The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issued a preliminary finding of a “reasonable indication” that imports of certain corrugated food-service boxes materially injured a U.S. industry, allowing investigations into China, Malaysia and Turkey to continue.
Five commissioners supported the finding; Samuel T. Negatu did not participate. The vote advances the cases but does not decide whether the goods were dumped or subsidized. The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is investigating allegations that imports from all three countries were sold below fair value, with a separate countervailing-duty investigation examining subsidy allegations against Turkey alone.
The American Pizza Boxes Manufacturers Coalition and a union representing U.S. workers filed the petitions on Sept. 9. Coalition members are Smurfit Westrock plc and Pratt Industries, Inc. The coalition and union are seeking trade relief, but no final duty rates have been set.
The cases cover corrugated die-cut cardboard boxes and blanks for food service, including pizza boxes. The scope reaches products at different stages of finishing and assembly.
Commerce’s 2025 import figures under a related tariff classification show $35.2 million from Turkey, $8.4 million from China and $5.9 million from Malaysia. The agency cautions that the classification also covers goods outside the investigations, so the totals do not isolate imports of the covered boxes.
Commerce’s initiation notice listed estimated dumping margins based on information in the petitions. For China, the estimates varied with the comparison country used: 170.40% to 297.26% using Brazil, 97.71% to 185.92% using Mexico, and 99.71% to 185.04% using Turkey. The notice gave ranges of 83.72% to 116.58% for Malaysia and 51.27% to 92.81% for Turkey. These are investigation estimates, not duties already imposed.
Robert E. DeFrancesco, lead counsel to the coalition, said in a statement issued by his firm, Wiley Rein LLP, that the group was “encouraged by the Commission’s vote.”
The ITC expects to publish its report by Dec. 18. Commerce lists Dec. 24 for a preliminary determination in the Turkish subsidy case and March 9, 2027, for preliminary antidumping determinations; the agency says those deadlines may be extended.
