First import duties paid
24 U.S. mfrs. get fraction of collected funds
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, February 12, 2006
Washington — The federal government has paid to U.S. furniture manufacturers the first money collected in import duties on Chinese-made wood bedroom furniture, disbursing $144,159 to 24 companies.
The payments represent a small fraction of the total duties collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2005, the first year they were in effect.
The federal checks went to 24 companies that were part of a group that petitioned for an investigation into the alleged dumping of Chinese-made wood bedroom furniture on the U.S. market. That investigation, completed in late 2004, resulted in duties on the Chinese product ranging from 0.83% to 198.08%, to be paid by importers.
Under U.S. law, the duties will in turn be disbursed to the petitioners — those harmed by the dumping.
According to Customs, the initial disbursements ranged from $627.35 to $28,712.66, with Stanley Furniture receiving the highest amount. The payments came as a surprise to some companies, who weren't expecting anything until a review process was completed late this year. But a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Commerce said the payments complied with the law.
The total distributed is just a portion of the duties collected in 2005. According to Stanley's latest 10K financial report, $116.9 million in duties was collected and potentially available for distribution as of Oct. 1.
The amount eventually distributed to the petitioners could change depending on the outcome of an ongoing administrative review of the duties by the Department of Commerce. Preliminary results of the review are expected to be released in October.
A group of importers also has appealed the findings of the initial antidumping investigation, which could affect the collection and disbursements of duties.
According to the government, the following furniture companies were paid these amounts in duties in 2005.
| Stanley Furniture | $28,712.66 |
| Vaughan-Bassett Furniture | $23,833.60 |
| Bassett Furniture Inds. | $12,288.28 |
| Kincaid Furniture | $10,352.81 |
| American of Martinsville | $10,232.00 |
| Vaughan Furniture | $8,064.31 |
| Sandberg Furniture Mfg. | $6,571.79 |
| Lea Inds. | $6,498.24 |
| Harts Mfg. | $5,584.22 |
| Webb Furniture Enterprises | $5,137.91 |
| L and JG Stickley | $3,574.83 |
| Carolina Furniture Works | $2,985.58 |
| Michels and Co. | $2,975.52 |
| Mobel Inc. | $2,666.86 |
| Century Furniture Inds. | $2,503.02 |
| Higdon Furniture | $2,229.75 |
| Perdues Inc. | $1,961.66 |
| Vermont Quality Wood Products | $1,846.61 |
| Moosehead Mfg. | $1,473.90 |
| T Copeland and Sons | $1,238.46 |
| MJ Wood Products | $1,116.92 |
| American Drew | $1,043.37 |
| Harden Furniture | $640.30 |
| TSF LLC | $627.35 |
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