Smithfield, RI – The Automotive Body Part Association (ABPA) voiced our opposition to the proposed Section 232 automotive tariffs at a July 19, 2018 hearing at the Department of Commerce in Washington, DC. Representing the ABPA at the hearing was Chairman Christopher Northup of Professional Parts Group.
“Parts and related services are the fuel that keeps the repair process in motion and productive, the risk to increasing part cost through tariffs threatens our ability to effectively and economically repair Americas vehicles,” said Northup. “Tariffs as a means to correct trade imbalance without understanding the unintended consequences would serve to harm international relationships and cause American households to suffer.”
Forty-five global and U.S. companies, labor and other organizations spoke at the hearing including representatives from CAPA, SEMA, MEMA & AutoCare. On May 23, President Trump instructed Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to initiate a Section 232 investigation to determine if the imports into the U.S. of automobiles, including SUVs, vans and light trucks, and automotive parts (including collision repair parts) threaten to impair national security. These tariffs would seriously impact the motor vehicle parts supplier industry. The July 19 hearing was part of the administration’s investigation of whether imported automobiles and automotive parts pose national security risks.
“This Administration needs to consider the impact of tariffs on the greater motoring public, the transportation sector, plus those connected dots that support our overall automotive economy,” said Northup. “This issue is about keeping America great, not disrupting it. We object to the proposed tariff, as tariffs only serve to harm Americas Automotive Economy.”
The ABPA will continue to voice our opposition to the 232 Tariffs and encourages our members to support the Association’s position by reaching out to their representatives in Washington, DC. For more information on the position of the ABPA and to view our submission to the Department of Commerce, please visit our advocacy page.
About the ABPA
With more than 165 members, the Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) occupies over 400 distinctive locations including collision parts distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, and parts recycling plants. ABPA’s members are responsible for distributing more than 80 percent of the independently produced aftermarket crash replacement parts sold to the collision repair trade. For more information about the ABPA, visit www.autobpa.com.
