U.S. Finds Thermoformed Molded Fiber Products From China Are Sold Below Fair Value
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The U.S. Department of Commerce has made its final decision about thermoformed molded fiber products from China. The Department found that these products are being sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). This covers sales from April 1, 2025, to September 30, 2025.
What Are Thermoformed Molded Fiber Products?
These are items made from cellulose fibers using heated molds. They include plates, bowls, clamshells, trays, lids, food packaging, and more. They can be made from any kind of cellulose fiber and may be colored, printed, or have special treatments. The U.S. government looks at these products under special tariff codes for customs.
Investigation Details
On May 12, 2025, the Department published a preliminary decision that these products were sold below fair value. People affected by the decision had a chance to comment. Some companies claimed there were errors in the decision, but after further checks and changes, the Department moved forward.
The Department followed normal procedures. This included reviewing records and checking information given by important companies in China. The team looked at how much it cost to make the products and how much they were sold for.
Scope of the Investigation
The products included are all types of thermoformed molded fiber items. This includes anything made with this method, no matter the size, color, or shape. Some products are not included, such as certain paper plates and items used only to package other merchandise for sale.
Final Dumping Margins
The Department found that many companies made these products and exported them to the U.S. at prices below their fair value. The margins, or percentages by which prices were lowered, are as follows:
- Guangxi Firstpak Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.: 49.08 percent
- Zhejiang Zhongxin Environmental Protection Technology Group Co., Ltd. (and its related companies): 283.89 percent
- Several other companies: 214.73 percent
- China-wide entity: 477.97 percent (for companies not assigned a separate rate)
A full list of companies and their rates is included in the official notice.
Customs Instructions
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will continue to “suspend liquidation.” This means they will continue to hold off on making the final decision about the amount of duties owed until the process is complete. Importers must pay cash deposits equal to the dumping margin listed next to their producer-exporter combination in the table. These instructions are in effect until further notice.
Export Subsidies
Some companies received export subsidies. The Department adjusted the dumping margins to account for these. More adjustments could happen if the International Trade Commission (ITC) makes a final positive finding about injury to U.S. industry.
Next Steps
The Department will notify the International Trade Commission (ITC). The ITC will decide if the U.S. industry was hurt by these imports within 45 days. If there is no injury, all deposits will be refunded and duties will not be collected. If there is injury, antidumping orders will be issued.
Official Information
These results are in Federal Register Notice 2025-18891. More details, like the list of companies and discussion topics, are available through official government websites.
Contact
For more information, parties can contact the Department of Commerce, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, at (202) 482-5973 or (202) 482-7976.
Appendix: Scope Description
Thermoformed molded fiber products from China include many kinds of packaging and serving items made with heated molds from cellulose fibers. The products are covered whether alone or combined with other items, unless specifically excluded.
Official:
Dated 2025-09-24
Christopher Abbott, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, U.S. Department of Commerce
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This article includes content collected from the Federal Register (federalregister.gov). The content is not an official government publication. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For case-specific consultation, please contact us. Read our full Legal Disclaimer, which also includes information on translation accuracy.
