July 26, 2024
Tariffs on Aluminum Printing Plates Will Increase Costs for Printing and Graphic Communications Industries, Reduce Competition in the Printing Plate Market, and Threaten Production of Printed Materials for American Businesses
(New York) The Print & Graphic Communications Association (PGCA), an organization representing nearly 400 print service companies in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, today called on the International Trade Commission (ITC) to reject new proposed tariffs on aluminum printing plates. The proposed tariffs will increase costs for the printing and graphic communications industries and the customers they serve, including thousands of American small businesses, reduce competition in the printing plate market, and threaten the production of printed materials for American businesses.
“New tariffs on printing plates will increase costs for printers and graphic communications companies and the businesses they serve across a wide range of industries that rely on printers for printed materials,” said Tim Freeman, Co-President of PGCA. “The imposition of additional tariffs on printing plates will reduce competition in the printing plate market and could leave printing and publishing companies with fewer options for affordable, quality printing plates. We urge the ITC to reject new duties on aluminum printing plates.”
Print and graphic communications companies use aluminum lithographic printing plates to print materials across a broad range of industries, including newspapers and magazines; marketing and promotional materials such banners, flyers, leaflets, and brochures; mailing industry materials such as labels and product packaging; educational resources such as textbooks and test prep materials; consumer products such as medication inserts, consumer product packaging, instruction manuals; print media advertising and tradeshow exhibits; restaurant and food service industry resources such as menus, food labels, and meal prep kit instructions; and business documents such as financial reports, among many others.
“Although the impact of tariffs and increased costs will be felt across the industry, the burden will be particularly felt by small and mom-and-pop print shops as well as the small and local businesses that rely on these shops for printed goods,” said Melissa Jones, Co-President of PGCA. “If aluminum printing plate suppliers were forced to leave the U.S. market because of the imposition of new tariffs, there could be a de facto monopoly in the printing plate market and an inability for the market to meet existing demand for printing and graphic communication companies.”
On September 12th, the ITC will hold a public hearing to assess whether to impose antidumping (AD) and countervailing duties (CVD) on aluminum lithographic printing plates from Japan and China. If upheld, the ITC could impose additional duties of 200% on aluminum printing plates.
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The Print & Graphic Communications Association is a regional resource providing business services and connections to nearly 400 organizations in the paper, print, packaging and mailing community in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Association acts as the preeminent source of information, programs, services and profit organizations for printers and related businesses and is committed to promoting the value of graphic communications and increasing the profitability of an every-increasing number of firms.
