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Last week, in a big win for U.S. workers and the many DHA members in the Coalition for Fair Trade in Hardwood Plywood, the U.S. International Trade Commission decided that the existing duties on Chinese hardwood plywood will remain in place for the next five years. This is a critical development for the industry that has been fighting unfair imports from China for years. It also underlies circumvention cases against Vietnam, where a final ruling is expected later this month.

This week, the Commerce Department extended its deadline again in the Vietnam hardwood plywood circumvention case. The new deadline is May 26. Last July, Commerce released a preliminary ruling that hardwood plywood from Vietnam was circumventing the duties on Chinese hardwood plywood and thus was subject to those duties.

Imports of hardwood plywood and multilayered wood flooring are still slower than last year's frantic pace. This slowdown is across nearly all countries, suggesting importers are working off high inventories.

Recent trade rulings dominate our top stories in this issue. Last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued affirmative determinations in the sunset reviews for both the antidumping and countervailing duties on hardwood plywood and multilayered wood flooring from China. This is an important ruling that foreshadows the continuation of duties for five years on both of these products. If the U.S. International Trade Commission reaches a similar finding, as is expected, this will represent a big win for many DHA members who participate in…

Trade issues continue to be hot topics in our industry. Last week the U.S. Court of International Trade upheld the 25% Section 301 tariffs on Chinese hardwood plywood and multilayered wood flooring, among other products. This is an important win for many DHA members who participate in coalitions for both products.