Airstream, in particular, is most assuredly interested in this news. All manufacturers are concerned, but those who use a lot of aluminum in their RVs have the most to lose if this does not work out in their favor.
The Aluminum Extruders Council and United Steelworkers have made a formal complaint about unfair practices in the aluminum industry. They say that companies from 15 countries, including China, Colombia, and India, are selling aluminum products in the United States at very low prices (dumping) and benefiting from subsidies.
Numbers to know: These unfair practices range from 28% (Dominican Republic) to a whopping 257% (China) in terms of how much they undercut American companies.
A deeper dive: This complaint covers a wide range of aluminum products known as aluminum extrusions, no matter their shape, finish, or how they’re put together. It includes parts for windows, doors, showers, and car bumpers that have aluminum components. This is a broader complaint than what’s been done before against Chinese aluminum products.
What happens next? The International Trade Commission will look into this complaint. Companies who want to get involved in the investigation have a short time to do so. There will be a hearing on October 25, and the USITC must make an initial decision on this matter by November 20, 2023.
The bottom line: This could have a big impact on the RV industry and others that use aluminum in their products.
We’ll keep you informed on this.
SOURCE: RVIA
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This has a familiar ring to it. Back in the 1960’s Sylvania Electric had some of the best picture tubes made for color tvs. Then Japan’s government started subsidizing Panasonic, allowing them to dump their tubes into our market at much lower cost. Sylvania’s market vanished, along with the hundreds and hundreds of jobs they provided. I’ve watched that process over and over. Anything we manufactured on any scale, that paid people good, living wages, became a target. The damage is done. Now, corporations make millions putting their hard-earned names on products made by offshore companies paying slave wages. Profits soar, but good jobs go away. We need to stop it and reverse it. Now.
Totally Agree!!
The trouble is unions drive the prices up in the US. Wait till after the auto workers strike. It’s hard to afford an American vehicle now. Wait till when the strike is over.
The strike will probably damage US automakers for the long term, watch the imports surge
Which imports are not now made in the US with US labor? It’s hard to tell the players anymore.
We have a world market today. Nations with low wages will raise wages as they make and sell products to more affluent nations. And affluent nation wages will decline to meet those of nations with lower wages until world markets find some balance.
Why do you think countries like China are going to raise wages? They have total control over their people and more wages equal less profit for the government.
Cool. Sounds like you have some training in economics, Split Shaft. You are definitely in the minority, US-wide.
Gee, getting mad when some other country persuades us to use their resources rather than those of our country in the present. Hmm, … that would save our own resources for future use, possibly also when there were fewer resources in general. Nah, can’t risk every single US aluminum producer going out of business, leaving all US aluminum buyers/users at the mercy of those horrible, evil foreigners. Yeah, right. 😉