Cookware Manufacturers Beg for Aid WASHINGTON (FNS) U.S. producers of stainless steel cookware will be caution the Reagan Administration they might have to stop creation of predatory priced imports continue to flood the market.

 In testimony before the International Trade Commission, some of The largest firms charged that imports from Taiwan and South Korea are being dumped in america market, helped by authorities export hand outs.

 "They are buying themselves into the U.S. With Low prices and forcing U.S. producers out of this current market," billed Al Krebel, president of Farberware.

 "It the unfair pricing continues, it threatens the extended Term presence of our firm," Krebel told commission investigators.

 The Farberware executive was appearing at the ITC included in a Domestic industry effort to slap sharply higher export duties on Korean and Taiwanese stainless steel.  https://beststainlesssteelcookware.reviews/latin-flavor-lifetime-brands-brings-south-of-the-border-cookware-to-the-north-with-its-vasconia-line-debuting-at-the-houseware-show.html

 Under the banner of an ad hoc group called the Fair Trade Committee of the Cookware Manufacturers association, the firms are seeking to off set US anti dumping and countervailing duties to compensate for alleged price predation and unjust export subsidization.

 In addition to Farberware, the Group includes Regal Ware, Inc., Revere Cooper and Brass, Inc., and Wear Ever/Proctor Silex which together account for over 90% of US manufacturing of these items.

 Opposing these firms at the ITC hearing has been a battery of lawyers Drawn from various import interests, including the Taiwanese and Korean producers, in addition to a range of US importing companies, Normandy Distributors Inc., davidcraft Corp. and International Cookware Co..

 These importers rebutted U.S. industry asserts of import injury, Asserting that the low priced Taiwanese and Korean goods are not directly competitive with the more cost American product; they serve a separate market niche carved out by themselves; and that their products largely aren't sold through the exact retail outlets as domestically made goods.

 The importers claimes that some financial harm suffered by the U.S. companies was caused by the firms themselves.

 David Palmeter, counsel to the Korea Metal Flatware Exporters Association, noted that high-end Korean goods are produced from inexpensive number 18 chrome steel that is not available in this country. This enables the products to be showcased by shops which do not carry the more expensive U.S. lines,'' he said.

 At the top quality end of the business, Palmeter informed the Commission the Korean merchandise provides American merchants a diversity of styling that is absent in U.S. cookware lines.

 Furthermore, according to Palmeter, the Korean Legislation is Attractive to U.S. retailers as it's provided within an exclusive advertising and advertising basis, so that shops have their very own distinct cookware sytles. Palmeter claimed this was not true of U.S. makers, which provide identical fashions to all.

 But the U.S. manufacturers, headed by Krebel and Philip J. Ketter, Regal's manager of marketing solutions, told another story. They maintained that the imports have been marketed in direct competition with their own products, and they are being vended at costs up to 90 percent below their true worth.

 "In case the U.S. business is to survive, we must be able to Compete on a reasonable basis. Until unfair prices by Korean and Taiwanese producers is stopped, Regal is going to be forced to keep its escape from the surface of the cooker steel cookware market," Ketter declared.

 In Terms of the state of the industry as a whole, Ketter explained The outlook as"very gloomy"

 According to both Ketter and Krebel, the reduced priced imports from The Far East have consumed in their markets and forced their businesses to reduce prices to such an extent that they are now below levels of a couple of years back.

 Krebel also complained that many retailers are incorporating the Domestic products only in"nominal" amounts for"benchg markers" screens and are focusing volume on higher profit margin import lines.

 In the eyes of the consumer, in accordance with Krebel, there is Little gap between imported and domestic items. Putting'stainless steel' on steel is quite like placing'sterling' on silver. That which is perceived as equal in quality," he clarified.

 The ITC hearing was conducted by commission investigators and Formed part of an initial 45 day probe to decide whether there is enough evidence of national harm to warrant a broader inspection. At precisely the same time, the Commerce Department has opened concurrent investigations to choose whether the stolen goods have been dumped and if they are illegally subsidized under the terms of the U.S. Countervailing Duty law.

 All these probes will be cancelled if the 45 Day probe finds no signs of harm. The comission is due to vote on this initial investigation during the first week of March.

 Throughout the hearing, both Krebel and Ketter produced large Quantities of cookware to support their contentions that the imported product, in most essential elements, is equal to the national products.

 As skillet followed Dutch oven and saucepan submitted as Evidence, the ITC investigators were soon awash in glistening metal.

 Confessed staff director Charles Irwin at a stage:"As a Nonstop cook, they certainly do seem similar. But we do seem to be amassing a horrible lot of junk on this table"

 Countered Krebel:"I am glad you think they look similar. But I do wish you would not refer to them as'crap'"