AAHP: Protectionist Campaign Against Imported Chinese Hardwood Plywood Continues

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Alliance for Hardwood Plywood (AAHP) was dismayed to see that the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood (CFTHP) is suing the United States in hopes that a federal judge may overrule the unanimous 5-0 verdict and findings of fact by the International Trade Commission that imports of hardwood plywood from China do not injure or threaten injury to the domestic hardwood plywood industry.  Significantly, one domestic plywood manufacturer who had previously supported the CFTHP, Murphy Plywood, did not join in the lawsuit against the United States. 

The AAHP plans to intervene in the lawsuit on the side of the United States and defend its unanimous victory in the court.  AAHP and its coalition members include purchasers of imported plywood as well as the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association representing $8.6 Billion in domestic sales and approximately 100,000 American workers.  

AAHP Co-Chairman Greg Simon stated, "The CFTHP's claims against Chinese imported plywood were investigated thoroughly by the ITC and rejected unanimously in a 5-0 vote.  Now the CFTHP has aimed its legal weapons against the United States government.  AAHP looks forward to standing alongside the United States to show that the ITC correctly rejected the CFTHP's claims."

Gregg Wilkinson, AAHP Co-Chair, added:  "This is yet another example of the CFTHP undermining and harming their biggest customers—the United States kitchen cabinet makers.  Already the cabinet makers suffered severe disruption at the hands of the CFTHP until the ITC finally threw the case out entirely."

Jeffrey Grimson of Mowry & Grimson PLLC, counsel to the AAHP, stated:  "A federal judge will now take over the appeal and, after briefing and argument by the parties, decide whether the ITC's decision was supported by substantial evidence and was made in accordance with law.  We are confident that the CTFHP's claims against the United States will be rejected."

The American Alliance for Hardwood Plywood (http://www.aa-hp.org) is an organization of American importers, distributors and manufacturers of hardwood plywood, along with other U.S. companies that depend on the availability of global resources.

SOURCE American Alliance for Hardwood Plywood