Higher tariffs on wood products are needed to ensure fair trade in wood products and prevent the destruction of rural mills which are closing at high rates throughout the U.S., eliminating jobs and leading to forest overgrowth and destructive fires.
stered wood products at 25 percent. Cabinets are an important domestic end market for hardwood plywood, so this policy is important to turn around this struggling end market. Unfortunately, hardwood plywood and other decorative hardwoods were not included in the Section 232 announcement. This exclusion from Section 232 tariffs, together with the current challenge to reciprocal tariffs at the Supreme Court leaves trade policy on decorative hardwoods uncertain as we start 2026. Hardwood Plywood Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Cases will be Decided in 2026 In addition to Trump Administration trade actions, the Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood launched antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) challenges against hardwood plywood imports China, Vietnam, and Indonesia in May 2025. These cases, while overshadowed in 2025 by Administration policies, are taking center stage for decorative hardwoods in 2026. On June 12, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the initiation of the antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations of hardwood and decorative plywood from China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Commerce initiated at dumping margins of over 500 percent for China, between 138 and 150 percent for Vietnam and nearly 85 percent for Indonesia. On July 3, 2025, the U.S. International Trade Commission unanimously voted for a preliminary determination. The Commission
determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by imports of hardwood and decorative plywood from China, Indonesia, and Vietnam that are sold in the United States at less than fair value and subsidized by the governments of China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. As we begin 2026, the Commerce Department is scheduled to issue preliminary CVD rates in January, triggering the collection of duties on hardwood plywood imports from these countries. The Coalition has also pointed to surging imports after the cases were launched this could lead to retroactive duties going back 90 days. Preliminary AD determinations are due in late February. These trade cases will be decided in 2026 and should result in fairer trade in these products in 2026. Unfortunately, we expect China and other allies will quickly move production and transship through allied countries limiting the benefit to these cases. Policies that prevent transshipment and vigorous enforcement will be needed to see a longer-term recovery. S P Keith Christman is president of the Decorative Hardwoods Association, formerly known as Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Association. He welcomes your thoughts and questions at kchristman@decorativehardwoods.org. Visit the DHA at decorativehardwoods.org
SURFACE & PANEL • Q1 2026
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