Mark Andy Cited 'Unfair Competition' in Tariff Pitch
Mark Andy: manufacturer has a large booth at this week's Labelexpo Europe show
European flexo press manufacturers are facing hefty import tariffs on kit sold in the US, after Mark Andy was successful in requesting that levies be applied.
US-headquartered Mark Andy was founded in 1946 and is the sole domestic manufacturer of flexo printing presses.
In its application for imported flexo machinery – encompassing web flexographic presses and web hybrid flexo and digital devices – to be included in the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariff regime, Mark Andy said it was experiencing “unfair competition from foreign exporters”.
It cited competitors including Bobst, Durst, Heidelberg-owned Gallus, Nilpeter, Omet and MPS.
The submission stated: “Mark Andy has long been an innovator in the printing industry, and a leading example of American innovation. However, its ability to continue to innovate has been threatened due to unfairly priced foreign competition.
“These threats not only threaten Mark Andy, but also the entirely [sic] domestic industry; by extension, threatening American innovation and the national security of the United States.”
It said the value of flexo printing machinery entering the US was between $164m and $210m (£120m-£161m) a year from 2022-2024.
Posting about the situation on LinkedIn, and with Labelexpo Europe opening its doors today and the tariffs likely to be a hot topic among manufacturers, label industry expert Will Parker said: “Tariffs are not innovation. Protectionism is not competitiveness and monopolies don’t build resilient industries; they weaken them.
“This will impact every label company and group in some way over the next few years.
“The irony is that Mark Andy remains one of the most competitively priced vendors I have worked with and usually by a considerable margin against the others mentioned. Suggesting that price wasn't the issue… it will be now.”
A Heidelberg spokesperson told Printweek: “Gallus competes globally with various suppliers but is market leading in terms of quality, productivity, efficiency, connectivity, and service.
“For this reason, we are not concerned about the tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum imports in the US, which only affect the company's flexographic printing presses.”
Printweek understands the tariff rate on the flexo machinery is 25%.
In June President Trump signed a proclamation to increase the steel and aluminum tariff rate on certain imports from 25% to 50%, effective 4 June.
Prior to the current tariff regime under Trump, Kodak had successfully lobbied for tariffs to be brought in on printing plates imported from China and Japan.