AFMA neutral on petition
Powell Slaughter -- Furniture Today, February 15, 2004
HIGH POINT — HIGH POINT — The American Furniture Manufacturers Assn. has issued a memorandum to members outlining the group's position and involvement in the antidumping petition targeting wood bedroom furniture from China.
The bottom line: AFMA neither supports nor opposes the petition by the American Furniture Manufacturers Committee for Legal Trade. Despite the similar names, the groups are not related.
AFMA needed to clarify its stance after receiving calls from several member companies, said CEO Andy Counts.
"They were hearing primarily from some retail partners who were wondering why we were involved in this petition," he said. The memo gives members a clear set of answers to questions about the AFMA's involvement, or lack thereof, he said.
AFMA commissioned a study last year by King & Spalding, the Washington law firm representing the petitioners, but AFMA activity in the matter ceased after the law firm told AFMA's board last May it believed wood bedroom furniture was being dumped in the U.S. market.
The law firm recommended AFMA have no further involvement in the issue. It said interested manufacturers should join ad hoc groups to proceed further.
"The board determined that AFMA should not involve itself in any antidumping-related activity," Rob Spilman, president of AFMA and of Bassett Furniture Inds., one of the petitioners, said in the memo. "Antidumping is a legal issue in which AFMA has no standing. Petitions must be filed by individual companies that feel they have been injured by illegal dumping activity."
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