According to the United States Department of Commerce, low-cost imports of float glass products from China and Malaysia have threatened the United States’ glass industry.
Following a months-long investigation, Commerce preliminarily determined in May and June 2025 that illegal dumping and subsidized imports from China and Malaysia posed an unfair advantage for the two countries. Vitro Architectural Glass prompted the investigations after filing antidumping and countervailing duty petitions in late 2024.
“As someone on the front lines, you understand the impact of losing sales to low-priced imports,” Paul Bush, Vitro’s vice president of sustainability, technical services and government affairs, writes in a letter to customers. “It affects your business and our ability to consistently supply high-quality flat glass. To address this critical issue, last year, we filed antidumping and countervailing duty petitions covering float glass products, including fabricated glass such as tempered glass, laminated glass, acid-etched glass, mirror glass and insulating glass units.”
Video: Ricardo Maiz, president of the Vitro Architectural Glass business unit, spoke with USGlass editor Ellen Rogers about some of the industry’s current challenges, including the importance of fair competition.
Following Vitro’s petitions, Commerce officials determined in January 2025 that there was a “reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured because of imports of float glass products from China and Malaysia that are allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value and subsidized by the governments of China and Malaysia.”
That determination kicked off the investigations, which led Commerce to impose duties that officials hope will level the playing field between the three countries. It ordered antidumping rates of 247-312% for China and 9-16% for Malaysia. It also imposed countervailing duty rates of 11-892% for China and 19-28% for Malaysia.
Vitro officials say the duties are currently being deposited at U.S. Customs and Border Protection by importers of flat glass products from China and Malaysia covered under the scope of the investigation.
The investigations are ongoing, and a final determination is scheduled for the coming months. In spring 2025, Vitro filed an additional critical circumstances allegation against Malaysian float glass imports. Vitro claims that imports of float glass products from Malaysia were massive (a 27.5% increase) over a relatively short period. However, in late July, Commerce preliminarily found no evidence to support critical circumstances in the countervailing duty investigation of float glass products from Malaysia.
Per Vitro, the International Trade Commission will send Vitro’s customers several questionnaires that must be completed and submitted by the end of August.
“This initiative represents the unified interests of the U.S. glass manufacturing industry, striving to create greater opportunities for domestically produced and fabricated glass products,” writes Bush.
Every red-blooded American, not just glass shops, owes a big debt of gratitude to Vitro for spearheading this investigation.
The Chinese are not our friends. The intentional target of communist subsidies to factories in China have been eroding away at the U.S. production capabilities. It started more than 30 years ago with steel manufacturing. China single handedly put U.S. steel manufacturing on life-support.
Gradually, the U.S. would not be able to make its own airplanes, tanks and other crucial military components. When was the last time the U.S. made any quantities of ships?
Once we are no longer able to manufacture our own defense weapons, we are sitting ducks.
Keep in mind that every time you buy that cheap T.V. or cheap bicycle that were made in China, you’re helping to pay for a new aircraft carrier for China.
you need to get your facts straight. Japan, then Korea were the countries that killed US Steel manufacturing. and just so we are clear, Vitro, is a Mexican owned conglomerate. Not saying the dumping shouldn’t be stopped, but don’t be so quick to be a China hater. the greedy American corporations are the ones you should be blaming for offshoring. Oh, and by the way, blame the cheap ass Americans who don’t want to pay for American made products.
Vitro is importing a high quality VIG product from China. There is extremely limited production in N. America (by a lone start up). I wonder if the generic IG designation listed includes their Vacumax VIG?
Vitro filed to put antidumping tax on all types of imported glass from China EXCEPT Vacumax which is a Chinese product and it is still listed on their website.
VIG is conveniently not part of the complaint / petition by Vitro. Big hypocrisy. .
Didn’t Vitro just pass on a 20% price increase in June? A 40% in 2023? It might not be that hard for any country to sell under your price when you’re passing those kinds of increases on to the consumer. How about helping Americans by investing in automation and new capacity in the US, like a new float plant perhaps, rather than just continual price increases and beating back imports that are then more competitive.