DHA eNews - U.S. Cabinet Manufacturers Support Fair Trade In Hardwood Plywood
The Trump administration has followed through on its plan to reimpose tariffs on trading partners, announcing new Section 301 tariffs that apply to 30 countries for failing to impose and effectively enforce a ban on imports produced with forced labor. In addition, President Trump announced new duties on products from Canada, including hardwood plywood.
DHA sent members summaries of the new trade actions within hours of the announcements. These summaries contained detailed information on the actions' impacts on hardwood plywood, hardwood veneer, and engineered wood flooring. If you're not a member and would like to get breaking news with detailed industry information, join DHA.
If you have questions or comments, contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Keith A. Christman, President
In July, after attending a hearing at the U.S. International Trade Commission, the CEO of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association submitted a letter expressing the U.S. cabinet industry's support for the Coalition for Fair Trade in Hardwood Plywood's work to create a level playing field. KCMA's letter directly refuted importers' testimony that American-made hardwood plywood is not as well suited for use in cabinet box construction.
On July 23, President Trump imposed new Section 301 tariffs on 60 countries for failing to impose and effectively enforce a ban on imports produced with forced labor. The announcement, which was widely anticipated, came just hours before the sunset of the Section 122 10% tariffs on most U.S. trading partners.
In Surface and Panel's International Woodworking Fair Special Issue, DHA President Keith Christman provided guidance on how to choose the best hardwood plywood for any project. The article covers veneer species, cut, matching and grade, core types, and cost, among other variables.
All forestry ministers in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum signed a joint statement committing to halt and reverse forest loss, strengthen an expert group on unlawful timber trade, and promote and encourage the use of wood in construction.
On July 23, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that Clatskanie Scion will receive $30 million to finance a new sawmill in Clatskanie, Oregon. Tahoe Forest Products will receive $50 million in USDA funding to expand its timber processing capabilities in Carson City, Nevada.
Federal enforcement against the evasion of duties on imported kitchen cabinets and vanities has accelerated over the past year, as the Justice Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security are investigating a series of cases involving transshipment, undervaluation, mis-manifesting, and broker fraud.
Mexico's total imports of plywood increased by 22% year-over-year in April, as the value declined by 2%. Imports of hardwood plywood from Mexico to the U.S. shot up by 68% year-to-date through April, suggesting the possibility that plywood destined for the U.S. is being transshipped through Mexico to avoid duties.
Vermont loggers are sounding the alarm after Finch Paper announced that it will close its mill in Glens Falls, NY. The mill, which buys and processes low-grade pulp wood, is a pillar of the Vermont logging industry's supply chain. Vermont loggers say this will have an enormous negative impact on the industry.
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities released its Markets Matter Action Plan, a coordinated framework to address an urgent structural challenge facing U.S. forests: rebuilding and expanding viable markets for small-diameter and residual wood fiber. The plan is a guide for key stakeholders to use to strengthen forest health and rural economies.
Procurement teams are expected to secure a reliable supply of wood at a competitive rate, all while responding to shifting market conditions, changing mill demand, transportation constraints, natural disasters, and heightened scrutiny around sustainability - and justifying their decisions with reliable data.
Trees can help contain heavy metals in polluted soil. The question is which species to choose. Experts at the Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL published a study on how seven different Central European species respond to metal-contaminated soils. The findings may surprise you.
California's wildfires are destroying forests faster than the state can replant them. Federal cuts to budgets and programs are making the situation worse. One expert said that the crisis, while not widely publicized, could reshape half of California's forests by 2071.
How do giant tropical hardwood trees draw water up to 300 feet? What are dipterocarp trees?