WASHINGTON—The U.S. International Trade Commission has found evidence of dumping and subsidies in its investigation of rubber band imports from China and Thailand.
The March 15 vote means the ITC and the U.S. Department of Commerce will move past the preliminary phase and begin a full antidumping and countervailing investigation of Chinese and Thai rubber band imports.
However, it voted against continuing the investigation of rubber band imports from Sri Lanka, on the grounds that those imports are negligible in their effect on the U.S. rubber band industry.
Alliance Rubber Co. of Hot Springs, Ark., filed the antidumping and countervailing duty petitions with the ITC in January, claiming that rubber band imports from China, Thailand and Sri Lanka were forcing Alliance to lay off workers.
However, U.S. importers of rubber bands insisted that Alliance's own business choices were to blame for its situation.
The U.S. Department of Commerce is expected to issue its preliminary countervailing duty determinations in this case on or about April 26, and its preliminary antidumping duty determination on or about July 10.