Felix Schoeller together with other European decor paper producers has welcomed the European Commission's decision to launch an anti-dumping investigation into the imports of decor paper originating from China. The investigation, initiated today, is a response to a complaint jointly lodged by the Osnabrück-based specialty paper manufacturer and three other major European decor paper producers. The companies firmly believe that this investigation is a pivotal step towards preventing further material harm to the European decor paper industry and ensuring fair and healthy competition in the European market.
The complaint highlighted the detrimental impact of distortions in the Chinese economy, which enable Chinese manufacturers to flood the EU market with unfairly priced decor paper, causing significant damage to the EU industry. The four decor paper producers have underlined the urgent necessity of anti-dumping duties to restore a level playing field for all industry players. “Open and fair competition is the basis for a functioning market economy. The development of our industry is based on these principles. We are consciously utilising the anti-dumping complaint procedure at European Commission level to have compliance with these principles checked by all market participants," says Hans-Christoph Gallenkamp, CEO Felix Schoeller.
Background: Decor paper is used for high-quality quality finishes on wood materials like furniture surfaces, floors and panels, as well as other interior design, renovation and construction applications. It plays a crucial role in the production of affordable consumer goods with a long lifespan often more than 20 years. The European decor paper industry represents an estimated production of 390,000 tonnes per annum, with manufacturers in seven Member States. Moreover, the industry provides thousands of jobs across Europe, including offering local employment for manual workers in rural areas.
Felix Schoeller stands in support of targeted trade policy measures aimed at protecting the interests of European industries, while also ensuring supply stability and maintaining competitiveness among downstream users to the benefit of consumers. Felix Schoeller will continue to collaborate closely with the European Commission and believe that this investigation will serve as an essential means to ensure a fair and competitive trade environment for the decor paper industry in Europe.
About Felix Schoeller Felix Schoeller harnesses the power of paper. The specialty paper manufacturer enables customers and partners to deliver solutions that make life better for people and the planet. Founded in 1895, the family-owned company with 17 locations in ten countries offers proven paper solutions ranging from photographic and digital printing papers to decor papers for the furniture and wood-based panel industries, release liners for medical products and industrial applications, and sublimation papers for fashion, sportswear and home furnishings to flexible paper composites for packaging. In addition to proven paper solutions, Felix Schoeller enhances the use of paper in new applications and replaces limited resources with paper as a renewable raw material. True to its vision to make life better through paper, the company follows its central brand promise PAPER MADE FOR LIFE. Since 2018, Hans-Christoph Gallenkamp has been the fifth generation to lead the family business with the headquarters in Osnabrück. felix-schoeller.com |
Media contact: Frank Meyer-Niehoff Felix Schoeller Holding GmbH & Co. KG • Burg Gretesch 1 • 49086 Osnabrück Phone: +49 541 3800 347 |