US government bows to outdoor industry pressure
05/12/2012
When it unexpectedly announced its opposition to the bills on November 16 - a move that threatened to increase prices on hiking, hunting, fishing and trail running footwear by as much as 38% - the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) issued an action alert, urging the industry to speak out in favour of the bills.
Outdoor companies sent emails to Congress, which the OIA says prompted the administration to reverse its stance on eight of 18 tariff bills the outdoor industry had submitted.
“This is a major victory for the outdoor industry and also for our consumers,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, CEO of OIA “These tariffs could have had an unexpected and devastating economic impact on our industry."
Jim Zwiers, president of the Outdoor Group at Wolverine Worldwide, said: “These bills will continue to be highly beneficial for footwear companies across the outdoor industry. We're proud to be a part of an industry that quickly mobilised to protect jobs in the outdoor industry and promote investment in footwear innovation.”
Mike Ratchford, director of government affairs for WL Gore and Associates, added: “We appreciate that the administration heard our case. The decision helps ensure that the outdoor industry will continue to provide innovative products for outdoor enthusiasts.”
The eight bills are continuations of existing bills, meaning that the administration’s opposition would have resulted in sudden increased tariffs on specialty footwear products that represent 30% of all outdoor specialty sales in the US.
Jonathan Lantz, president of La Sportiva North America, said: “We set our pricing on a six-month basis, so we would have had to absorb the increased costs. We would have taken a big hit, which would have limited our plans for hiring, marketing and employee appreciation programs in 2013.
OIA will continue to press the administration and Congressional leaders for support of the 10 new tariff bills and will request the industry take action in the coming days.
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