The Quartz Manufacturing Alliance of America (QMAA) is a coalition of U.S.-based quartz manufacturers and others united to support and strengthen the American quartz industry. QMAA is committed to ensuring a free and fair, transparent, and competitive marketplace that enables the opportunity to compete on a level playing field for American quartz slab manufacturing factories, American stone fabrication shops, and their valued workers.
THE ISSUE
An Unfair and Illegal Surge in Imports
The U.S. quartz industry is facing serious injury from a surge of imports. In 2019, the U.S. government imposed antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) of over 500% on quartz from China to combat illegal dumping and subsidization.
Since then, foreign producers have engaged in evasive, and illegal, tactics to circumvent the U.S. trade laws, including:
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Country-Hopping: Relocating production to third countries like India, Thailand, and Vietnam to circumvent the payment of duties and the remedy provided to level the playing field for American producers and workers.
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Illegal Transshipment: Routing quartz from countries subject to duties through another country to evade duties.
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Fraudulent Misclassification: Illegally mislabeling quartz as other products, such as "crushed glass" or marble, to evade duties.
This has resulted in a flood of offshore-fabricated products, with over 40 million square feet entering the U.S. in 2024 alone. This amounts to 3,000-4,000 slabs of fabricated off-shore product being imported into the U.S. market each and every day. These illegal business practices directly harm American quartz slab manufacturers and the thousands of small and medium-sized American stone fabrication shops that are the foundation of the U.S. market for quartz surfaces.
THE SOLUTION
Enforcing Existing U.S. Trade Law
On Monday, September 15, 2025, the QMAA filed a Safeguard Petition under Sections 201–202 of the Trade Act of 1974 requesting the U.S. government swiftly investigate and effectively address an unprecedented surge of quartz imports and ongoing violations of existing U.S. trade laws.
This is a formal request for the U.S. government to study the import surge and enforce its existing trade laws. This action is not about stopping competition; it is a demand to stop illegal activity and ensure a level playing field for American businesses and workers.
FAQ
Q: What is a Section 201 Safeguard petition?
A: A Safeguard petition under the Trade Act of 1974 is a legal tool a U.S. industry can use to temporary relief from a surge in global imports that is causing or threatening to cause "serious injury." It is designed to address a massive, overall increase in imports from all sources.
Q: What are "country-hopping" and "transshipment"?
A: These are intentionally deceptive tactics used to evade U.S. tariffs. "Country-hopping" involves moving production to another country to circumvent duties. "Transshipment" is a form of fraud where goods from a tariffed country are shipped through a second country and illegally relabeled to hide their true origin.
Q: Will this Safeguard action make quartz countertops more expensive?
A: The QMAA does not expect significant price increases for homeowners. The artificially low prices of some imports are the result of illegal trade practices, and the financial benefit often goes to the importers and distributors, not the consumer. A trade remedy aims to restore an honest, market-based price where businesses and workers can compete on a level playing field.
Q: Is this action trying to eliminate competition?
A: No. This action is about ensuring fair competition. The QMAA welcomes competition from any company that abides by U.S. and international trade laws. The petition specifically targets the surge of imports and illegal and unfair trading practices that distort the market.
Q: How many American jobs are at risk?
A: Thousands of manufacturing and fabrication jobs are at risk if this import surge is not effectively addressed. In 2024, the amount of fabricated offshore quartz imports exceeded 40 million sq. ft. (approximately 1 million to 1.5 million slabs yearly or 3,000 to 4,000 slabs a day), eliminating U.S. stone fabrication shops’ work.
Q: How does this issue affect local U.S. countertop fabricators?
A: It is a direct and severe threat. When foreign companies export finished, fabricated offshore countertops, they bypass the American fabricator. The fabrication process is the primary value-added service local fabricators provide. The Safeguard petition aims to bring that work back to American small businesses.
Q: Who are the members of the QMAA?
A: The Quartz Manufacturing Alliance of America (QMAA) is a coalition of American companies in the domestic quartz industry. By standing together, the members of QMAA aim to preserve the integrity of the American quartz industry and build a level playing field for future growth and innovation.
Abbreviated list of companies that make up the Quartz Manufacturing Alliance of America (QMAA) include:
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Cambria
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Dal-Tile/Mohawk Industries
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Guidoni USA
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Architectural Surfaces
CONTACT
For more information, contact:
Luke A. Meisner
Partner
SCHAGRIN ASSOCIATES
900 Seventh Street NW
Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20001
P: (202) 223-1700
E: lmeisner@schagrinassociates.com