The Chinese National Forest Product Industry Association Wood Product Association says that “consumers should be confident of the mainstream flooring made in China,” while adding that “in case that specific Chinese enterprises’ immoral supply of unqualified products to their American partner are verified, these several enterprises would suffer stringent punishment.”
The statement from the CNFPIA comes in the wake of a “60 Minutes” episode alleging that Lumber Liquidators’ Chinese-made laminate used non-CARB-certified cores.
The statement adds that the report was “unfair to numerous honest and legitimate Chinese flooring production enterprises,” and the CNFPIA vowed to assist governmental agencies to investigate the businesses in the report.
Additionally, the statement says, “We are deeply concerned about the physical and mental health of American, Chinese and all other countries' consumers of China-made flooring,” while acknowledging that “small enterprises in the field are still under-developed in management and unimproved in control and test of product quality.”
The full statement from CNFPIA is below:
Recently,a report by 60 Minutes of Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) triggered a great disturbance in the flooring field at home and abroad. The programme mentioned,Lumber Liquidators had sold a great deal of China-made laminate flooring which failed to meet the California Occupational Health and Safety Act in quality.The news arouses high concern of flooring enterprises, importers and exporters in both countries. Herewith, China National Forest Product Industry Association(CNFPIA) makes an announcement on Chinese newspaper Green Times as follows:
1. We are deeply concerned about the physical and mental health of American, Chinese and all other countries' consumers of China-made flooring. We firmly safeguard legal rights and interests of American, Chinese and all other countries' consumers of China-made flooring.
2. To promote the sound and sustainable development of China’s flooring industry and safeguard legal rights and interests of distributors and consumers at home and abroad is one of the principles of CNFPIA. We also soberly realized that some small enterprises in the field are still under-developed in management and unimproved in control and test of product quality.
3. We have the following opinions on CBS report in 60Minutes:
First, laminate flooring,as a deep-processing product of wood-based panel, is out of the certification scope of California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Second, due to the diversity of applicable standards, the failure in qualifying CA’s standard does not mean the same situation in other regions or countries.
Third, in case that specific Chinese enterprises’ immoral supply of unqualified products to their American partner are verified, these several enterprises would suffer stringent punishment. And consumers should be confident of the mainstream flooring made in China.
4. We reserve doubts about some contents of the CBS report in 60 Minutes.
5. We have experienced the negative effect of the CBS report in 60 Minutes to Chinese flooring industry in general. This is unfair to numerous honest and legitimate Chinese flooring production enterprises. Chinese flooring industry is engaged in producing high-quality and inexpensive products for the whole world. The efforts and contribution of Chinese flooring industry should not be weakened by the short sighted behaviors of a few enterprises. We hope domestic and foreign consumers to fairly and equally judge Chinese flooring products. Chinese flooring industry will also spare no effort in abiding by business codes and boosting honest operation.
6. Chinese government and industrial association have carried out a series of activities to improve product quality and honest operation in the industry. Chinese flooring industry is also speeding up in industrial transformation and upgrading.
7. We deeply understand that Chinese and American flooring industries, relying on each other, will gain from peaceful coexistence, and lose from conflicts. Practice proves that both countries, as producer and market, are complementary and interdependent. The predicament of either side will influence the sound and sustainable development of the counterpart's relevant industry.
8. We’ll assist governmental departments to investigate whether relevant Chinese enterprises perform cheat, fraud or other misconducts.
9. We guarantee to continuously boost the quality improvement of Chinese flooring products and the honest operation of Chinese flooring producers, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers of China and foreign countries as well.
10. We are appreciated to all consumers at home and abroad for their concern of and supervision in all forms to Chinese flooring industry.
