46
Carbon Steel Antidumping
What the industry thinks
We asked associations, manufacturers, importers and distributors from throughout Europe for their opinions. Limited
space means some editing and selection has been unavoidable. We will, therefore, publish the full text’s of all comments
at www.fastenerfair.com and will also provide space in our next issue for further comments or responses, which should
be emailed to
phil@fastfair.net
Jean-Paul Micheau but also not the one of the distributors or Commission to remain independent and
President, the European Industrial end customers. to draw its conclusions and decide
Fasteners Institute intelligently and on a fair basis.
Let us see what happens now. The
Where would be the world without European commission is working on this The key question; what can be achieved
fasteners? Fasteners are a fascinatingly case and the EIFI expect a decision with new trade barriers? Will the time
complex business due to the large before mid 2008. Whatever this decision gained be used to restructure the
number of companies involved, the huge will be EIFI will accept it and continue to complainant companies, obviously
number of different products and the fight to preserve a level competition field currently unable to withstand
vital importance of fastener quality in the in this key industry area. international competition, to allow them
different applications..... to positively respond to the changed
Bernard Berrang economic environment?
The European fastener industry has President, European Fastener
always been a key player in this business Distributors Association We experience, almost daily, the
area and is showing a strong innovation outsourcing of production capacity from
capacity and dynamic which are the most The official complaint document from EIFI European industrial producing companies
important tools to keep and increase its came as no surprise to the European to more favourable economic areas: not
position on the world market. Many of fastener distribution industry. Astonished only because of lower labour cost but
the European fastener companies are by the arguments presented and the also because of less administration and
involved in many different countries, conclusions drawn, and forced into a rigid protectionism and the attractiveness of
they expect to compete and they need to timeframe by the European Commission new opening markets. Supposedly these
operate in an open market. They are to react, it took considerable efforts but favourable circumstances are also the
aware of the natural advantages of the EFDA managed to present its views and reason for many European fastener
Asiatic producers in term of manpower or identify where we felt corrections are manufacturers to invest in China starting
production cost and they know they have needed for the Commission to work their own production facilities there,
to develop new technical market efficiently and be properly informed. serving local and/or international
segments where they can make the There is no logic in the complainants markets.
difference. requesting protection and, in
consequence, prices increasing for European industrial fastener users are in
But it is one of the roles of a European products where insufficient European full worldwide competition. They need
association to defend the interest of its production is available. If at all, Anti the best in class services at the lowest
members when, in addition to the Dumping measures are likely to be available costs. In a world of
natural advantages, subsidies and other applied to no longer comparable market globalisation, to put one part of the
trade imbalances clearly exist, generating situation due to the dramatic price supply chain in a protected area whilst
an unfair competition field. One of the increases in raw materials and other parts – for example distribution –
legitimate tools is the antidumping transportation costs from China. have to survive the headwind of full
complaint, which is not just a way to international competition does not seem
protect a specific area but also a clearly However, it is the right of the logical. As a result of the free
ruled process giving the opportunity to complainants to utilise all legal competition in the newly formed
all the actors involved to express and possibilities and to interpret things in a European Market, the distribution sector
defend their position. The European way that strengthens their position. The has in the last decade been forced to
fastener companies do not want to just case is now in the hands of Brussels: the develop innovative service concepts,
be the specialists, leaving the standard procedures are running, investigations worldwide procurement, and install total
business to low cost producers just have started and selected distributors quality and lean-management-programs.
because in our job volume is king. have been invited to open their books, The focus has switched from product
Letting the standard business just go unveil their businesses and to answer the added value to service added value.
would lead to a strong price increase in extensive questionnaires which demands Various types of fasteners are no longer
the engineered fasteners business area, serious, time-consuming and very produced in Europe. There is a market
which is not the interest of the producers detailed analyses. We count on the demand for these products, which can be
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