Utah Countertop Importer Liable For Millions In Illegal Dumping Decision And Tariffs Local contractors and developers could be impacted
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
|
January 30, 2024 07:01 PM Mountain Standard Time
A Utah-based countertop supplier has been slapped with multi-million-dollar liability imposed by the U.S Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) for illegally importing dumped and subsidized quartz countertops from China to the USA via Vietnam.
CBP determined that Superior Commercial Solutions, LLC (SCS), a Utah limited liability company, evaded US anti-dumping and countervailing duties by illegally trans-shipping the countertops to the United States by means of material false statements or material omissions. As a result, SCS will be forced to pay millions of duties and other potential penalties to the CBP.
According to the public version of the report released by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, “There is substantial record evidence that SCS entered covered merchandise through evasion. As SCS concedes in its administrative review request, the record provides substantial evidence that SCS entered Chinese-origin QSP (i.e., merchandise covered by the AD/CVD Orders) that was transshipped through Vietnam into the United States. SCS did not make AD/CVD deposits on these shipments, and declared them as type “01” entries, that are not subject to AD/CVD duties. This was false and, thus, the record supports a finding of evasion.”
SCS imports and installs quartz countertops and cabinetry for developers and general contractors of housing and commercial buildings. Based on publicly available information, it appears that SCS will be liable for roughly $3.5 million in antidumping and countervailing duties as a result of the affirmative finding of evasion. According to industry representatives, the action could have financial impacts on Utah builders and contractors who purchase countertops and other products from SCS.
“Our company and many of our customers have been aware of this situation for some time and the negative impact it has had on the Utah countertop supply industry,” said Chad Brown, General Counsel at CP Build Enterprises, a Utah-based supplier of interior finishes for commercial construction projects. “We’re even aware of one contractor who, knowing SCS was under federal investigation, decided to proceed with ordering anyway in spite of the known risk. We’ll have to see if that works out for them.”
The case was brought to the attention of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency by Cambria Company LLC, a Minnesota-based manufacturer of quartz countertops. The company’s CEO, Marty Davis, has been outspoken on the issue of free and fair-trade policies and played a critical role in leveling the playing field for the domestic quartz countertops industry.
Illegal dumping of Chinese goods is a significant and growing problem in the United States. It has negative ramifications for U.S. jobs, wages, price of goods and even health and safety consequences. Finally, the illegal activity poses risks of penalty for purchasers of the goods, in this case, developers and general contractors who purchase the countertops.
Click here to read the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency’s Public Document.
Contact Details
Lindsey Ferrari
+1 801-673-5618
