Position Statements

TLMI Position on Climate Change

TLMI recognizes the risks posed by global climate change, such as more severe weather events and adverse impacts on human health and the environment; therefore we encourage TLMI members to take significant action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

TLMI staff and committees have undertaken numerous efforts to promote and provide opportunities to reduce and recycle business waste which provides opportunities for companies to reduce GHG emissions.  TLMI also supports the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership, a third-party audited certification program which enables our members to create a Sustainability Management System for tracking and improving environmental impacts, including GHG emissions.

It is TLMI’s position to:

• Continue our efforts to encourage members to voluntarily reduce GHG emissions.

• Actively partner with other organizations that can assist members in reducing GHG emissions in manufacturing and in the supply chain.

• Engage with stakeholders to explore markets for environmentally preferable products.

TLMI believes that voluntary measures offer the greatest opportunity for our members to design innovative solutions that work best for their own companies and products; however, tackling climate change will require action from all parties in all sectors.

TLMI supports legislative and regulatory policies that promote low carbon and renewable energy projects and offer incentives for energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy implementation, and enable companies to strategically plan for long-term energy alternatives. TLMI also supports the establishment of emissions reduction targets guided by the best available science and technology, and providing credits for companies that have achieved verifiable voluntary emissions reductions.

TLMI Position on Tariffs

In 2017, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) began to review US imports, focusing on potential national security threats and technology/software theft. As part of this review, Administration officials examined opportunities to increase domestic manufacturing and jobs. USTR considers tariffs as one pathway to achieving increased domestic manufacturing, output and associated jobs.

USTR’s review of imports, exports and their economic impact resulted in the issuance of tariffs ranging from 10-25 percent on a broad range of raw materials and products from China, the European Union, Canada, Mexico and other countries. The most significant of these tariffs for TLMI member companies was for 10 percent, levied on $200 billion worth of products imported from China. These tariffs became effective in September of 2018.

The 2018 tariffs have had a significant impact across labels, tags, packaging, adhesives, paper and film substrates, equipment and other products utilized within the. Compounding these challenges are retaliatory tariffs that have been issued in response by China, the European Union and other countries.

Several TLMI member companies filed tariff exclusion requests and sought product reclassifications to avoid additional product and raw materials cost. Overall, very few exemption requests have been granted by the agency.

TLMI Position Statement:

• It is imperative that the economic playing field is level across the globe for all manufacturers.

• Implementation of broad-based tariffs has added to the cost and availability of many products and raw materials throughout the tag and label industry supply chains.

• Tariffs should be individual, product-specific and justified with the effects to US manufacturing well understood.

• TLMI opposes arbitrary and undefined tariff rate schedule increases for imported products.

• USTR should ensure “due process” is made available for all stakeholders.

  • Due process should include, but not be limited to:

    • Justification as to why an exclusion request is either granted or denied

    • Appropriate documentation supporting any decision by USTR

    • A clearly outlined appeals process for stakeholders.

• USTR should allow “consolidated industry or organization exclusion requests”, rather than requiring an individual or company provide the request for a tariff exclusion.