US Commerce sets 1.69 percent preliminary antidumping margin on Hansol thermal paper

The United States Department of Commerce has issued the preliminary results of its administrative review regarding thermal paper imports from South Korea, assigning a 1.69% antidumping margin to Hansol Paper Company. Published today, October 19, 2026, the decision covers the review period from November 1, 2024, to October 31, 2025.

This regulatory update narrows the scope of the ongoing trade scrutiny in the specialty paper segment. The Department of Commerce officially rescinded the review for 16 other South Korean companies after US-based manufacturers Domtar and Appvion withdrew their requests for those specific firms. Consequently, Hansol Paper remained the sole mandatory respondent evaluated in this cycle.

Impact on the specialty paper market

Thermal paper remains a critical substrate for retail receipts, logistics labels, and ticketing systems. Hansol Paper, a major global manufacturer whose portfolio spans graphic, packaging, label, and specialty papers, as well as biomaterials, has maintained a strong export presence in the North American market. The 1.69% preliminary margin represents a relatively low tariff barrier compared to historical antidumping duties in the sector, potentially allowing the South Korean manufacturer to maintain its competitive pricing structure for US converters and end-users.

The administrative review process is a standard mechanism used by US trade authorities to recalculate dumping margins annually based on actual sales data. If this preliminary rate of 1.69% is confirmed in the final results, US Customs and Border Protection will assess antidumping duties on Hansol's entries at this specific ad valorem rate.

For the North American thermal paper supply chain, which relies heavily on a mix of domestic production from players like Appvion and imported jumbo rolls from Asia and Europe, this preliminary determination provides a degree of pricing predictability for the coming months. The final determination is expected to be issued within 120 days, setting the definitive tariff landscape for South Korean thermal paper imports.