WASHINGTON, DC (News release) -- The American Paper Plate Coalition ("APPC"), representing the majority of American paper plate production, announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has made preliminary affirmative findings in the antidumping (AD) duty portion of investigations involving paper plate imports from China, Vietnam and Thailand, and imposed preliminary AD duties up to 1039.05 percent.
The duties will take effect on or about September 6, 2024. These duties will be imposed on top of anti-subsidy duties of up to 313.14 percent on imports from China and up to 237.65 percent on imports from Vietnam, levied in preliminary decisions released in June 2024. Preliminary duties now total up to 1352.19 percent on imports from China, up to 397.44 percent on imports from Vietnam, and up to 73.17 percent on imports from Thailand.
"Improper subsidies and other unfair trade practices have hurt our industry, our company, and our workers over the years," said William P. Biggins, Jr., President and Co-Owner of APPC member Aspen Products, Inc. "The duties announced today are a welcome step in the right direction to get the market back on track. We are grateful to Commerce for its commitment to seeing our trade laws enforced and for giving all players a chance to fairly compete."
Commerce's preliminary determinations come in response to petitions filed in January by the APPC, requesting AD and CVD investigations into unfairly priced and subsidized imports of paper plates from China, Thailand, and Vietnam. Commerce is expected to announce its final AD determinations in these investigations in early November 2024. The countervailing duty investigations concerning imports from China and Vietnam are ongoing and may lead to higher final CVD rates.
"We welcome the competition of a free and fair market - but that's not what we've been experiencing," said Robert Epstein, President and CEO of APPC member AJM Packaging Corporation. "We look forward to getting back on a level playing field where all products compete on their own merits. Today's decision is another step in getting us there."
If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations and the U.S. International Trade Commission makes an affirmative final injury determination, Commerce will issue formal AD and CVD orders on imports from all three countries.
For more on the ITC's investigation, see the Commission's press release.
For more on the DOC's investigation, see the agency's press release.
About the American Paper Plate Coalition
The American Paper Plate Coalition, representing the leading U.S. producers of paper plates, is comprised of AJM Packaging Corporation of Bloomfield Hills, MI; Aspen Products, Inc. of Kansas City, MO; Dart Container Corporation of Mason, MI; Hoffmaster Group, Inc. of Oshkosh, WI; Huhtamaki, Inc., of De Soto, KS; and Unique Industries, Inc. of Philadelphia, PA.
For more information, visit https://www.ajmpack.com/, https://www.aspenpro.com/, https://www.dartcontainer.com/, https://www.hoffmaster.com/, https://www.huhtamaki.com/en-us/north-america/, and https://www.favors.com/
The American Paper Plate Coalition is represented by Adam H. Gordon of The Bristol Group PLLC, a Washington, DC international trade law firm committed to defending American industry, agriculture, and manufacturing jobs.
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