US duty shocks for wire deckers

The US decision to slap additional duties on wire decking products from China is likely to hit domestic manufacturers hard, forcing them look for greener pastures in other overseas markets, said industry sources.

Additional duties of 43 to 289 percent on imports of more than $300 million worth of wire decking from China were imposed on Tuesday by the US Commerce Department on grounds that the product is being sold at unfairly low prices. Wire decking products are mainly used in industrial and other commercial storage rack systems.

Two US manufacturers - AWP Industries of Kentucky and J&L Wire Cloth of Minnesota, along with three other firms had asked for duties last year after imports from China surged to $317 million in 2008 from almost $213 million in 2006. It was also one of the 12 trade complaints filed by US businesses against Chinese importers last year.