The row over imports of plates made in China and Japan dates back to last year, when Kodak said prices were “unfairly low” and called for tariffs to be brought in.
Kodak is the only remaining domestic manufacturer of aluminium printing plates in the US.
Earlier this week, the US International Trade Commission (USITC) stated that it had determined “that a US industry is materially injured by reason of imports of aluminium lithographic printing plates from China and Japan” that the US Department of Commerce had determined “are sold at less than fair value and subsidized by the government of China”.
“As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, Commerce will issue a countervailing duty order on imports of this product from China and antidumping orders on imports of this product from China and Japan,” the report stated.
In May authorities made a preliminary decision to impose hefty duties ranging from 87.81% to 171.12%.
Last month those figures were revised with a final calculation on the size of the proposed anti-dumping and countervailing (anti-subsidy) duties: 91.83% on aluminium litho printing plates imported from Japan, and a combined rate of 151.51% on plates imported from China.
In response, Fujifilm’s Graphic Communication business in North America issued a statement from general manager Hidetoshi Kino, who said: “We are disappointed in the International Trade Commission’s (ITC) decision today and we believe that Fujifilm is a responsible market provider of aluminium lithographic printing plates.
“Our customers clearly purchase our aluminium lithographic printing plates because of the innovative technology and superior features and service that we provide. The written decision of the ITC and the rationale behind today’s affirmative vote will not be published until November 12. At that point, we will review the decision and assess our options, including the possibility of an appeal.”
In the original complaint ECO3 was cited as the second-largest Chinese plate exporter to the US, with Lucky Huaguang Graphics in third spot.
However, Printweek understands that the vast majority of plates imported to the US by ECO3 are actually made at its German plate factory.
Import statistics from the US trade authorities state that the value of printing plates imported into the US from Japan nearly doubled in 2022, to just under $88m (£67.8m). The value of plates imported from China ballooned by 570% in the same period to nearly $17.5m, from a much lower base.
in 2019 Kodak sold its own Chinese plate plant to State-owned Lucky, in a partnership deal that gave Lucky Huaguang access to Kodak’s platemaking know-how.
Earlier this year Fujifilm began legal action against Kodak in the US, claiming that Kodak’s Sonora process-free plates infringed Fujifilm’s patents.
