Taber Extrusions supports Senator Tom Cotton and AEC’s call to reform Section 232 exemption process

Taber Extrusions, a leading aluminium extrusion company in the United States, applauds Senator Tom Cotton for spearheading this effort to push the Department of Commerce (DOC) to address the substantial concerns posed by un-tariffed imports to the US aluminium extrusion sector and its jobs. The Aluminium Extruders Council (AEC) and Senators Mitt Romney, Sherrod Brown, Debbie Stabenow, Rafael Warnock, Bob Casey, and Marco Rubio signed the letter in favour of Cotton.

This week, the Aluminium Extruders Council (AEC) endorsed a bipartisan group of US senators' call for the DOC to modify its tariff on aluminium-extruded goods. According to the AEC, the existing approach has resulted in an 82 per cent increase in overseas extruded aluminium imports, increasing foreign importers' share of the American extruded aluminium market to 25 per cent. This is the greatest market share held by foreign aluminium importers in over a decade.

"The aluminum extrusion industry is a crucial player in a myriad of areas of our country's economy. Our military and defense sectors depend upon us to deliver resources in a consistent manner, and this tariff puts this in jeopardy," said Jason Weber, V.P. of Marketing & Sales at Taber Extrusions.

According to a recent DOC assessment, growing aluminium imports weaken the internal economy and threaten national security, as defined in Section 232. Thus a 10% tariff was imposed in response. Consequently, between 2018 and 2021, aluminium imports declined by 31% while local output increased by over a billion dollars.

As a result, the DOC said publicly the data shows that those tariffs have been effective. These tariffs may have helped reduce unfair international competition for primary aluminium manufacturers, but they do not safeguard local aluminium extruders. The DOC has implemented a General Approved Exclusion or "GAE" mechanism, which grants importers of foreign-made aluminium extrusions automatic exemption from the Aluminium 232 tariffs.

American extruders have been compelled to reduce shifts, capital expenditure, and output since 2022, jeopardising this thriving sector and losing our country over 9,000 jobs. If these trends continue, extrusion facilities may close, harming American employees and undermining America's defence industrial foundation.