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Hundreds of Steel Consumers Rally to Support Congressman |
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| CLEVELAND, OH—March 24, 2003—More than 500 steel consumers, whose jobs have been threatened as a result of the steel tariffs imposed by President Bush last year, gathered today for a rally at METALFORM’03, the annual trade show of the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), in support of Congressman Joseph Knollenberg (MI-09). The congressman is a staunch supporter of the metalforming industry and a leader in the fight to give steel consumers a greater voice in the steel tariff debate. Congressman Knollenberg authored a bipartisan resolution (H. Con. Res. 23) urging the President to request that the International Trade Commission (ITC) examine the impact of the tariffs on steel consumers. Since the tariffs were put in place, the steel-consuming industry of 13 million U.S. workers has absorbed price increases, supply disruptions and business and financial losses. “Tariffs don’t work. All they do is drag our economy down with no guarantee of achieving their purpose,” said Congressman Knollenberg when addressing the crowd. “I fought to prevent the tariffs in the first place because I knew we’d see what we’re seeing now. Unfortunately, we lost that fight, but that’s just one battle and I believe we can win in the end.” PMA Chairman of the Board Jim Zawacki, president of GR Spring & Stamping, Inc. in Grand Rapids, MI, thanked the congressman for his efforts. “Without Congressman Knollenberg’s support of our industry, we would not be this far along in our fight to remove the steel tariffs,” commented Zawacki. “The congressman is a true friend of the metalforming industry.” Because of Congressman Knollenberg’s work, awareness of the steel-consuming industry has been heightened and Congress is taking steps to ensure that steel consumers’ voices are heard. Later this week, the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the impact of the steel tariffs. The Ways and Means Committee has also requested that the ITC conduct a section 332 investigation to analyze the effects of the tariffs on steel consumers. PMA Second Vice Chairman and Treasurer Dennis Keat, CEO of The Su-Dan Corporation in Rochester Hills, MI, stated, “The 201 steel tariffs have cost thousands of jobs among companies that use steel, and they have disrupted our businesses with uncertainty that has been very damaging to each of our companies individually and to the entire metalforming industry as a whole.” He continued, “The 332 investigation will assure that the impact of the steel tariffs on our industry is considered as part of the midpoint review. The 332 study has been achieved largely due to Congressman Knollenberg’s efforts.” PMA is the full-service trade association representing the $41-billion metalforming industry of North America—the industry that creates precision metal products using stamping, fabricating and other value-added processes. Its nearly 1,300 member companies include metal stampers, fabricators, spinners, slide formers and roll formers as well as suppliers of equipment, materials and services to the industry. Members are located in 30 countries, with the majority found in North America¯in 41 states of the United States as well as Canada and Mexico. |
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