Printing Industries of America launches call to action on tariffs

Printing Industries of America has launched a grassroots call to action in response to industry impacts triggered by tariffs on steel and aluminum announced by the Trump Administration on June 1, according to a press release from the organization. 

The organization is urging PIA members impacted by price spikes on aluminum printing plates to share their stories with Congress. 

Aluminum is used in the production of lithographic printing plates and the highest quality sources of this input are in the European Union and subject to the tariff, the release says.

Within the past three weeks, major suppliers of aluminum printing plates in the U.S. announced price increases and/or “surcharges” as pass-through costs to customers, PIA says. 

“Since President Trump announced Section 232 tariffs on June 1, 2018, the reaction by suppliers in our industry — and the pain felt by many PIA member companies — has been swift,” said Michael Makin, president of PIA. 

The U.S. Department of Commerce maintains a product exclusion process that allows importers of aluminum to apply for exemptions and receive a response within 90 days. However, the process has been overwhelmed and deadlines are being missed, the release says. The U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade held a recent hearing to examine the problems associated with the product exclusion process. PIA submitted a letter for the record as part of this hearing.

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