WASHINGTON - December 14, 2004 - The International Trade Commission began its final hearing on the issue of outboard engine dumping this morning, convening to hear testimony to determine whether Japanese manufacturers have harmed domestic outboard manufacturers by dumping engines in the U.S. market.
Many of the marine industry's top executives were scheduled to testify at the hearing, although most probably won't get the opportunity due to time constraints imposed by ITC rules.
A witness list of those scheduled to speak in favor of the imposition of antidumping duties in the case - found on the ITC Web site - included:
Patrick Mackey, president, Mercury
Dennis Sheller, vice president, Marine Strategy, Mercury
Rick Davis, vice president, Engine Development; and chief technology officer, Mercury
Gene Herman, president, Local 1947, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Earl Bentz, president, Triton Boat Co.
Lee Kimmell, chairman and CEO, American Marine Holdings
Reggie Fountain, chairman and CEO, Fountain Powerboats
Ed Renken, executive vice president, Sea Fox Boats
Rick Grover, owner, Angler's Marine
Jeff Miller, president and general manager, Millers Boating Center
Andy Wolf, owner, M-W Marine
Ron Wilson, owner, Wilson Marine.
The witness list of those scheduled to speak against the imposition of antidumping duties in the case was equally impressive, and included:
Philip Dyskow, president, Marine Group, Yamaha
Benjamin Speciale, general manager, Operations and Planning, Marine Group, Yamaha
Irwin Jacobs, chairman, Genmar Holdings
Kris Carroll, president, Grady White
Joan Maxwell, president, Regulator Marine
Scott Deal, president, Maverick
Robert Deputy, president, Godfrey Marine
Larry Vandiver, Marine Marketing director, Suzuki
Larry Carpenter, president, Master Marine Services, Inc.
Katrina Coghill, president, Pearson's Marina
Jim Morgenthaler, general manager, Tohatsu
Wade Terry, vice president, Power Equipment Division, Honda
John Fulcher, senior manager, Marine Group, Honda
Tony Zielinski, president, American Marina.
The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a preliminary determination of "dumping" by Japanese outboard engine manufacturers in early August, and ordered a 22.52-percent import bond be posted for each Japanese engine brought into the U.S.
Although the DOC has determined that dumping took place, Mercury Marine - which initiated the dumping investigation in January by filing a complaint against Japanese engine manufacturers - must now prove to the ITC that it has been harmed by those practices.
Today's hearing will help the six-member ITC panel decide if that harm has taken place and if duties should then be imposed on Japanese outboard engines sold in the United States. That decision is not expected until February.
