October 15, 2015
ANSAC supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and applauds the efforts of all trade negotiators involved in reaching a final deal in the TPP on October 5, 2015, in Atlanta, Georgia. The TPP has the potential to be a landmark free trade agreement among 12 countries, from Asia to Latin America, representing some of the largest growth markets for American products, including American natural soda ash mined in Green River, Wyoming.
ANSAC looks forward to reviewing the details of the final TPP agreement and the positive impacts this could have on competition and eliminating market access barriers facing U.S. soda ash exports in the Asia-Pacific region. For example, upon implementation of a final TPP agreement, the immediate elimination of the 3.3% and 2% import duties on U.S. soda ash in Japan and Vietnam, respectively, will help U.S. soda ash counter ever-increasing competition from Chinese synthetic soda ash in Asian markets.
Soda ash is a basic chemical commodity used primarily in the manufacture of glass and detergents as well as in water treatment and chemical processing. The U.S. exported $1.3 billion of soda ash in 2014, 32% of which was bound for markets in Asia.
ANSAC, headquartered in Westport, Connecticut, is the international marketing arm for three U.S. soda ash manufacturers: Tronox Alkali Wyoming Corporation, OCI Chemical Corporation, and Tata Chemicals Partners.