February 22, 2017
News Release 17-028
Inv. No(s). 701-TA-556 and 731-TA-1311 (Final)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
Truck and Bus Tires from China Do Not Injure U.S. Industry, Says USITC

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of truck and bus tires from China that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value.

Chairman Rhonda K. Schmidtlein and Commissioner Irving A. Williamson voted in the affirmative. Vice Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Meredith M. Broadbent and F. Scott Kieff voted in the negative. Commissioner Dean A. Pinkert did not participate.

As a result of the USITC’s negative determination, Commerce will not issue antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of these products from China.

The Commission’s public report Truck and Bus Tires from China (Investigation Nos. 701-TA-556 and 731-TA-1311 (Final), USITC Publication 4673, February 2017) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

The report will be available by March 15, 2017; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.


UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20436

FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Truck and Bus Tires from China
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-556 and 731-TA-1311 (Final)

Product Description: Truck and bus tires are new pneumatic tires of rubber, approved for use by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on medium to heavy-duty commercial truck and bus vehicles that transport cargo and passengers on roads and highways. Compared to the lighter on-road consumer tires used on passenger vehicles and commercial light trucks, the subject truck and bus tires are heavier, weight-bearing tires generally containing larger amounts of strong natural rubber and steel ply reinforcement. Truck and bus tires are produced in a large number of types and sizes, radial or non-radial, tube-type or tubeless, but are predominately of the tubeless, steel belted radial ply design, and sold in the original equipment and replacement markets. Tires of this nature are found on a large variety of vehicles, from the familiar urban around town haul trucks and passenger buses, to the higher speed, heavy-duty tractor-trailer rigs and passenger buses on highways. The product definition includes both unmounted and mounted tires, however only the tire is covered by the scope.

Status of Proceedings:
1.  Type of investigations:  Final antidumping and countervailing duty.
2.  Petitioner: United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC (“USW”), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  
3.  Investigations instituted by the USITC: January 29, 2016.
4.  USITC hearing: January 24, 2017.
5.  USITC vote: February 22, 2017.
6.  USITC determinations to the U.S. Department of Commerce: March 6, 2017.

U.S. Industry:
1.  Number of producers: Seven.
2.  Location of producers’ plants:  Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
3.  Employment of production and related workers in 2015: 6,629.
4.  Apparent U.S. consumption in 2015: $6.1 billion.
5.  Ratio of the value of total U.S. imports to total U.S. consumption in 2015: 41 percent.

U.S. Imports:
1.  From the subject country during 2015:  $1.2 billion.
2.  From other countries during 2015: $1.3 billion.
3.  Leading nonsubject sources during 2015: Canada, Japan, and Thailand (in quantity).

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