The U.S. Court of International Trade upheld the Department of Commerce’s decision that cabinets made from phragmite composite boards are subject to the 2020 antidumping and countervailing duty orders on Wooden Cabinets and Vanities from China. Judge Aquilino rejected Chinese producer Nanjing Kaylang's argument that phragmite cabinets should be excluded because they are not "wooden," concluding that phragmite composite boards qualify as engineered wood. The decision, issued on February 21, 2025, follows findings from U.S. Customs and the International Trade Commission classifying such materials as engineered wood.
The ruling confirmed that the scope of the orders includes cabinets made from engineered wood, which covers materials like particleboard and fiberboard, both made from wood fibers, particles, or similar components. Commerce found that phragmite composite boards undergo a manufacturing process similar to particleboard production and should be classified as a type of engineered wood. AKCA provided evidence that various government agencies have classified similar reed-based composite boards as wood-based products. The court also noted that Nanjing Kaylang itself referred to its material as “phragmite boards,” reinforcing the classification under the scope of the orders.
With this decision, Chinese manufacturers cannot avoid U.S. antidumping and countervailing duties by using alternative materials like phragmites. The court’s ruling sets a precedent that engineered wood products derived from plant fibers, including reeds and grasses, may still fall within the scope of trade enforcement measures on wooden cabinets and vanities.
