C.P. Kelco Asks Feds To Investigate Fair Trade of Xanthan Gum

ATLANTACP Kelco, a division of the J. M. Huber Corp., today filed a petition asking the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to investigate xanthan gum imported from China and Austria on the grounds they are being sold into the U.S. market at substantially below fair value.

Xanthan gum imports have increased dramatically over the past several years due to what we believe to be unfair pricing practices of Chinese and Austrian producers," said John Taylor, Vice President Supply Chain and Logistics for CP Kelco.

Xanthan gum, discovered in 1959 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), was commercialized by CP Kelco in 1962 by investing in the worlds first commercial production of xanthan gum in San Diego.

If the investigations determine that the U.S. industry has been competing against unfairly priced imports, the actions taken by the DOC and ITC should restore fair competition in the U.S. market and give all domestic producers an opportunity to maintain and expand U.S. production and jobs in support of the customer base," said CP Kelco President Don Rubright.