Are you getting dumped on?

The Commerce Department has determined that companies have "dumped" nails on the U.

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Are you getting dumped on? #1
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The Commerce Department has determined that companies have "dumped" nails on the U.S. market — that's selling them at less than a "fair" price. An investigation shows that companies from China and the United Arab Emirates have sold steel nails for more than 118 percent less than fair value. Sounds like legitimate manufacturers are having another kind of fastener applied to them, doesn't it?
In this issue's Industry Buzz section, Reno Joseph of Pneu-Fast has an open letter to the industry where he brings up some important points. Sure, he has a vested interest in the proceedings since his company is one of those getting dumped on rather than doing the dumping, but his concerns are important as distributors everywhere work hard to provide their customers with products they can trust.
A group of manufacturers, including Mid-Continent Nail, Davis Wire, Gerdau Ameristeel's Atlas Steel and Wire division, Maze Nail, Treasure Coast Fasteners and a union organization have demanded U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigate the situation.
In the investigation, they're looking at certain steel nails with lengths up to 12 inches. They have various finishes, heads, shanks, points and sizes. Roofing nails are not included.
The results of the investigation won't be available until June — by then, a pile of nails worth billions could be in this country.
Frequent flyer miles add up
This time of year, we're piling up the frequent flyers miles as we cover the major construction industry trade events. The CD staff spent a week in Las Vegas in January working the sprawling World of Concrete show, and another week in Orlando in February at the expansive International Builders Show. While the attendees and exhibitors at these two events are, for the most part, very different, the shows have one thing in common — they're huge! In the April/May issue we'll have complete recaps of each event as well as a look at some of the new products that were rolled out at each. While the word on the cable networks may be all doom and gloom for the construction industry, a large number of manufacturers are ignoring that and introducing new tools, fasteners and exciting products.
Judging from the way exhibitors in the outdoor areas at World of Concrete were running out of slabs of concrete to test new tools on, the attendance was strong and looking for the latest and greatest.
The Builders Show, as expected, wasn't proclaiming record attendance this year — hard to top 105,000 people year after year — but even in the face of some very harsh realities, builders were active. The underlying theme: How can I do business more efficiently, more effectively and for less money?
You'll see in the 2008 Construction Industry Forecast from Wells Fargo's construction division (a Special Report in this issue) that, while wary of what can happen in this election year, the construction industry from coast to coast isn't letting headlines and sound bites keep it from looking toward the future with some degree of optimism.
Not all hardship
The travel isn't slowing down. The next stop (we may be there as you read this) is the equally expansive CONEXPO, again in Las Vegas. We'll cover that in the coming edition, too — April/May will be a hot new products issue!
While you might get the idea that we're looking for sympathy because we're spending so much time living out of a suitcase these days — and, of course, we welcome that — but it could be much worse. As this is written snow is swirling outside the window with nearly a foot of new snow expected to be tossed around by 35 mph winds for the next few hours. So, Las Vegas and Orlando, even though they mean long hours and many miles of walking the show floors and outdoor exhibits, don't sound bad at all — they say it will be 75 degrees in Orlando today. Wow, 75 and sunshine or 15 and a foot of new snow — somebody has to make those sacrifices to keep you abreast of what's new and what's happening. Glad to do it!
butch.horn@cygnuspub.com
www.constructiondist.com
author: A.D. "Butch" Horn




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