QUINCY, Ill.—Titan International Inc. is pleased that the U.S. government has imposed duties on imports of certain OTR tires from India and Sri Lanka but maintains the duties are insufficient.
The tire maker is hoping the Trump administration will act to rectify the situation.
The U.S. International Trade Commission, acting on a petition from Titan and the United Steelworkers union, determined in February that certain OTR tires from India would be subject to countervailing duties of 4.72 to 5.36 percent, while those from Sri Lanka would assessed duties of 2.18 percent.
While acknowledging the government agencies' efforts in investigating the situation, Titan Chairman Maurice Taylor Jr. said Titan believes the "level of subsidization may be larger than was found in the original investigation, and we plan to monitor developments in both countries to evaluate whether the full measure of unfair trade is offset through the issuance of the orders and any subsequent administrative reviews.
"Titan has been fighting for years to safeguard the rights of U.S. producers of certain OTR tires and their workers to conditions of fair trade. These recently issued orders on imports from India and Sri Lanka are another important step in that process," he added. "If the president adds additional tariffs on OTR tires, as he has said this will further assist in the fight for fair trade."
Titan noted in its statement that the duties cover certain OTR tires for agriculture, industrial, construction and mining applications, including tires mounted on wheels.
In a statement issued in February, USW International Secretary-Treasurer Stan Johnson said the USW was pleased with the affirmative determination.
"This ruling is very welcomed by all American tire workers," Johnson said. "Once again we have protected good-paying, family-supporting jobs and preserved market share for American employers under siege from India and Sri Lanka's unfair and illegal trade practices."
Titan and the USW originally wanted duties imposed on imports from China as well, but the International Trade Commission excluded China from the investigation in February 2016.