How can we Help our Clients Navigate the Plywood Anti-Dumping Petition?

It was announced on May 22, 2025 that there was a petition filed before the ITC by the Coalition of Fair Trade for Hardwood Plywood. The claim is that plywood from China is known to be sold at less than fair market value and as a result, to get around anti dumping orders, many Chinese companies either move their product through Vietnam and Indonesia or have opened factories in Vietnam and Indonesia so they can continue to dump their products into US and other markets. The suggested anti-dumping offset given by the coalition is 474.2% from China, 202.8% from Indonesia, and anywhere from 112.33 to 133.72% for Vietnam.

We have several clients who are shipping plywood and plywood products from Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries in Southeast Asia. Some are already looking for alternatives but we must understand the full scope of the potential investigation. Right now it appears to be only hardwood plywood sheets with or without veneer/coatings. Any finished products or any products packaged which are part of a ready to assemble product are excluded from the investigation. Flooring is excluded as is a host of other plywood products that do not have a hardwood as part of their core.

So, first step, know what your clients are importing. If they say plywood, ask what kind of plywood. Not all plywoods are covered by the orders and as mentioned above, lots of products using plywood are excluded. Next, it seems that the earliest the suspension of liquidation orders for customs would happen is around July 15, so you do have some time and anything on the water now should get in before any potential extra duties come into effect. Educate your clients on the different products that are and are not affected.

Additionally, just because these are the numbers being sought, it doesn't mean that those are the numbers that will be assigned. Oftentimes, different manufacturers are assigned different rates. Granted, the countrywide rates might stick around these numbers but individual manufacturers could have higher or lower rates. I'm not saying don't help your clients adjust supply chain, but understand their needs and find out if you do need to help them adjust.