Last month we reported that we found ourselves in-between announcements from the Administration about a number of issues. This month we have our answers, whether we like them or not! Over the last few days the AEC has issued a number of Trade Alerts about the President’s decision to re-impose the aluminum 232 tariffs on Canada. Those new orders will only cover unalloyed, unwrought aluminum. No downstream products were included in this decision. Shortly thereafter, Canada retaliated by imposing a 10% tariff on several aluminum related products from the United States, including aluminum extrusions. Since then, Canadian manufacturers, much like those in the U.S. did, voiced their opposition to Prime Minister Trudeau’s decision. So, there we have it. After the dust settles, U.S. extruders expected Trump’s reinstatement of the 232 tariffs might bring about raw material price parity with Canada. Whether that plays out or not is left to be seen....
The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) has led the U.S. aluminum extrusion industry in achieving level competition by winning tariff protection that offsets unfair trade practices of extruders/importers of aluminum profiles produced in China. Our efforts have been of enormous value to domestic extruders and suppliers. Conservatively, an estimated 800 million pounds per year of extrusions are being produced in the U. S. that would have otherwise been lost to China.