USW: ITC Votes to Proceed on Uncoated Paper Case; Preliminary Decision Big Step towards Restoring Fair Trade in Sector

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) voted today in the preliminary phase of its investigations of the trade case filings by four domestic companies and the United Steelworkers (USW) union against uncoated paper imports from Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia and Portugal. The four manufacturers are Domtar Corporation, Packaging Corporation of America (PCA), Finch Paper, LLC, and P.H. Glatfelter Company.

The affirmative vote by the ITC means that there is a reasonable indication that imports are injuring or threatening injury to the domestic industry and paper workers' jobs.   Therefore, the U.S. will proceed to investigate the USW and companies' petitions requesting duties on the unfairly-traded imports of uncoated paper products.  About 130,000 workers are represented by the USW in the paper and forestry products industry, a loss of more than 60,000 jobs since 2002.

"Multiple plant shutdowns across the uncoated paper manufacturing sector have cost almost 2,500 workers their jobs since these foreign competitors began flooding our market with unfairly traded products," said USW International Vice President Jon Geenen. "These are good, family-supportive jobs that are being lost to dumped and subsidized imports. It's time to restore fair trade conditions to the market to preserve and restore the jobs that have been lost to predatory trade practices," he added.

"We continue to invest in our facilities and our people," said John D. Williams, President and CEO of Domtar. "We have a low-cost asset base, state-of-the-art technology and the most productive workers, but we can't compete when products are sold here for less than the cost of production or for less here than they are sold for in their home markets.  Today's vote is an important step in our fight to end the unfair trade practices targeting the U.S. market and to restore a level playing field," the Domtar executive said.

"Today's action clearly shows that the industry and our workers were right to file petitions to stop the unfair trade that has been injuring the uncoated paper industry," said Mark Kowlzan, Chief Executive Officer of PCA. "These overseas competitors have been dumping and/or receiving illegal subsidies on the sale of their products here in our market, resulting in shutdowns and lower sales.  We make a great product that can compete against fairly traded products. Our cases were filed to return fair pricing to our market consistent with international trade rules.   All we are asking is that the laws against unfair trade be enforced," the PCA officer related.

"We appreciate the strong, bipartisan support shown for this critical trade case by members of Congress," said USW International President Leo W. Gerard.  "We wish we didn't have to ask for help, but we thank them on behalf of the thousands of our members in the paper sector, as well as their families and communities. Unfair trade is decimating American manufacturing, and we have to fight foreign predatory trade practices every day."

The anti-dumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions were filed at the U.S.

Department of Commerce (DOC) and with the ITC on January 21, 2015. The paper products covered by the petitions include uncoated paper used in copying, brochures, maps, and other applications.

The petitions ask for duties to offset the dumping of certain uncoated paper from all five countries and to offset the subsidies on imports from China and Indonesia. These petitions cover all uncoated paper in sheets (including cut-size and folio), weighing between 40 and 150 gsm and having a GE brightness level of 85 or higher.  

The antidumping and countervailing duty petitions indicate that imports of the subject products from the five cited countries increased 44 percent from 2011 to 2013 and 40 percent from January-September 2013 to January-September 2014. During January-September 2014, imports from the subject countries equaled 86 percent of imports from all countries and 21 percent of U.S. consumption.

The imports increased despite declining U.S. demand. Shipments of certain uncoated paper from domestic manufacturers declined by approximately eight percent from 2011 to 2013, and by nine percent from January-September 2013 to January-September 2014. 

Now that the ITC has determined there is a reasonable indication that imports are materially injuring or threatening material injury to the domestic industry, the investigations will continue.

The Commerce Department announced on February 18 its decision to initiate antidumping duty investigations on uncoated paper imports from the five countries and countervailing duty investigations on imports from China and Indonesia.

The DOC will make its preliminary subsidy determinations in June and its preliminary dumping determinations in June (August if extended).  If those determinations are affirmative, the DOC will instruct U.S. Customs to collect antidumping duty cash deposits to offset the subsidies.

About the United Steelworkers (USW)
The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors.  For more information: http://www.usw.org

About Domtar Corporation
Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) designs, manufactures, markets and distributes a wide variety of fiber-based products including communication papers, specialty and packaging papers and absorbent hygiene products. The foundation of its business is a network of world class wood fiber converting assets that produce papergrade, fluff and specialty pulps. The majority of its pulp production is consumed internally to manufacture paper and consumer products. Domtar is the largest integrated marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America with recognized brands such as Cougar®, Lynx® Opaque Ultra, Husky® Opaque Offset, First Choice® and Domtar EarthChoice®. Domtar is also a leading marketer and producer of a broad line of absorbent hygiene products marketed primarily under the Attends®, IncoPack and Indasec® brand names. In 2014, Domtar had sales of $5.6 billion from some 50 countries. The Company employs approximately 9,800 people.

About Packaging Corporation of America (PCA)
PCA is the fourth largest producer of containerboard and corrugated packaging products in the United States and the third largest producer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America. PCA operates eight paper mills and 99 corrugated products plants and related facilities. For more, visit www.packagingcorp.com

About Finch Paper LLC
Finch Paper LLC is a leading, privately-owned and vertically integrated paper manufacturer specializing in high-bright, uncoated papers for North American printing and converting markets. Using advanced manufacturing systems, Finch produces a broad portfolio of opaque, text and cover and digital papers for multi-press environments, including recognized brands such as Finch Fine®, Finch Opaque, Finch ThruPut Wove and Finch Inkjet Pi.

Finch Paper was the first integrated paper manufacturer in the United States to receive both the Forest Management and Chain-of-Custody certifications from the Forest Stewardship Council® and Sustainable Forestry Initiative®. Finch is one of only a few paper companies that continues to manage forests. Finch papers are made using two-thirds renewable energy produced by on-site hydroelectric and cogeneration facilities and has been a responsible, sustainable New York State manufacturer for more than a century. To learn more, visit www.finchpaper.com

About P.H. Glatfelter Company
Glatfelter is a global supplier of specialty papers and fiber-based engineered materials, offering innovation, technical expertise, and world-class service. Headquartered in York, Pennsylvania, U.S. operations include facilities in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, and Chillicothe and Fremont, Ohio. International operations include facilities in Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the Philippines, and sales and distribution offices in Russia and China. Glatfelter's sales approximate $1.8 billion annually and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GLT. Additional information may be found at www.glatfelter.com

CONTACT: Gary Hubbard, 202-256-8125, [email protected]

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SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)

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