The American Mold Builders Association (AMBA) is pleased to announce it has engaged a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm to speak for the industry in the nation’s capital and help policymakers make informed decisions about imposing tariffs on imported plastic injection molds from China. To make sure the voices of America’s mold builders are heard in the trade debate, the AMBA is working with The Franklin Partnership to lobby the White House, Congress and policymakers to support U.S. manufacturers against low-cost imports from China.

In July 2018, the U.S. Government imposed a 25% tariff on imported plastic injection molds from China, however, granted a twelve-month exclusion from the tariffs for U.S. importers on December 28, 2018.

“Under President Trump, American manufacturing has grown due to many of his policies enacted,” said AMBA Managing Director Kym Conis. “When the Trump Administration announced that 25% tariffs on imported Chinese molds would take effect in July 2018, our members immediately saw an increase in business and requests for quotes; however, once the U.S. Trade Representative granted the exclusion from the tariffs, those orders dried up,” continued Conis.

“Many of those who sought the exclusion from the tariffs claimed a lack of U.S. capacity, which is just not the case, with the domestic capacity utilization rate around 70 percent,” stated Conis. “Lead times for a Chinese and a U.S. mold are virtually identical, so this really was just about getting the ‘China price’ all along,” she added.

As to why the AMBA hired a lobbyist in Washington to work on reinstating the tariffs, Conis said, “Policymakers are trying to do the right thing but we are up against Chinese-owned firms in the U.S. and other large importers who want the tariffs to stay off another year so they can buy lower-cost molds. The facts are indisputable, and we need to have our voices heard in Washington. The U.S. Census counts 1,439 mold building establishments in the U.S. and the members of the AMBA stand ready to take orders and compete against any company in the world, but we cannot compete against the Chinese government on our own, which is why we hired The Franklin Partnership and are mobilizing in Washington.”

The U.S. Trade Representative is currently accepting comments from the public through November 30, 2019, on whether to reinstate the tariffs on imported Chinese plastic injection molds. The AMBA is working with its members to provide policymakers the facts demonstrating that the molds are available in the U.S., and therefore the Chinese imports are not eligible for a continued exclusion from the tariffs.