24.07.2026

Manitowoc wins Anti-Dumping case

The U.S. International Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Commerce have found that Japanese companies Kobelco and Sumitomo /Link-Belt did sell lattice boom crawler cranes at predatory or unfair prices that harmed a US based company, and as a result have set Anti-Dumping tariffs of between 12.3% and 20%. See: Manitowoc accuses Kobelco of dumping

The new antidumping tariffs are set to go into effect this month according to the publication of the Commerce Department's findings in the Federal Register. To see the full document simply click on the following link: www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/23/2026-14950/lattice-boom-crawler-cranes-from-japan-antidumping-duty-order Be warned the wording is ridiculously old school legal jargon, making it almost unintelligible, even to those who are familiar with legal jargon.

It seems that lattice crawler cranes or their assemblies and components have been blocked from sale while under the provisional period, which was extended from the usual four months to six months and expired on July 15th.

This week, the tariffs will apply to imports at the rate of 12.36% for Kobelco, listed as the main protagonist in the original complaint, and 20% for Sumitomo Link-Belt. All others will pay 16%.

Importers will also need to make a cash deposit equal to the rates listed in the table below.

For the units imported during the first half of the year, antidumping duties will be assessed on “unliquidated entries of lattice boom crawler cranes from Japan or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after January 16." It seems that there wa also a block on imports of some items while the investigation was completed.

Manitowoc chief executive Aaron Ravenscroft said: "We are pleased by the U.S. Government's decision. This outcome helps restore fair competition in the marketplace and supports the long-term strength of our U.S. manufacturing operations and workforce.”

Vertikal Comment

While there must have been examples of Kobelco and possibly Sumitomo selling crawler cranes at prices below the levels of their home market, or worse still below their estimated cost of production. As both Sumitomo and Kobelco were obliged to hand over record including invoices etc.. However, the idea that Link-Belt or Kobelco were systematically ‘dumping’ their cranes in the USA is still hard to swallow.

They have typically been able to command premium prices for many of their models and are most definitely not ‘Pile ‘em high sell ‘em cheap’ merchants.

The decline of the Japanese yen may have played a role in more attractive pricing? Or US steel tariffs? But from what we initially understand, a few large cranes that had been sitting in stock were sold at “crazy” prices. But we do not have the evidence. So, who knows? Things are not always as they seem.

Pushing for tariffs, especially when it does not seem right, is a major risk for the instigator, especially if, as it inevitably will, it leads to higher prices for customers, even worse if it is followed by a steep rise in margins for the complainant, which is unlikely to happen here.

It can be hard and frustrating competing with a company that is selling at prices that do not make any sense, when you look at your steel and major component costs etc...
But perhaps steep tariffs on such items coming into the USA may have inflated costs for pure domestic production. If so it is another example of how stupid wide ranging non-strategic tariffs can be.

If you look back over the past century, you can see that the country has been here before – it rarely works out well.

But in the words of an early Persian poet, “This too shall pass”.