TORONTO: The Coalition for Fair Paper Imports which includes manufacturers Madison Paper Industries and Verso Corporation has petitioned the US Department of Commerce to begin a countervailing duty (CVD) investigation on the import of supercalendered (SC Paper) paper from Canada. In 2014, imports of super calendered paper from Canada were valued at an estimated $868.4 million.
The investigation will cover all SC Paper regardless of weight, brightness, opacity, smoothness or grade, and whether it’s in rolls or sheets. It also covers paper uncoated paper regardless of the type of pulp fibre or filler material used to produce it.
The CVD law provides U.S. businesses and workers with a venue to seek help in what is seen as unfair subsidization of imports into the US The law aims to give the petitioners an opportunity to compete on a level playing field.
United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union which represents workers at Madison Paper Industries have all supported the petition.
The Canadian manufacturers named in the petition are: Port Hawkesbury Paper, Resolute Forest Products, Irving Paper and Catalyst Paper.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to make a preliminary injury determination on or before April 13, 2015. If the ITC determines that supercalendered paper from Canada materially injures, or threatens material injury to the domestic industry, the investigation will continue and Commerce will be scheduled to make a preliminary CVD determination in May 2015.
The investigation will be terminated if the ITC’s determination is negative.
