What happened to the 2019 ceramics export market?
On July 1, the Argentine Ministry of Production and Labor issued a resolution to initiate an investigation into the anti-dumping sunset merger situation review for ceramic, marble and glass tile waistlines originating in China.
On July 3, the Gulf Arab Cooperation Committee announced an anti-dumping report on ceramic products imported from China.
In the first half of 2019, anti-dumping cases in the ceramic industry continued, making the industry in the deep winter worse.
Ceramic Information Xiaobian found that in the past six months, at least five countries or regions have imposed anti-dumping on Chinese ceramic tiles, and Xiaobian gave everyone an inventory by timeline.
01 Philippines
On January 11, the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the World Trade Organization issued a notice to initiate an investigation into the initial safeguard measures for the import of ceramic floor tiles and wall tiles from various countries since December 20, 2018.
According to customs data, the Philippines is the second largest exporter of ceramic tiles in China, second only to the United States. In 2016, China exported 470 million US dollars of ceramic tiles. In 2017, China exported ceramic tiles to the Philippines totaling 297 million US dollars, accounting for 6.71% of the total, down 58.29%. According to the statistics of Ceramic World Review Magazine, in 2017, China`s exports of Philippine ceramic tiles ranked first in the total number of square meters, totaling 73 million square meters, an increase of 8.5%. (Extended reading: Import surged 2192%! The Philippines initiated an anti-dumping investigation against Chinese tiles was questioned)
Event progress
On May 24, the WTO Safeguards Committee issued a notification on safeguards submitted to it by the Philippine delegation. On May 7, the Philippines began a 200-day temporary security tax on imported Ceramic Floor and Wall Tiles for a tax of 3 pesos/kg.
The products do not include unglazed, porcelain, mosaic, marble tiles, and glazed tiles imported from the European Union. Ceramic floor tiles and wall tiles classified according to the AHTN specification include: 6907.2123, 6907.2124, 6907.2193, 6907.2194, 6907.2213, 6907.2214, 6907.2293, 6907.2294, 6907.2313, 6907.2314, 6907.2393, 6907.2394, 6907.4092. The products involved in the import from Taiwan, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region are not subject to taxation in this case.
02 Saudi Arabia
In March 2019, Saudi Arabia issued G/TBT/N/SAU/993Rev.1 to the WTO. The notification issued by Saudi Arabia is related to the building materials technical regulations on building materials such as bricks, tiles, ceramic tiles and sanitary ware. The content covers the HS code update, the quality mark, and the conformity assessment procedure.
Since 2014, Saudi Arabia has issued two notifications of technical trade measures to the WTO each year, and most of them are about building materials. Its frequency is equivalent to that of European and American countries and far higher than that of Southeast Asian countries. In this 2019 report, Saudi Arabia puts stringent demands on the mechanical resistance and stability of ceramic tile products, product health, safety and environmental protection, and packaging. The Customs General Administration`s Standardization Center authorized China`s WTO/TBT-SPS National Notification and Consultation Center to study the technical products trade measures of ceramic products. The local ceramics companies in Foshan invited the councils to comment on this report and actively respond to them.
Saudi Arabia has been one of the top ten ceramic tile consumers in the world for many years, and due to its low local production, ceramic tiles are highly dependent on imports, making it the second largest ceramic tile importer in the world after the United States.
Saudi Arabia is one of the important markets for Chinese ceramic tile exports. From 2013 to 2016, China was the largest source of ceramic tile imports in Saudi Arabia. In 2013, the total amount of China`s ceramic tile exports to Saudi Arabia reached US$630 million, a year-on-year increase of 45%. However, this data has been declining at a rapid rate. In 2017, India overtook China to become Saudi Arabia`s largest source of ceramic tile imports. In this year, India’s total exports of ceramic tiles to Saudi Arabia reached US$215 million, compared with US$122 million in China (down from 82.04% in 2016 to US$221 million).
Under the strategic background of China`s “One Belt, One Road”, Saudi Arabia has become one of China`s most important trading partners, but its ceramic tile export volume has not increased and decreased, which is directly related to its anti-dumping policy. This Saudi Arabia’s renewed notice will cause Chinese ceramic tiles to be severely hit in the Saudi market. (Extended reading: Another moth! The world`s second largest tile importer will close the door to China?)
03 United States
In the early morning of April 11 (afternoon of April 10, Washington time), by American Wonder Porcelain, Crossville, Inc., Dal-Tile Corporation, Del Conca USA, Inc., Florida Tile, Inc., Florim USA, Landmark Ceramics, and StonePeak The American Ceramic Tile Fair Trade Alliance, composed of eight American ceramic tile manufacturers, applied to the US Department of Commerce and the US International Trade Commission for anti-dumping and countervailing ("double-reverse") investigations on ceramic tiles originating in China. The company includes 188 Chinese companies and 62 US importers.
Among them, the Chinese ceramic tile enterprises involved are from ceramic production areas in Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan, Henan, Hebei, Fujian, Sichuan, etc., and include ceramic tile enterprises and ceramic tile import companies in Hangzhou, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hong Kong, etc. The branch office of Xing Ceramics in Shanghai has not been spared. It can be seen that this “double anti-relation” involves a wide range. (Extended reading: The United States asked for a "double-reverse" investigation on Chinese ceramic tiles! 188 Chinese companies involved in the case)
On May 1st, the US Department of Commerce issued an announcement to initiate anti-dumping and countervailing investigations on imported ceramic tiles (CeramicTile) originating in China at the request of the American Tile Fair Trade Alliance.
Event progress
On May 24th, the US International Trade Commission (USITC) voted on the initial ruling of anti-dumping and countervailing industries imported from China Ceramic Tiles, ruling that the products involved in government subsidies and dumping were caused to the US domestic industry. Substantial damage. In the ruling, all five members voted for a positive vote.
On June 11th, the American tile anti-dumping mandatory responding companies selected the memo to publish a survey report on the lower than fair value of ceramic tiles in 2006. It is recommended to choose Pelita Ceramics (Anyang) Co., Ltd. and Foshan Sanfei Import and Export Co., Ltd. Hui) is the mandatory investigation object of this lower than fair value (LTFV) survey. According to the report, the two exporters or producers account for the largest number of subject matter.
Originally in accordance with the affirmative ruling of the US International Trade Commission, the US Department of Commerce will make a preliminary anti-subsidy ruling by July 5, 2019, and an anti-dumping preliminary ruling by September 17, 2019. However, the ceramic information Xiaobian learned from the insiders that the anti-subsidy preliminary ruling and the anti-dumping preliminary ruling have been postponed for two months. It is expected that the anti-subsidy ruling will be September 2019, and the anti-dumping preliminary ruling will be postponed to around November 2019. .
American tile market
According to the statistics of the US Department of Commerce, from 2016 to 2018, the US imports of ceramic tiles from China were 54.298 million square meters, 6105.6 square meters and 64.303 million square meters, respectively, and the import value was 409 million US dollars, 458 million US dollars and 438 million US dollars. It can be seen from this data that in 2017 and 2018, the import volume of US products from China increased by 12.7% and 5.3% respectively, and the import value increased by 12.0% and 5.5% respectively.
Imported ceramic tiles accounted for 70.7% of US ceramic tile consumption in 2018, and in 2017 this figure was 68.6%. Since 2015, China has been the largest ceramic tile exporter in the United States every year. In 2018, China’s share of the US import market reached its highest level ever, reaching 64.3 million square meters, accounting for 31.5% of the US imported tiles. (Extended reading: Sino-US trade friction upgrade! The latest data released in the American ceramic tile market)
When the Sino-US trade friction escalates and the US "double-reverse" is implemented, it may bring certain losses to consumers in the United States. Recently, on behalf of more than 150 industry associations in the United States, "tariff hurts the United States hinterland" issued a statement, strongly opposed "adding tariffs on Chinese exports to the United States." The organization pointed out that tariffs are paid to US Customs by US importers who purchase Chinese products; tariffs only punish US farmers, businesses and consumers.
As early as last September, the American Association of Home Builders (NAHB) opposed the US government`s tariff on Chinese exports to the United States. On May 9, the US government announced that since May 10, 2019, the tariff rate on the $200 billion list of goods imported from China has been increased from 10% to 25%, including ceramic tiles and ceramic machinery products. .
Economists at the American Home Builders Association estimate that a $10 billion commodity used in the housing construction industry will be subject to a 25% tariff, which is equivalent to a $2.5 billion tax on residential construction. According to data from the American Association of Home Builders, as of now, US tariffs on real estate-related commodities such as granite, cement, ceramic tiles, and stainless steel have already brought an additional $1 billion in costs to the housing construction industry. It may further rise to $2.5 billion. (Extended reading: "Trade war" allows American consumers to buy more tiles, and the construction industry costs $2.5 billion.)
04 Argentina
On January 2, 2013, Argentina issued an announcement to initiate anti-dumping investigations on ceramic, marble and glass tile waistlines originating in Spain, China and Brazil. On July 2, 2014, the former Ministry of Economy and Public Finance of Argentina issued Resolution No. 309 to make an anti-dumping final ruling on ceramic, marble and glass tile waistlines originating in Spain, China and Brazil. Among them, the anti-dumping duties imposed on China`s products are as follows: ceramic material is 50.03 US dollars / square meter; marble material is 108.69 US dollars / square meter; glass material is 11.42 US dollars / square meter. The resolution shall take effect from the date of promulgation and shall be valid for five years.
On July 1 this year, the Argentine Ministry of Production and Labor issued Resolution No. 499 in the Official Gazette of Argentina, and decided to initiate an investigation into the anti-dumping sunset merger situation review of ceramic, marble and glass tile waistlines originating in China. The customs codes of the Nangong City involved in the case are 6802.10.00, 6802.91.00, 6907.30.00, 6907.40.00, 7016.10.00 and 7016.90.00. The dumping investigation period of this case is from July 2018 to June 2019, and the damage investigation period is from January 2016 to June 2019.
05 Gulf Arab Six States
On July 3, the Gulf Cooperation Council announced the anti-dumping report on ceramic products imported from China: the Chinese corporate tax rate, of which 21.6% is the average tax rate of unsuccessful cooperative enterprises. The GCC decided to continue the investigation and did not take temporary anti-dumping measures. GCC members include the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
According to the preliminary disclosure document of the GCC, the sampling rate of the sampled enterprises is 21.6% (the ceramic brand of Hongyu Group, Guangdong Fotao Group Import and Export Trade Co., Ltd.); 58% (Enping Fengze Ceramics Co., Ltd., Foshan Had Johnson Ceramics Trading Co., Ltd., Guangdong Golden Eagle Import and Export Co., Ltd.; 53% (Jiangxi Sun Ceramics Co., Ltd., Jiangxi Weifan Ceramics Co., Ltd.). The tax rate for cooperative but non-sampling companies is 21.6%. The uncooperative corporate tax rate is 75%.
What if I have encountered anti-dumping? Anti-dumping in many countries is not a notice, but there will be a process of notification to review and final verification. In this process, companies can actively seek the relevant customs departments of our country or the team of lawyers to seek help and guidance advice. (Extended reading: The US "double opposition" strikes, how does the ceramic enterprise respond? The official gives suggestions)
On the other hand, with the support of the national “One Belt, One Road” policy, enterprises can also actively promote the business of countries along the “Belt and Road”. Under the positive influence of the policy dividend, ceramic enterprises should be able to obtain orders if they can develop their business in depth. The satisfaction of people.
In addition to the above response, many Chinese ceramic enterprises began to really go out and invest and set up factories overseas to bring Chinese ceramic technology to the world, while also avoiding the troubles caused by anti-dumping.
