The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has determined that passenger vehicle and light truck (PLT) tyres imported from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand are being sold in the USA at prices that materially injure the local tyre industry. In addition, the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined that Vietnam’s government is subsidising PLT tyres that are then sold in the USA at “less than fair value.”
The USA will continue to apply anti-dumping and countervailing duties to passenger vehicle and light truck (PLT) tyres from China. The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) decided against ending the charging of duties, which have applied to these products since 2015, after determining that doing so would “likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.” Unsurprisingly, the United Steelworkers union applauds the decision.
In the USA the United Steelworkers (USW) union has filed antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions on dumped and subsidized passenger vehicle and light truck (PVLT) tyres with the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission
The USA has determined the rate of anti-dumping and countervailing duties it will charge on steel commercial vehicle wheels imported from China, and the levels set are high. This month, the US Department of Commerce announced final anti-dumping duties of 231.7 per cent and countervailing duties of 457.1 per cent.
Authorities in India are conducting an investigation into alleged subsidies on truck and bus tyres imported from the People’s Republic of China. According to a document released on Wednesday by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies, a department of India’s Department of Commerce, the investigation is taking place in response to a submission filed by local industry representative the Automotive Tyre Manufacturer’s Association (ATMA) on behalf of tyre makers Apollo Tyres, J. K. Tyre & Industries, MRF and Ceat. Should the allegations be verified, the department will recommend implementing countervailing duties.
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) must reappraise its final determination on truck and bus tyres from China after the US Court of International Trade (CIT) only partially sustained the ITC’s determination that the US tyre industry has been neither materially injured nor threatened with material injury by imports of these products.
Following decisions on the part of the European Commission (EC) to review its Chinese truck tyre anti-dumping tariffs and to decide against implementing anti-subsidy remedies against Chinese-produced tyres for the time being, the industry itself has been responding to the news. For its part, the UK’s National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) was not shocked by the news that the EC is not planning to implement anti-subsidy (otherwise known as counter-veiling duties) and highlighted difficulties associated with their implementation.
Recent published articles have led to uncertainty regarding duties upon new and retreaded bus and truck tyres originating in the People’s Republic of China. On 13 July, the European Commission announced its decision not to impose anti-subsidy measures during its ongoing investigation into these products. This decision reflects the Commission’s practice of not simultaneously imposing provisional anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures prior to reaching a final decision on the matter.
The Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber products (SLAMERP) has praised the USA’s decision to revoke the countervailing duty imposed upon off-the-road tyres imported from Sri Lanka. Commenting upon the ruling made by the US Court of International Trade on 11 July, SLAMERP notes that it “expresses confidence” in the growth of Sri Lankan exports to the USA.
Titan International has commented on the final results of the US Department of Commerce’s (DOC) review of imported OTR tyres from China in 2014 and 2015, which show the Chinese government increased the level of subsidies it gave tyre makers, enabling their products to continue selling in the US market at what the tyre maker calls a less than fair value.
In a 3-2 vote, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) yesterday determined that the US tyre industry hasn’t been materially injured by imports of truck and bus tyres from China, nor is it threatened by these imports. The US Department of Commerce previously determined that these imported tyres are subsidised and are sold in the United States at less than fair value.
The United States International Trade Commission has launched an investigation into dumping allegations related to Chinese-produced truck and bus tyres sold in the US market. The ITC released information on its action on 29 January; the decision to commence preliminary anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations follows the lodging of a petition by the United Steelworkers union.
The eighth annual “Asian Essen”, Reifen China took place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in the first week of December, with some of the Chinese tyre industry’s major players rubbing shoulders for the last time in 2014. The European side of the Sino-German partnership behind the annual show, Messe Essen stated that it expected the presence of around 120 exhibitors in hall W1 and 15,000 trade visitors. This latter figure, unconfirmed at the time of writing, takes into account the other three-quarters of the twin exhibition; RubberTech China 2014 and the International Exhibition on Rubber & Elastomer, led by the China United Rubber Corporation, comprised around 500 exhibitors across another three halls (W2-4). Messe Essen CEO, Oliver P Kuhrt stressed the importance of the ‘Reifen’ brand’s presence in China, stating in his introduction to the show that it “stands for the success of a fair made in Essen extending across borders”. With about two thirds of the exhibitors at May’s Reifen 2014 visiting Essen from outside Germany, Messe Essen also noted the importance of Reifen China in recruiting Asian participants, whose attention the exhibition organiser has drawn in Shanghai.
Giti Tire (USA) has raised its US prices by 9.5 per cent in response to the countervailing duties introduced by the country’s government. The increases affect all passenger and light truck tyres (excluding ST tyres) produced by Giti in China, and are effective from 1 January 2015. US industry journal Tire Review revealed the anticipated price hike had been implemented as a result of the 11.74 per cent adjusted countervailing duties imposed by the US Department of Commerce on Giti Tire Fujian Co Ltd. Giti said it was still “committed” to the US market.
The US Department of Commerce has reduced preliminary countervailing duties on tyres manufactured in China, according to local news sources. The countervailing duties are in addition a 4-per cent import tariff.
The Herald, which is distributed in Chester county area of South Carolina where Giti will soon break ground on its new tyre factory, reported that the commerce department has lowered Giti’s rate to 11.74 per cent from 17.69 per cent. At the same time the rate for most other Chinese-manufactured tyres dropped to 12.03 per cent from 15.69 per cent.
Tyrepress.com / Stephen Goodchild