Nine US hardwood and engineered wood flooring industry leaders have petitioned President Trump to include their products in the Section 232 tariffs on wood imports. The request, submitted on 1 October, aims to shield domestic manufacturers from "dumped and subsidised" imports that dominate 80% of the US market and threaten over 100,000 jobs.
© Zlikovec | Dreamstime
Jeremy Manthei, CEO of Manthei Wood Products in Michigan, highlighted the impact on rural communities: "Unfair trade practices have victims: the mill workers, loggers, and families throughout the country…these aren't just statistics; they are livelihoods and hometowns at stake." The region has already seen veneer mills decline from 17 to just four.
Columbia Forest Products, an employee-owned North Carolina manufacturer, warned that previous trade cases against Chinese dumping were undermined as production shifted to allied countries. Greg Pray, President and CEO, stated that Section 232 tariffs on hardwood plywood from these nations would serve as "a lifeline to struggling mills in rural communities throughout the United States."
The industry hopes the tariff measures will stabilise the domestic hardwood sector and preserve employment, particularly in small towns reliant on manufacturing.
Source: www.floordaily.net
