A group of distributors, retailers and importers has united to oppose the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of engineered wood flooring from China prompted last year by prominent U.S flooring manufacturers. The Alliance for Free Choice and Jobs in Flooring (AFCJF) was formed during Surfaces 2011, and the group directly opposes the mission of the Coalition for American Hardwood Parity (CAHP).
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AFCFJ Formed to Oppose Tariffs on China
A group of distributors, retailers and importers has united to oppose the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of engineered wood flooring from China prompted last year by prominent U.S flooring manufacturers. The Alliance for Free Choice and Jobs in Flooring (AFCJF) was formed during Surfaces 2011, and the group directly opposes the mission of the Coalition for American Hardwood Parity (CAHP).
In a press release, the AFCJF said the manufacturers in the CAHP, which are seeking import tariffs on Chinese engineered wood flooring as high as 237 percent, are actually attempting to "constrict [the] flooring supply chain."
"This petition is not so much about China as it is about eliminating American independent distribution and private label programs. Mannington and Shaw are the two largest petitioners in this case and the largest companies in the entire flooring market," said Joe DuPree Jr., TK at Custom Wholesale Floors Inc. (Jacksonville, Fla.) and a member of the AFCFJ board of directors. "If they are successful in restricting imports from China … it will have the effect of driving the independents out of the market by cutting them off from their source of supply," DuPree said.
The CAHP alleges that Chinese manufacturers enjoy an unfair competitive advantage through government subsidies and manipulation of the Chinese yuan, which has resulted in a 76 -percent increase in Chinese engineered wood flooring imports from 2007 to 2009. The AFCFJ, however, attributes increased imports of Chinese engineered wood flooring from China to the demands of regional product flexibility in the U.S. CAHP members cannot deliver the variety of species, styles, lengths and finishes that Chinese manufacturers can deliver to the U.S. through AFCFJ members, according to the release. "The independent American distributors and importers are delivering what the consumers want, specific to their target markets," said AFCJF President Jonathan Train. "That's just good entrepreneurial competition."
Train outlined the group's primary goal: to ensure no new import duties are placed on engineered wood flooring. And if there are additional import duties imposed, Train said the group's secondary objective is to show "why there shouldn't be a high duty rate."
The AFCFJ declined to provide a list of its members. The group has published an FAQ here. The group's latest press release is below.
BR-111 Says Dealers Are Selling Counterfeit Products
BR-111 Exotic Hardwood Flooring (Miami) has said dealers across the U.S. are delivering counterfeit BR-111 products to consumers. The company has received complaints from customers who were provided with a real BR-111 sample and who later purchased the flooring based on the sample, said Ricardo Moraes, president of BR-111. However, after the product was installed, the customers found the product was "a counterfeit of the [BR-111] brand," according to a product warning the company released this week.
Specifically, neither the boxes nor the products bore the BR-111 logo or warranty information; instead, the products bore an inferior warranty. After customers placed orders, "The dealers deliver a different inferior product with an inferior warranty," Moraes added.
BR-111 took the product warning as an opportunity to remind consumers that the only way to purchase BR-111 products is through an "authorized exclusive" dealer; it also reminded dealers that the only way to sell its products is to become and "authorized" dealer. On its website, the company has a directory of authorized BR-111 dealers and this warning. In addition, the company pointed out that its genuine products bear the BR-111 logo on the outside of the box and include both a 20-25-year warranty and installation instructions.
"This is extremely disappointing for the industry and I hope that it can be rectified quickly and effectively so that it does not damage the industry's reputation any further," Moraes said.
NWFA Holds Advanced Installation School
The NWFA held an Advanced Installation School on Feb. 2-4, the first school to take place at its new Las Vegas training facility. The NWFA's Frank Kroupa led the instruction, while volunteer instructors included Wayne Highlander (Basic Coatings), Jason Elquest (Blackhawk Floors Inc.) and Todd McDonald (W.D. Flooring).
The Philippines Bans All Logging
The president of the Philippines ordered a logging moratorium Thursday in an effort to protect and stop the destruction of watersheds and river systems in his country, according to GMANews.TV. President Benigno Aquino III signed an executive order despite disapproval from his country's wood industry. A report generated by Aquino's office said 36 people died in 2010 alone in natural disasters that were caused by deforestation in Philippines; three people are missing; 32 have been injured; and 118,728 families have been displaced. Under the executive order, the country's Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will immediately cancel logging concessions, and it cannot issue or renew other concessions. "The DENR is henceforth hereby prohibited [from] issuing logging contracts/agreements in all natural and residual forests, such as Integrated Forest Management Agreements, Socialized Integrated Forest Management Agreements, Community-Based Forest Management Agreement and other agreements/contracts with logging components in natural and residual [forests]," the executive order reads. Also, The DENR will close and disallow sawmills and other wood processing plants that are unable to present proof of sustainable and legal wood sources for a period of at least five years.
Manufacturer News
MAFI (Schneegattem, Austria), a manufacturer of engineered luxury oil-treated wood flooring, has opened a U.S. subsidiary, MAFI America Inc. (Los Angeles). Nic Neumann will serve as CEO of the newly formed company. Neumann has worked in a wide range of design disciplines from architecture, interior design, product design, furniture design and commercial design for clients such as Mercedes-Benz, Phoenix Product Design, EuroCard, Goldpfeil and Olymp. For more information, contact Neumann at [email protected].
APAC (Dalton, Ga.) has re-branded itself and is getting the word out by holding a yearlong motorcycle sweepstakes, which it launched at Surfaces. Each time an installer buys select APAC products, he or she will find a sticker attached. Information from the sticker can be submitted via the APAC website to find out if the installer has won a chance at the grand prize or one of several lesser prizes. The grand prize, a chopper designed by Demon's Cycle of Pompano Beach, Fla., will be awarded at Surfaces 2012.
Bois Franc Mont Royal Inc. (Chateauguay, Quebec) has more than doubled the size of its warehouse to 65,000 square feet.
Basic Coatings (Toledo, Ohio), Powernail Company Inc. (Lake Zurich, Ill), and 3M (St. Paul) held a three-day Installation, Sand and Finish school at the Basic Coatings National Training Center in Toledo on Jan. 17-20; 27 students attended the event. Instructors included Josh Neuberger (Basic Coatings) Drew Steele (Basic Coatings), Brett Miller (Basic Coatings), Galen Fitzel (3M), and Jim Schumacher (3M).
By the Numbers
Construction Spending Declines in December
Residential construction spending in December hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $226.4 billion, 4.1 percent below the revised November estimate of $236.1 billion. Overall private construction spending in December hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $486.9 billion, 2.2 percent below the revised November estimate of $498.0 billion. For all of 2010, the value of residential construction was $241.4 billion, 1.7 percent below the 2009 figure of $245.6 billion; the overall value of private construction in 2010 was $507.3 billion, 14.3 percent below the $592.3 billion spent in 2009.
Mark Your Calendar
Howard Brickman will lead a wood flooring school Feb. 19 at the Bona Regional Training Center in Bridgewater, Mass. Students will spend the day learning techniques required to design, lay out, fabricate, and install medallions with curved and tapered elements and end-grain mosaics. Wood bending techniques will also be addressed. The school costs $99 and includes lunch; attendance is limited to 12 students. For more information, contact Brickman at [email protected] or 617/901-6407.
Post Your Thoughts, Win 3M Products
Every week, someone who posts on the Hardwood Floors Forum wins handy 3M products. Last week's winner of a 3M Hand-Masker kit was Bob Goldstein for adding his knowledge about wave. To add your input to the forum or start a new discussion, go to www.woodfloorbusiness.com/forum. The next winner will receive a box of 3M blue tape.
This Week on the HF Website
Contractor Blog: Wayne tells us about his day at EPA lead training.
Green Blog: How wood floor manufacturers use logos to greenwash.
Inspector Blog: Craig inspects a floor that woke up its owners with a big bang.
HF Forum: Getting rid of wave; debate over solid glue down
NWFA Member Services
NWFA members can earn points redeemable for NWFA events, products and services through the NWFA's Points Rewards system. NWFA members earn points for referring new members, renewing their membership, attending NWFA's convention, or attending NWFA schools. Each 10 points earned is equivalent to $1, and points earned range from 100-500 based on each eligible activity. Contact the NWFA at 800/422-4556 to learn more about this program.