28 WESTERN PALLET
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26 WESTERN PALLET
Conner Industries Announces Opening of New Manufacturing Plant in Tennessee
Conner Industries Inc. is opening a new manufacturing plant in Clarksville, Tennessee on February 1, 2019. This latest expansion comes on the heels of strong first quarter growth for the company and is one of several new investments Conner has made in recent months. New equipment expenditures for several of its plants, a revamped online presence, and the implementation of new technologies at the corporate level signal strong business growth for the industrial wood and custom pallet and crate manufacturer, Conner reports.
“We’re very pleased to announce the opening of a new location in Clarksville, Tennessee,” says David Dixon, CEO of Conner Industries. “This is not only an opportunity to bring more jobs to the area, but it also allows us to further expand our manufacturing capabilities and meet the growing needs of the Nashville market.”
The new facility plans an initial hire of 20 manufacturing employees, and is comprised of a 30,000 square foot assembly area, along with several acres designated for product storage and a rail spur on site with a loading dock. While the new Clarksville plant will be initially set up to carry out wood packaging products assembly, it will also serve as a warehousing and cross docking location for break bulk, and offer 3PL services for JIT delivery.
“This new location allows us to better align our services with our customers’ demands in a rapidly changing packaging landscape,” says Mike Huggins, Director of National Accounts at Conner Industries."
CBP Taking Action Against Plywood Importers
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), part of the Department of Homeland Security, has launched an investigation into a group of U.S. plywood importers and taken urgent interim measures. This information was made public in a letter sent to the companies in question in November 2018. In the correspondence, the CBP alleges that the importers intentionally imported hardwood plywood into the US that had been made in China and been relabeled in Vietnam. This action is apparently aimed at circumventing the duties payable on hardwood plywood products from China. Since the start of 2018, these imports have been subject to anti-dumping duties of 188.36% and countervailing duties of 22.98-194.9%.