JELD-WEN began making wooden doors and windows in Klamath Falls, Oregon in 1960. From humble beginnings with just one mill and 15 employees, JELD-WEN has become one of the largest employers in Klamath County and one of the most admired in the state. JELD-WEN has also expanded outside of Oregon….significantly…and now employs more than 20,000 people in manufacturing and distribution facilities in over 20 countries.
Given its global nature, it’s not surprising that a company like JELD-WEN would benefit from the GSP program. JELD-WEN imports wooden doors from both Brazil and Indonesia, the two leading suppliers of those products under GSP in 2010. GSP saved wooden door importers more than $4 million last year alone. Other top importers include Sierra Door in Scottsdale, Arizona and Trinity Glass International, located in both Las Vegas, Nevada and Tacoma, Washington.
Doors are not the only wood products that benefit substantially from GSP: plywood, fiberboard, picture frames, jewelry boxes….millions of dollars worth of each of the things entered duty free under GSP in 2010. All totaled, GSP imports of wood exceeded $450 million and saved close to $25 million, making it one of the leading product groups last year.
That’s $2 million a month in savings. With nearly two months gone since Congress allowed GSP to expire, it’s more like $4 million in new (and perhaps unexpected) costs.
