WASHINGTON—The United Steelworkers union said it was pleased with the Commerce Department's preliminary finding of dumping against truck and bus tires imported from China.
“Unfair truck tire imports from China have denied our domestic industry the opportunity to share in job increases during a period of robust demand growth,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard.
The USW filed petitions with the International Trade Commission Jan. 29, seeking antidumping and countervailing duties against producers and importers of Chinese truck and bus tires. Commerce initiated an investigation Feb. 18, and the ITC voted 4-2 on March 11 that there was evidence of material injury to the U.S. tire industry because of Chinese imports.
On Aug. 29, Commerce made preliminary antidumping determinations ranging from 20.87 to 22.57 percent. Two months earlier, on June 28, it made preliminary countervailing determinations ranging from 17.06 to 23.38 percent.
Commerce has directed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to begin collecting cash deposits in the amounts of the preliminary antidumping duties, as it did previously with the countervailing duties. Combined, these represent duties of around 40 percent against Chinese truck and bus tire imports, the USW said.
“We have fought back against China's predatory trade practices in nearly every part of the tire industry, including tires for passenger cars, light trucks, off-road vehicles, and now truck and bus tires,” said Stan Johnson, USW International secretary-treasurer.
Commerce is scheduled to make its final determination on antidumping duties Jan. 17. If that determination is affirmative, the ITC will make a final ruling March 3 on whether material injury exists in the U.S. truck and bus tire industry.
China exported 8.9 million truck and bus tires worth $1.07 billion in 2015, up from 6.3 million worth $885 million in 2013.