Digital Signage Maker Wants Tariffs on Chinese LED Display Panels, Modules

South Dakota-based Daktronics, which bills itself as the “global leader” in manufacturing LED display systems for large-screen digital signage, wants the U.S. Trade Representative to impose 25 percent tariffs on imports of Chinese LED display screens and “the main assemblies” of LED panels and modules, said the company in a March 23 letter to Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., which Thune forwarded to the USTR’s office. The letter posted Friday in docket USTR-2018-0005 predated by about two weeks release of the USTR’s list of products targeted for the tariffs. The list included LEDs and LED-related components but not LED display screens or modules. In the past decade, “we have seen increasing unfair competition from Chinese imports and a decrease in USA manufacturers,” said Daktronics. U.S.-based manufacturers of “complete video display systems” number only about five companies, but in China, “there are several thousand,” it said. “This seemingly government-backed excess capacity in China drives the product prices down and makes it feasible to import their products into the USA,” but at “artificially low prices,” and of questionable quality, it said. The tariffs would benefit U.S. display makers because “our investments in Development and Capacity stay here in the USA,” it said. “We need to move quickly, there aren't many of us left!” Thune asked the USTR’s office to “give careful consideration to the proposed tariffs set out in the company's letter.” Comments on the proposed tariffs are due Friday as a prelude to a May 15 hearing.