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bankerwin construction sheathing and marine-grade structural panels,
fall under different tariff classifications and are not subject to
these particular orders.

Trade barriers reshaping sourcing
The combination of steep AD/CVD duties on hardwood plywood

and Section 232 tariffs on softwood is fundamentally reshaping
procurement economics for US importers.
With combined duty rates potentially exceeding 200 percent
US - 196% preliminary duties on Vietnamese hardwood on Vietnamese and Chinese decorative panels, buyers will
plywood likely increasingly look to domestic production, alternative
The US Department of Commerce issued preliminary antidumping sources not yet subject to orders or reformulate their product
duty rates of 196.14 percent on hardwood and decorative specifications to fall outside the scope of the investigations.
plywood imports from Vietnam in February this year, one of For structural and formwork plywood, which remains outside
the steepest trade barriers imposed on any wood product these AD/CVD actions, the trade environment is comparatively

category this decade. stable though Section 232 baseline duties still apply.
Chinese hardwood plywood faces a 187.27 percent rate, European demand offers steady growth without the
while Indonesian exporters suffer rates ranging from 19.98 tariff complexity, while Middle East and Indian infrastructure
percent to 84.94 percent, according to the Federal Register programmes continue to absorb volume.
notice published in March. Procurement teams should closely track the mid-July
These antidumping duties stack on top of countervailing final determinations, as duty rates may shift significantly from
duties announced in January: 4.37 percent to 26.75 percent preliminary levels.

for Vietnam, 2.40 percent to 128.66 percent for Indonesia and
a country-wide 81.34 percent rate for China. Exporters report strong order growth
US Customs and Border Protection began collecting cash Despite ongoing global uncertainties Vietnamese exporters
deposits in March meaning importers are already bearing are reporting strong order growth through the second quarter
these costs. Final determinations for Vietnam and Indonesia of 2026 driven by precautionary demand and supportive
are scheduled for mid-July 2026. government policies.
However, contrary to earlier concerns, order volumes in the second
What's Covered and What's Not quarter rose sharply as buyers stockpiled amid fears of prolonged
The investigations, petitioned by the Coalition for Fair Trade in geopolitical tensions, oil price volatility and shipping disruptions.

Hardwood Plywood, target a specific product scope: hardwood Company’s orders in Q2 have nearly doubled compared to
and decorative plywood. the previous quarter. In the first quarter around 350 containers
This includes veneered panels, furniture-grade sheets and of goods, including timber and finished plywood were shipped.
decorative laminates used in cabinetry, flooring underlayment As of 21 April, shipments already exceeded 500 containers.
and interior fit-out. for helping businesses maintain momentum. Lower interest
Procurement managers should note that structural rates, faster lending procedures and streamlined Customs
plywood products, including film-faced formwork plywood, clearance have provided tangible support for exporters.