Commerce initiates China truck, bus tires probe

The U.S. Department of Commerce has initiated countervailing and antidumping duty investigations on truck and bus tires imported from China, according to a release from Commerce’s International Trade Commission (ITC).

Commerce announced the investigations Feb. 19, the same day the ITC held a preliminary hearing on the petitions filed Jan. 29 by the United Steelworkers union.

In its fact sheet on the investigations, Commerce said it found dumping margins ranging from 19.91 percent to 22.57 percent on Chinese truck and bus tires. Subsidies, it said, were above de minimis levels.The volume of truck and bus tires from China grew from 6.3 million in 2013 to 8.4 million in 2014 and 8.9 million in 2015, according to the fact sheet. The dollar value of those shipments totaled $885 million in 2013, rose to $1.08 billion in 2014, then retreated slightly to $1.07 billion in 2015.

Specifically excluded from the investigations are recycled, retreaded and non-pneumatic tires, Commerce said.

The ITC is scheduled to vote March 11 on whether to pursue the truck and bus tire investigations and transmit its decision to Commerce March 14.If the ITC votes in the negative, the investigations will continue. If it votes in the affirmative, Commerce will make its preliminary determinations on countervailing duties on or about April 25 and its preliminary determinations on antidumping duties on or about July.7.