Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
  • Tire Business
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • ITEC
    • Silicone
    • Online Exclusive
    • Latex
    • Technical Notebooks
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Rubber Division IEC
    • Blogs
    • Sustainability
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
  • War in Ukraine
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
  • Resources
    • Directory
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
  • Data
  • Events
    • RN Events
    • RN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • Rubber News M&A Live
    • 2022 Hose & Belt Manufacturers Conference
    • 2022 International Silicone Conference
    • 2022 International Tire Exhibition & Conference (ITEC)
    • 2022 Women Breaking the Mold
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Government - Legal
May 26, 2021 03:59 PM

Hankook, Sumitomo oppose duties on Asian-sourced tires

Bruce Davis
Tire Business
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    WASHINGTON—Two Asian tire makers with U.S.-based manufacturing—Hankook Tire & Technology Ltd. and Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd.—are both urging the U.S. to reconsider the imposition of antidumping duties on passenger and light truck tire imports from South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

    In testimony prepared for the May 26 International Trade Commission (ITC) hearing on the proposed duties, representatives of both companies are set to tell the agency that imposing antidumping duties on the subject tires will have negative impacts on their companies and will not lead to increased production of lower-tier tires.

    Curtis Brison, U.S. passenger car and light truck sales vice president at Hankook Tire America Corp., said, "…a global tire manufacturer like Hankook cannot practically and efficiently rely on a single U.S. manufacturing facility to produce all of the many tire models demanded by our U.S. customers.

    "We rely on imports to complement our U.S. production and thereby provide our U.S. customers with an attractive range of tires.

    Brison added, "The success of Hankook's U.S. operations and ongoing investment in Clarksville, Tenn., depends on our ability to continue supplying our U.S. customers with imports from Korea."

    Brison noted that the U.S.-based manufacturing capacity is limited in its ability to serve the diverse demands of the replacement market, and "even if U.S. demand were not so diverse, imports would still be necessary because the U.S. tire industry does not have sufficient production capacity to make the total volume of tires required by U.S. customers."

    This latter situation is compounded by U.S. producers' poor track record in fill rates, meaning retailers and distributors have to carry multiple brands and a wide variety of SKUs in order to ensure that they always have product available to meet consumer demand.

    "This further drives the need for imported tires," he said, "particularly in the replacement market segment."

    Richard Smallwood, president and CEO of Sumitomo Rubber North America Inc., presents similar arguments in his prepared testimony.

    "The U.S. tire market is in a state of constant and accelerating transition, and producers in the U.S. do not have the capacity or production flexibility to fully and profitably service all market segments," Smallwood said, noting that applying duties in subject tires will not help U.S. production.

    "This is not a problem caused by the subject imports and they should not be punished for supplying tires the market needs."

    Smallwood also noted that duties would cut off or limit supplies from the four subject countries, "but multinational producers will find ways to supply the tires demanded by the U.S. market.

    "I cannot speak for my competitors, but in Sumitomo Rubber's case, the duties would not cause us to increase production of lower value-added tiers in the U.S."

    Related Article
    Congressmen testify on both sides of tire antidumping case
    Commerce: Elevated duties on Asian tires remain
    Taiwan tire makers urge ITC to reject duties based on market realities
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    Most Popular
    1
    Feds to help boost U.S. glove production
    2
    Danfoss Power Solutions, former Eaton Hydraulics see success a year after purchase
    3
    Wacky World of Rubber: The true story behind the rubber match
    4
    Cooper-Standard shows improvements amid headwinds
    5
    Trelleborg sails into 'known waters' with Minnesota Rubber, Plastics acquisition
    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2022. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • ITEC
      • Silicone
      • Online Exclusive
      • Latex
      • Technical Notebooks
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Rubber Division IEC
      • Blogs
        • Products
        • Wacky World of Rubber
      • Sustainability
    • War in Ukraine
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Resources
      • Directory
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Data
    • Events
      • RN Events
        • 2022 Hose & Belt Manufacturers Conference
        • 2022 International Silicone Conference
        • 2022 International Tire Exhibition & Conference (ITEC)
        • 2022 Women Breaking the Mold
      • RN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • Rubber News M&A Live
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION