Skip to main content

All Eyes on Imports

By

Over the last month, the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) has been collecting trade data and making an all-out push at the Department of Commerce (DOC) to have our Aluminum 232 aluminum extrusion tariffs reinstated.  We are working as fast as we can to find a path to relief while facing the twin threat of a slowing economy and rising imports.  

AEC U.S. extrusion members have dutifully submitted data to our trade attorneys so they can aggregate the information and confirm the injury many of us are feeling.  Currently, we are wrapping up the Q3 data set, and after the first of the year, we will ask for Q4 results.  Our attorneys will continue to aggregate the results to determine two things: confirmation of injury, and the duties we would expect to win, should we prevail.

Having already reviewed the data from our Sunset Review earlier this year, we know at this point that we do have a case.  However, the second piece of the puzzle is even more important, which is, what would the tariffs be if we won?  As data shows more injury, the calculations will show a higher tariff to be won.  When the injury is at a point we can no longer bear, and the duties we could win would deliver a fair and balanced playing field, we will have a decision to make.

Knowing this may take several months to process, we have the time to push the DOC to reinstate our 232 aluminum tariffs.  Many of you contributed information to me that I was able to convert into a letter sent to the Secretary of Commerce.  We are working with the Secretary’s key policy maker and providing them whatever support they need to make this happen for us.  I am hearing that progress is being made.  However, we must keep up the pressure.  Ideally, we would have the tariffs reinstated early next year, so we can see the impact it has on the import totals.  Hopefully, it will cull some of these importers out of the mix and reveal to us who the true long-term strategic threats are to our industry.  Then we can launch a trade case we know addresses the injury we are suffering. I will keep you updated on these activities via Trade Alerts and webinars as events unfold.

Meanwhile, our Administrative Review is winding down and we predict no changes in duties for this year and next.  China rarely participates in these reviews, so the results have become fairly predictable.  In scope challenges, we received a new challenge about a heat sink application.  We will oppose this request.  The Reflections Window case is expected to ramp up again in Q1 2023.  And, finally, we are preparing for our Kingtom EAPA appeal.  Even though the government representatives changed their minds, we still have an affirmative ruling from them.  We plan to go to court with it and let the judge force Customs to abide by their original assessments.

Thank you all for your continued support.  I believe 2023 is going to be a very interesting year.  If we stick together, we can prevail.  So, let’s plan on doing that!  Happy Holidays!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Aluminum Extruders Coalition Files Historic Case; Customs Says “Yes”

By
Well, in case you missed it, a group of Aluminum Extruders Council members filed a historic AD/CVD case against 15 countries.  All 15 countries will be sued for dumping (AD), and four will be sued for subsidies (CVD).  In a press release issued earlier this week, which you can read here , the countries were identified as well as the projected duties the coalition seeks.  Anyone within the four walls of the Aluminum Extruders Council knew this was coming.  It has been discussed for four years.  To address rising imports, we battled in the enforcement arena, we went hard after products under assault in scope challenges and worked hard on the 232.  After exhausting every available option, and never seeing a dent in the import stats, we were faced with this hard decision.  That is where we are today.  The Hearing will be held later this month, and decisions will start to be rendered in the weeks that follow.  Communications about the details of this case will be handled by the Coalition,
Post a Comment
Read more

A Nice Win to Start the Year!

By
 For months you’ve read my blog posts bemoaning the terrible decisions coming out of Washington D.C. related to our case.  Well, with the New Year, we have a fresh start.  And it’s a good one!  The industry has won its first Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) case involving fencing extrusions.  On December 20, 2023, Fortress withdrew its request for an administrative review, prompting U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) to terminate the administrative review entirely. Termination of the review makes the CBP’s affirmative determination of evasion final.  When terminating the review, CBP clarified that termination does not in any way preclude CBP or other agencies from pursuing additional enforcement actions against Fortress or imposing penalties should the need arise. The other EAPA fencing case is pending, and it appears the respondent is not participating.  We submitted voluntary factual information and the company in question did not submit written arguments by the November 6, 202
Post a Comment
Read more

USITC Issues 332 to Assess Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Where Sustainability Meets Trade Policy

By
  The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is undertaking a new factfinding investigation that will assess the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity of steel and aluminum produced in the United States.  As part of its investigation, the Commission will conduct a survey by issuing questionnaires to firms with facilities producing steel and aluminum in the United States, whether U.S. or foreign owned, to collect data on their production of these goods and associated GHG emissions. This survey will be mailed to all extruders in the United States.  The announcement made by the ITC on July 6, 2023, can be accessed here.  As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan federal agency, will prepare a public report.  The report will provide, to the extent practicable: GHG emissions intensity estimates of steel and aluminum produced in the United States by product category and production stage in 2022, with data on Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions defined as: Scope 1: Direct emissions
Post a Comment
Read more