Chinese group hires law firm to fight duties on truck tires

The China Rubber Industry Association has hired New York law firm Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman and Klestadt L.L.P. to try and convince the U.S. International Trade Commission that the U.S. truck tire industry has not been injured by low-cost medium truck tires imported from China and as a result Chinese tire makers should not be slapped with higher duties.

The CRIA’s position is that the U.S. tire industry has not been injured at all, said Max Schutzman, a partner in the law firm during an interview during the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas. To the contrary it maintains that the U.S. industry has been doing quite well in its home market for truck and bus tires.The ITC issued a preliminary determination earlier this year with four of six commissioners calling for higher duties. A final hearing on the duties is set for Jan. 24, 2017 and the ITC is scheduled for a final vote on Feb. 22, Schutzman said.

CRIA is looking to mount a serious effort through testimony before the ITC to convince two additional commissioners that no harm has been done, overturning the ITC’s preliminary determination, Mr. Schutzman said.

The law firm has hired Capital Trade Inc., a provider of international trade consulting, litigation support and economic analysis in Washington D.C., to review and synthesize the import information and financial data concerning the case and produce a report for presentation at the Jan. 24 final hearing.If that decision is affirmative, the International Trade Commission—a unit within the Commerce Department—will make a final ruling on material injury no later than March 3.

Schutzman said the CRIA is convinced there has been no material injury to the U.S. tire market by reason of imported Chinese truck and bus tires.

The Commerce Department has assessed an anti-dumping duty of 30.36 percent on all Chinese tire makers, and countervailing subsidy rates of 17.06 percent against Double Coin Holdings Ltd.; 23.38 percent against Guizhou Tyre Co. Ltd.; and 20.22 percent against all other Chinese truck/bus tire producers and exporters.