AKRON—Chinese-made passenger tire imports into the U.S. doubled in October and November 2012 compared with the same period in 2011, the first full months after higher tariffs on such tires expired on Sept. 27.
Imports from China in October rose to 3.56 million units from 1.74 million a year earlier, and increased in November to 3.19 million units from 1.64 million, according to data from Global Trade Information Services Inc. That company generates trade statistics from U.S. and foreign government databases.
The increases pushed China's total for the January-November period up 26 percent to 26.1 million units. That contributed to double-digit advances in both months and pushed the year-to-date total imports up 4.9 percent to 116.2 million units, the data showed.
Chinese tires accounted for 22.5 percent of all imports for the 11-month period compared to 18.7 percent in the same period in 2011.
At the same time, the declared value of the average imported Chinese car tire went up in both months. The value rose to $39.53 in October and $40.08 in November versus the value in those months in 2011 and from the prevailing prices in July-September 2012, which were in the $35-$37 range.
Imports of Chinese light truck tires—also were subject to the higher tariffs, 25 percent in the year ended Sept. 27, 2012—nearly doubled in October vs. October 2011 to 376,202 units and jumped 88 percent in November to 330,997 units, the GTIS data show.