WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today led a bipartisan effort calling for the International Trade Commission (ITC) to enforce U.S. trade laws and protect the American cabinet and vanity industry from alleged Chinese dumping of kitchen cabinets across the U.S. market. 

Since 2015, imports of Chinese kitchen cabinets to the United States have increased by more than 75 percent. This increase has caused a substantial market-shift away from the purchase of U.S. cabinets manufactured in the United States, including in Central Virginia. In April 2019, the ITC found reasonable evidence that the U.S. cabinet manufacturing industry was suffering material injury due to this heightened level of Chinese cabinet exports—and the ITC continues to investigate whether Chinese companies have unfairly subsidized Chinese kitchen cabinets to be sold below fair value in the United States.

In a letter sent to ITC Chairman David S. Johanson, Spanberger led 40 of her colleagues in expressing strong support for American wooden cabinet and vanity manufacturers and their employees. Additionally, she urged the ITC to make sure U.S. trade remedy laws are fully enforced when examining instances of Chinese kitchen cabinet dumping—especially as the ITC begins final proceedings in the U.S. trade case against China.

“The domestic cabinet and vanity industry represents more than 250,000 American jobs. For many small towns, the cabinet industry—including manufacturing and decorative laminate products—is the largest source of employment,” the letter states. “When facilities are closed due to unfair trade practices, our communities and our workers suffer. We appreciate the Commission’s work to date on this important matter and urge the Commission to ensure U.S. trade remedy laws are fully enforced.”

Since arriving in the U.S. House, Spanberger has heard directly from Central Virginia cabinet manufacturers about the negative impacts of Chinese kitchen cabinet imports into the United States and the need to protect Central Virginia jobs.

“I speak on behalf of everyone at American Woodmark when I say that we applaud and thank Representative Spanberger for her help ensuring American Woodmark jobs stay in the Seventh District of Virginia,” said Cary Dunston, Chairman and CEO, American Woodmark Corporation. “This is a difficult time for domestic cabinet manufacturers, and the unwavering support Representative Spanberger has provided will help us make strides toward a fair marketplace.”

Spanberger led the letter alongside U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski (R-IN-02).

Click here to read the full letter. The full text is also found below:

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Dear Chairman Johanson,

As we enter into the final phase of the trade investigation into subsidized and dumped kitchen imports from China, we write to express our strong support for American wooden cabinet and vanity manufacturers and urge the International Trade Commission to carefully consider the facts presented by the domestic industry.

In its preliminary determination in April 2019, the International Trade Commission unanimously found that there was a reasonable indication that the U.S. cabinet manufacturing industry was suffering material injury due to Chinese imports.

As the Commission evaluates the evidence in the final phase of the investigation, we would like to highlight a few key points that make this case particularly important both to the American economy and to reinforcing the strength of U.S. trade remedy laws.

Since 2015, imports of Chinese kitchen cabinets have increased by more than 75 percent, as dumped and subsidized Chinese imports have taken substantial market share away from U.S. producers. The volume and share of Chinese kitchen cabinet imports is rapidly increasing and reached nearly $2 billion in 2018, making this one of the largest trade cases filed against one country in U.S. history.

The domestic cabinet and vanity industry represents more than 250,000 American jobs. For many small towns, the cabinet industry, including manufacturing and decorative laminate products, is the largest source of employment. When facilities are closed due to unfair trade practices, our communities and our workers suffer.

We appreciate the Commission’s work to date on this important matter and urge the Commission to ensure U.S. trade remedy laws are fully enforced.

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