Following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Commerce, it was determined that certain hardwood plywood (HWPW) products and veneered panels currently imported from Vietnam actually contain Chinese core materials. Therefore, these imports are subject to antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) and are subject to tariffs ranging as high as 200%.
According to the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood, Commerce found that the following types of HWPW were included in the scope of the AD/CVD orders or circumventing the AD/CVD orders:
- HWPW made from face veneer, back veneer, and assembled core components (e.g., veneer core platforms) manufactured in China and assembled in Vietnam;
- HWPW made from fully assembled veneer core platforms manufactured in China that are combined in Vietnam with face and/or back veneers produced in Vietnam or third countries; and
- HWPW made from multi-ply panels of glued core veneers manufactured in China that are combined in Vietnam to produce veneer core platforms and combined with either a face and/or back veneer produced in China, Vietnam, or a third country.
- HWPW made from face veneer, back veneer, and individual core veneers produced in China and assembled into hardwood plywood in Vietnam; and
- HWPW made from individual core veneers manufactured in China and processed into a veneer core platform in Vietnam and combined with a face and/or back veneer produced in Vietnam or other third country.
Any manufacturer that sources hardwood plywood from Vietnam using non-Chinese origin hardwood plywood inputs will need to certify and provide supporting documentation that their products were not sourced from China.
A final determination in this proceeding is expected on October 17, 2022.