The United Steelworkers (USW) union and Titan International, Inc. filed petitions with the U.S. International Trade Commission and Department of Commerce for relief from imported OTR tires produced in China, India and Sri Lanka.
The petitions allege that imports from China and India are being dumped in the U.S. market in violation of international trade agreements, according to the USW. Additionally, the petitions allege that imports from all three countries are benefiting from improper government subsidies. As a result, “the imports are causing material injury to the domestic OTR industry and its workers,” the USW said.
“Unfortunately, this is the second time we have had to file a case against dumped and subsidized imports of OTR tires,” said Leo W. Gerard, USW international president. “The first time we were successful, but Chinese producers and importers appear to be gaming the system to avoid the duties they owe.
“And now, subsidized producers in India and Sri Lanka have stepped in to get their own piece of the U.S. market. This is a glaring example of what’s wrong with our nation’s trade laws. This circumvention and intentional abuse of trade laws is destroying jobs here in America. We filed these petitions to correct these harmful practices and restore fair trade to the market.”
The petitions cover OTR tires for agriculture, industry, construction, mining and industrial applications coming to the U.S. mounted on wheels or unmounted, the USW said. They cover OTR Tires whether they enter the United States mounted on wheels or unmounted.
The inclusion of mounted tires distinguishes these petitions from ones filed by Titan in 2007 on OTR tires from China. While unmounted OTR tires are included in the antidumping and countervailing duty orders, mounted tires from China are not subject to those duties.
According to the USW, OTR tires from China, India and Sri Lanka accounted for an estimated 41% of all OTR tires imported into the United States in 2014. This number does not include the mounted OTR tires imported, or the number would be larger, the USW said.
The USW represents workers producing OTR tires at Titan International, Inc., Bridgestone and Goodyear at six plants in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, and Ohio.
