While rumors swirl that imports of other flooring products, like solid hardwoods and laminates, will soon be called into question, no petitions have been filed as of yet for either product. However, according to the Alliance for Free Choice and Jobs in Flooring (AFCJF), there has been an influx of CVD and AD cases in recent months.
"The Petitioners could definitely go after laminates and solids,•bCrLf William Perry, counsel to the Alliance, said. "If they get big rates on the engineered, that would give them an incentive to knock out the solids and the laminates too.•bCrLf
Jonathan Train, president of the Alliance, told FCW that information he has received from counsel is that 40 percent of the time, petitioners go after another case be it another country or another product. "The message is, don't be surprised if this isn't the end of the deal and it affects other areas of the industry.•bCrLf And, added Train, "There has been a surge of new petitions in general during this period of investigation.•bCrLf
Brenda Cashion, vice president of operations at Pinnacle said that her understanding is that the CAHP can alter the scope of the investigation at any time. "It is so important that we kill it.•bCrLf
Jeffrey Levin, executive vice president and chief legal officer for Mondial Trade Compliance Services & Solutions and counsel to the Coalition for American Hardwood Parity (CAHP), disagreed. "I have no information that indicates that this is anything more than mere conjecture on the part of the Alliance. My concern is that the Alliance is using this angle as a scare tactic for recruitment purposes.•bCrLf