Aluminium extruders from several countries have came together in december 2016 to form a new trade group dedicated to promoting and defending fair trade practices in their industry.
The newly-formed International Fair Trade Alliance (IFTA) was announced via press release on Tuesday. The non-profit organization’s mission is to assemble aluminium extrusion manufacturers and suppliers the world over to promote free trade within their sector. The new alliance is made up of extruders from North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and Israel.
“Our alliance believes that a network of market-based aluminium extrusion companies and associations can work together to support, teach, and advocate fair trade practices at a national and international level,” said Jason Weber, director – international market intelligence for Sapa Extrusion North America, and newly-elected chairman of IFTA.
The group was formed to point out and defend against what they see as non-market based economies defeating free enterprise via illegal and unfair trade practices. IFTA says these practices must be confronted both by individual states and by the World Trade Organization.
“We are all seeing illegal and unfair trade tactics from China being exported to other countries,” explained Lewis Saragossi, chairman and managing director of G. James Glass & Aluminum, and representing the Australian Aluminum Extrusion Association on IFTA’s board.
“It is time for our industry to come together as a global community to share data and field intelligence so each of our marketplaces can efficiently and quickly confront these threats,” he went on.
“What we are seeing is the proliferation of Chinese aluminium extrusions throughout South America,” Jochen Münch, commercial director of Ecuadorian extruder Corporación Ecuatoriana de Aluminio Cedal pointed out. “As duties, have been imposed by countries like Australia, Canada, and the US; Chinese extruders are moving into new markets. So, even if you do not feel the threat today, just give it some time and you will.”
IFTA will be managed by The Sanford Organization (TSO) in Chicago. The association management company is led by Jeff Henderson and manages other aluminium advocacy groups, like the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC), and the Aluminum Anodizers Council.
| Coutersy of AluminiumInsider | January 3, 2017 ||