Akzo elbowed out of US para-aramids

05 September 1994 00:00  [Source: ICB]

AKZO NOBEL has accepted that its small share of the US aramid fibre market will be all but eliminated by a 56% anti-dumping duty on its Twaron product fixed last week by US Department of Commerce. A final decision will be taken by the US International Trade Commission on 7 June. 'We hope the ITC will realise [Akzo Nobel aramid exports to the US] do not constitute traditional dumping, but that anti-dumping laws are being used effectively to maintain a monopoly position,' an Akzo source said.

DuPont, the only US-based para-aramid fibres producer, filed the anti-dumping suit last July. But senior Akzo Nobel sources said Akzo had only been selling the fibres at US prices set by DuPont, which happen to be lower than west European prices due to differences in labour, energy and other costs.

Akzo Nobel said it would 'steadfastly carry through' its 3500 tonne para-aramid capacity expansion to 10 500 tonne/year at Emmen, the Netherlands, to be completed in the second half of 1995. The expansion was never directed to the US, and the new capacity will be fully utilised given rapid market growth, especially in Chinese, Japanese and Southeast Asian markets, as well as an 'amazingly' good European performance, the sources claimed.

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