Hulamin: Tariffs sought on aluminium imports

Published Mar 13, 2014

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Hulamin, Africa’s biggest maker of fabricated aluminium products, has asked South African trade authorities to impose tariffs on aluminium sheet imports, mainly from Brazil. While exports to Brazil attracted a 12 percent duty, aluminium sheet imports from Novelis’s South American business to beverage can maker Nampak were exempt, chief executive Richard Jacob said yesterday. “This means we’re undercut by a rival in our own backyard.” While declining to disclose the tariff sought by Hulamin, Jacob said analysis commissioned from consultancy Econometrix indicated it would be “near the 12 percent mark”. Hulamin lodged its application with the International Trade Administration Commission of SA. Its proposed 10 percent tariff on imports of semi-fabricated rolled products was rejected by the commission in August 2011, according to Business Day newspaper. Hulamin is shifting sales of rolled aluminium products to sub-Saharan markets over the next seven years. Its shares closed 2c down at R6.98 on the JSE yesterday, off the high for the day of R7.10. – Bloomberg

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