CARIBBEAN Cement Company said it was at a loss after the Antidumping and Subsidies Commission (ADSC) last week ruled that the dumping margin it initially found on cement imported from US firm, Vulcan Materials, provided no injury or threat to the Jamaican cement industry.

The local producer of cement said it was “anxiously awaiting the statement of reasons from the ADSC and is exploring the avenues of redress available”.

In April, the ADSC’s preliminary investigations found that the cement being imported by Tank-Weld had been dumped with an estimated margin of at least 15.13 per cent.

“Carib Cement contends that the high dumping margin is clearly indicative of predatory pricing practices by Vulcan, aimed at taking away sales, market share and revenue from the Jamaican cement industry, resulting in the loss of foreign exchange and potentially local jobs while passing on super profits to Vulcan’s Jamaican importers,” said the local producer of cement in a press statement issued on Monday. “The company added that in an environment of severe economic contraction, it was difficult to follow the reasoning that the high margin of dumping was not a significant threat to the Jamaican cement industry and its workers.”

Carib Cement posited that the decision contradicted Government’s intention to eliminate discretionary waivers on imports and increase revenues as the waiver on “dumped products that will conservatively cost the taxpayers $100 million” continued.

“It must be noted that the CET waivers were granted by the ministry in charge of the ADSC only to Tank-Weld, Vulcan’s cement importer, and the cement was used for certain construction projects that Vulcan and Tank- Weld refused to disclose during the ADSC proceedings,” added the cement manufacturer. “Further, this is the same ministry that within a matter of weeks also initiated a Fair Trading Commission investigation against Carib Cement alleging misrepresentation in the marketing of Carib Plus cement.”