US secretary of commerce Wilbur Ross has terminated the article 232 investigation into whether imports of mobile cranes threaten to impair US national security.

The investigation was initiated earlier this year, as HLPFI reported here

Manitowoc Company claimed that the prevalence of imported, low-priced mobile cranes – particularly from Germany, Austria and Japan – as well as intellectual properly infringement by foreign competition harmed domestic manufacturing.

The heavy lifting equipment provider has since issued a request on September 8, 2020, to terminate the investigation, citing a changing economic environment due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Secretary Ross determined that in light of the withdrawal of the application, it was appropriate to terminate the investigation.