Australia: Portland manufacturer launches anti-dumping bid

18/06/2015 10:28 - 578 Views

Wind tower maker Keppel Prince has lodged an anti-dumping claim with the federal government in a last-minute bid to block imported turbines from Asia that are threatening jobs at its Portland plant.

The claim, to be lodged next week with Australia Customs Service, will try to convince government officials that companies in China and Korea are building subsidised towers with the aim of wiping out Australian businesses.

Keppel Prince head Steve Garner said the company’s wind division, employing up to 150 people, was on a “knife edge”.

“We’re hoping that our anti-dumping campaign is a success,” Mr Garner told The Standard.

“If it is a success we’ll be able to block the import of towers from China and Korea.”

It will take customs officials 20 days to decide if Keppel Prince’s claim has any merit. An investigation could take up to five months.

“What we have to prove to customs is that there has been causal damage,” Mr Garner said.

“They’re sending the products here that have been subsidised.”

The issue was thrown into the spotlight in November last year after Keppel Prince missed out on a contract to build 64 towers at the Mount Mercer wind farm. A Korean company won the tender.

Tasmanian-based builder Haywards is also launching the claim alongside the Portland company.

Mr Garner said the future of turbine making in Portland was now in the hands of customs.

“For us we’re either going to be in the wind industry or we’re not going to be in the wind industry,” he said.

“We don’t want to see this thing fail.”

Last month the federal government passed legislation to establish an anti-dumping commission, due to come into effect in July this year.

April 12, 2013, 4 AM

By Sean Mccomish

Source: standard.net.au