DHA eNews - U.S. Finalizes Import Duties On Hardwood & Decorative Plywood
On July 16, we entered the final phases of the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of hardwood and decorative plywood from China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The U.S. Commerce Department announced its final affirmative determinations with duties ranging from 28% up to 274%. Concurrently, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) was conducting its hearing to determine whether the U.S. industry is injured by the dumped and subsidized imports. With the surge in imports we have seen from these countries - at prices often lower than U.S. raw materials costs - it seems obvious to me that the U.S. industry and workers are injured. And, of course, we have seen several mill closures that prove this injury. Mark your calendar for the final USITC ruling on August 19.
One of the ways Indonesia subsidizes its industry is through its ban on the export of logs. Meanwhile, U.S. log exports to China now exceed hardwood lumber exports to China. Our U.S. logs come back into our country as hardwood plywood, cabinets, furniture, and other finished products.
On July 20, President Trump announced new 50% duties on Canadian goods that appear to apply to hardwood plywood, among other goods. There are some exemptions that we are still reviewing.
If you have questions or comments, contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Keith A. Christman, President
PHOTO © JERRY GLASER, USCBP
On July 16, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its final affirmative determinations in the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of hardwood and decorative plywood from China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Duties range from 28% to 274%; click on the link below for more details.
The U.S. International Trade Commission held an injury hearing on July 16 and will deliver its final ruling on August 19.
On July 20, President Trump announced new 50% duties on Canadian goods, effective August 19. These tariffs appear to apply to hardwood plywood, among other goods. DHA will continue to review the exemptions and provide updates as needed.
On July 17, DHA and more than 70 allied organizations sent a letter to EPA, OSHA, and OMB urging the agencies to work jointly, using the authority provided under Section 9 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), to ensure a single, consistent federal regulatory framework governing worker safety. Under the previous administration, EPA had proposed worker exposure thresholds for formaldehyde that are dramatically lower than OSHA requirements.
In less than one year, the new Department of Justice Trade Fraud Task Force and the Department of Homeland Security recovered more than $1 billion, including civil and criminal penalties and fees. This milestone reflects a fundamental shift in the federal government's approach to customs and trade enforcement, which emphasizes rigorous criminal prosecution and civil enforcement under the False Claims Act.
On July 14, federal agencies published a final rule rescinding their longstanding regulatory definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). As a result, forest management, grazing, and infrastructure projects that only affect habitat may face fewer ESA-related consultations.
On July 10, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law, after strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. Although President Trump canceled the bill signing ceremony, the legislation did not need his signature to become law. The law incentivizes changes in local governments' zoning and land use policies, authorizes new housing construction, changes the Community Reinvestment Act, and reduces federal environmental review requirements.
On July 15, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced a final 25% tariff on some imports from Brazil. The decision is the result of USTR's Section 301 investigation, which examined Brazil's acts, policies, and practices related to unfair digital trade and electronic payment services; unfair, preferential tariffs; insufficient anticorruption enforcement; insufficient intellectual property protections; failure to provide reciprocal ethanol market access; and illegal deforestation. The new tariffs went into effect on July 22.
32 members of Congress sent a letter to the Trump administration to request a change in policy. The letter revealed that the value of U.S. hardwood log exports exceeded the value of sawn lumber exports for the first time ever and stated that "American forests are supplying the raw material for foreign mills to displace American workers." Russia now dominates the Chinese market for hardwood lumber, once worth $1.5 billion per year to U.S. mills.
The American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance published its support for a series of strong enforcement actions by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and federal prosecutors, targeting companies accused of circumventing U.S. trade laws for imported cabinets and vanities.
Despite fierce competition facing the hardwood flooring category, there are diehard traditionalists who will accept nothing other than real hardwood flooring. Hardwood reigns as the most aspirational flooring category and provides the highest return on investment of any flooring. Click on the link below to see what trends are driving demand today.
U.S. cabinet manufacturers reported that overall cabinet sales were down by 8.4% in May vs. the same month in 2025. Year-to-date sales quantity fell by 11.5%.
For companies looking to demonstrate the long-term durability of their flooring, Capital Testing offers ISO 4918 caster chair testing to evaluate resistance to the repeated stresses of rolling office chairs. The experienced team provides accurate, ISO/IEC 17025-accredited testing with responsive support, helping manufacturers validate performance, satisfy customer requirements, and gain a competitive advantage.
Three satellites will give wildland firefighters more time to respond and provide scientists with more information about fire-prone areas worldwide. The three satellites, recently launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, are the first phase of the FireSat project, which will eventually include 50 satellites worldwide collecting high-resolution imagery of fires and updates on ground conditions every 20 minutes.
Bringing a working forest back into production after a wildfire is challenging, particularly in remote or hard-to-reach areas. Now, companies are evaluating the potential of aerial seeding using drones to complement traditional reforestation. This spring, together with government, academic, and industry partners, a nonprofit conducted field trials to validate the use of drones to reseed forests.
The Oregon Department of Forestry says roughly 13 million acres of state forestland need thinning to cut fire risk. However, in many of the places that need it most, there is no mill close enough that can process the wood.
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