• by Ray Schultz , August 12, 2024

Twelve trade groups in the printing and graphic communications industries are urging the International Trade Commission (ITC) to reject new tariffs on aluminum lithographic printing plate imports from Japan and China. 

“Additional duties on printing plates will lead to increased costs for printers and the businesses they serve, reduce competition in the printing plate market, and threaten the availability of quality printed materials for businesses and consumers alike,” the groups said in a letter to the ITC.  

The letter continues, “Although the entire printing and graphic communications industries and the customers they serve will feel the burden of increased costs—from the largest-scale commercial printers to the smallest mom-and-pop printers—we are particularly concerned that small printers and the thousands of small businesses served by printers in this country will disproportionately shoulder the burden.” 

Last week, the News/Media Alliance protested the planned duties. 

“A decision by the federal government to impose new tariffs on aluminum printing plates would threaten news publishers’ critical news-gathering missions, put American jobs at risk, and cause additional news outlets to shutter, contributing to expanding news deserts across the country,” said News/Media Alliance President & CEO Danielle Coffey. 

Very high duties of 200% for China and 87% for Japan were preliminarily imposed earlier this year. The ITC is now considering whether to allow them to continue, and will conduct a hearing on Sept. 12.