Manufacturing News

Dumped Chinese and Korean wind towers injuring local industry

Two Australian wind tower manufacturers have made complaints to the Australian Anti-dumping Commission regarding Korean and Chinese wind towers being sold in Australia at below the price of production.

The wind tower industry is suffering due to factors such as uncertainty around renewable energy targets and a struggling Australian steel sector.

RPG, a major manufacturer of towers, collapsed in October last year and announced 154 redundancies.

Steve Garner, general manager of Keppel Prince, the biggest manufacturer of the steel structures in Australia, told The Australian that an increase in dumping had been due to the US taking action on the practise by Chinese and Vietnamese companies.

“If this situation is allowed to continue, it will destroy hundreds of manufacturing jobs in the Australian clean energy sector and many more indirect jobs,” he told The Australian.

“Some companies started importing towers and the price was absolutely ridiculous,” he said. “So we looked more carefully and recognised it’s dumping and that there is injury.”

The anti-dumping commission can slap import duties on products that are found to have been dumped.

Business Spectator, reporting on the issue earlier this month, report that claims brought by Keppel Price and Tasmanian firm Haywards would see a recommendation made to the minister in 155 days.

Image: http://www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au

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