The U.S. International Trade Commission said domestic manufacturers are unfairly harmed by subsidized exports of large residential washers made in South Korea and similarly from imports of these products from both South Korea and Mexico which are dumped on the U.S. market.
All six ITC commissioners voted in the affirmative.
As a result of the ITC’s determinations, the Commerce Department will issue a countervailing duty order on imports of these products from South Korea and antidumping duty orders on imports of these products from South Korea and Mexico.
The petitioner for the ITC investigation was Whirlpool in Benton Harbor, Mich. However, there are four domestic washer manufacturers with plants in Ripon, Wis.; Louisville, Ky.; and Groveport and Clyde, Ohio.
It’s estimated that in 2011 U.S. imports of residential washers from South Korea and Mexico amounted to $1 billion and $155 million from other countries.