Mike Turner, other lawmakers, go to bat for Appvion Inc.

U.S. Representative Michael Turner (R-Ohio) was among four members of Congress to provide testimony on behalf of Appvion Inc. at a U.S. International Trade Commission hearing held Thursday in Washington, D.C.

The hearing will help the ITC determine whether to extend antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of lightweight thermal paper from Germany and China during a vote scheduled for Dec. 17.

Appvion CEO Mark Richards said fair trading of lightweight thermal paper in the United States is vital to his company’s bottom line. Duties have allowed the company to improve sales and profitability while competing against foreign companies accused of selling merchandise at a less than normal value and manipulating data to avoid paying antidumping duties.

Appvion’s headquarters are located in Appleton, Wisconsin, and the company has manufacturing plants in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The company is 100-percent owned by its approximately 1,700 employees.

“Appvion’s investment in my southwest Ohio community has created hundreds of new jobs throughout our region. However, the expiration of current trade duty orders on dumped and subsidized imports threatens their ability to be successful in American markets,” Turner said.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Reps. Reid Ribble (R-Wisc.) and Tom Petri (R-Wisc.) also delivered testimony at the hearing. Another group of 10 lawmakers submitted statements in support of Appvion and a key paper supplier, Domtar Corporation.