The Coalition for Fair Paper Imports Applauds the U.S. International Trade Commission's Affirmative Final Determination in Canadian Supercalendered Paper Trade Case

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - November 18, 2015) - The Coalition for Fair Paper Imports, whose members are Madison Paper Industries and Verso Corporation, applauds the U.S. International Trade Commission's (ITC) final determination that imports of subsidized supercalendered paper from Canada are causing or threatening to cause material injury to U.S. supercalendered paper producers. This affirmative determination paves the way for the U.S. Department of Commerce to issue a countervailing duty order on supercalendered paper imports from Canada by December 4. In October, the Commerce Department issued a final determination that all four Canadian producers of supercalendered paper benefit from countervailable subsidies.

Russ Drechsel, CEO of Madison Paper Industries, said, "Madison Paper applauds today's decision by the ITC which confirms the injury our company has experienced as a result of imports of subsidized supercalendered paper from Canada. The Commerce Department found that Canadian SC paper benefits from a variety of subsidies. We also appreciate the Commerce Department's decision to adhere to a difficult and resource intensive time schedule in a case that included a number of complex subsidy programs."

David J. Paterson, CEO of Verso Corporation, remarked, "We are very pleased with today's vote by the ITC. Verso's paper operations have been adversely affected by unfair trade since the Port Hawkesbury mill reopened with the help of millions of dollars of subsidies from the Nova Scotia government. Now duties ranging from 17.87 to 20.18 percent will be imposed that offset the advantages that Canadian producers get from these subsidies."

Michael Croteau, President of United Steel Workers Local 36 at the Madison Mill in Maine, added, "This is a great day for the workers at the Madison Mill and other paper mills in the United States. We don't want to see more jobs in this country lost to unfair imports, and today's decision will help ensure that U.S. workers can compete on an equal footing. We thank the Department of Commerce and the ITC for all their hard work."

Supercalendered paper is used to make a variety of printed materials including magazines, retail inserts, flyers, directories, catalogs, direct mail materials, corporate brochures, and coupons.

King & Spalding LLP represents the Coalition for Fair Paper Imports.