US cabinet makers petition for duties on Chinese imports, saying they are being ‘crushed’
- Petitioners say the damage to the US industry from dumping and subsidised imports could be as high as US$4 billion
A group representing US makers of kitchen and bathroom cabinets says it has filed one of the largest trade cases ever against China, alleging at least US$2 billion in harm from imports.
The American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance filed a petition with the Commerce Department and US International Trade Commission, alleging Chinese producers received illegal subsidies and unfairly dumped products in the US, depressing prices for domestic makers, a lawyer for the group said on Wednesday.
The petitioners – which include Wellborn Cabinet Inc., American Woodmark Corp. and Master WoodCraft Cabinetry – allege US$2 billion to US$4 billion in harm to the US industry, which the group says accounts for about 250,000 direct and indirect jobs.
“This is a quintessential American manufacturing industry and it’s right now being crushed by dumped and subsidised Chinese imports,” Tim Brightbill, a trade lawyer from Wiley Rein LLP in Washington D.C. representing the industry, said in an interview.
“The other thing that’s notable about what’s going on is that there are a number of companies that are set up here in the US specifically to assemble Chinese-manufactured cabinets.”
