The United States has initiated an investigation into alleged anti-dumping practices concerning tyres imported from Thailand, specifically those used in trucks and buses.
Tyre Industry Awaits U.S. Findings
This decision follows the United States International Trade Commission’s (USITC) determination that imports from Thailand may be sold in the U.S. below fair market value, potentially harming domestic tyre manufacturers.
Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Jason E. Kearns, and Amy A. Karpel voted in favour of continuing the investigation. Consequently, the U.S. Department of Commerce will proceed with its inquiry, aiming to deliver a preliminary antidumping duty determination by around 25th March, 2024.
The investigation, spurred by a petition filed by the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (USW) from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, seeks to assess whether these imports are indeed being dumped into the U.S. market at prices below their fair value, potentially causing harm to the local industry. Preliminary estimations suggest a dumping margin of approximately 48.39 per cent.
Initiated on December 1, 2023, the investigation focuses on seven producers across seven states, employing around 8,820 production and related workers. U.S. producers reported shipments valued at $4.2 billion, whereas the total estimated U.S. consumption stands at $9.0 billion. Imports from Thailand, along with other countries, constitute a significant portion of the market, with Thai imports alone representing 19.8 per cent of U.S. consumption.
This investigation underscores the ongoing challenges confronting the U.S. tyre industry amid intensifying global competition. Leading sources of tire imports include Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, China, Canada, and South Korea. Therefore, the outcome of this inquiry carries considerable implications for both producers and consumers within the tyre market. The industry and stakeholders eagerly await the findings and their potential impact on the global tyre trade.
