Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f).^[12]

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain: (1) the party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants and whether any participant is a foreign national; and (3) a list of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to be determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.

Final Determination

Section 735(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1) provide that Commerce will issue the final determination within 75 days after the date of its preliminary determination. Accordingly, Commerce will make its final determination no later than 75 days after the signature date of this preliminary determination.

U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Notification

In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify the ITC of its preliminary determination of sales at LTFV. If the final determination is affirmative, the ITC will determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this preliminary determination or 45 days after the final determination whether imports of the subject merchandise are materially injuring, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry.

Notification to Interested Parties

This determination is issued and published in accordance with sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.205(c).

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

The merchandise covered by the investigation is polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG), which is a polymer consisting of linear diols ( i.e., organic chemical compound that has two hydroxyl (-OH) functional groups) with a molecular backbone of repeating tetramethylene units (-CH2CH2CH2CH2-) interconnected through ether bonds ( i.e., a single oxygen atom bonded to two carbon atoms), with a chemical formula HO{(CH2)4} nOH. PTMEG is also referred to as Polytetrahydrofuran, PTHF, Polytetramethylene ether glycol, PTMG, and Polybutylene glycol. PTMEG is typically blended with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) or another stabilizer such as higher molecular weight hindered phenols or phosphoric acid. In addition to a stabilizer, PTMEG is sometimes blended with a modifier or additive, such as phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid. The scope includes all blends consisting of PTMEG and stabilizers, modifiers, and/or additives, where the stabilizers, modifiers, and/or additives collectively account for no more than two percent of the total weight of the PTMEG blend. PTMEG is normally associated with Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry number 25190-06-1.

The scope includes all forms of PTMEG, regardless of physical form, purity, molecular weight, number of hydroxyls, number of acids, color, density, softening point, glass transition point, flash point, water content, viscosity, and packaging. PTMEG that has been blended with other products is included within this scope when such blends include constituent parts that have been intermingled but that have not been chemically reacted with each other to produce a different product. For such blends, only the PTMEG component of the mixture, inclusive of any stabilizers, modifiers, and/or additives collectively accounting for no more than two percent of the combined weight of the PTMEG component and the stabilizers, modifiers, and/or additives, is covered by the scope of the investigation.

The scope includes merchandise matching the above description that has been processed in a third country, including by commingling, diluting, introducing, or removing stabilizers, modifiers, or additives, or performing any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigation if performed in the subject country. The scope also includes PTMEG that is commingled or blended with PTMEG from sources not subject to the investigation. Only the subject component of such commingled products is covered by the scope of the investigation. The subject merchandise is classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) under subheading 3907.29.0000. Subject merchandise may also be imported under ( printed page 72522) HTSUS subheadings 2932.11.0000 and 3404.91.5150. Although the HTSUS subheading and CAS registry number are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope is dispositive.

Appendix II

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Period of Investigation

IV. Discussion of the Methodology

V. Application of Facts Available and Use of Adverse Information

VI. Recommendation

91 FR 72520