Retread Instead Wants You to Educate Your Senators About Imported Truck Tires

Dec. 28, 2017

The industry campaign to support tariffs on low-cost imported truck tires from China has taken another step forward. The Retread Instead initiative is asking its supporters to join a letter-writing campaign to members of the U.S. Senate.

Retread Instead, an initiative launched in July 2017 and led by Marangoni Tread North America Inc., wants to reach out to senators and educate them on four points:

  1. The urgent need to ensure the U.S. International Trade Commission "at all times has a full complement of commissioners" to provide "fair and balanced determinations."
  2. That more than 60,000 U.S. jobs in retreading and related industries are threatened by the importation of non-retreadable truck and bus tires from China, which the group says are sold at below fair market value.
  3. The environmental benefit of retreading, and keeping non-retreadable tires out of landfills.
  4. The need to conserve natural resources, and thus the raw materials used in tire manufacturing, by using new premium, high quality truck and bus tires that can be repaired and retreaded.

“Gene Walker, vice president of Premier Rubber Co. has been a major supporter of Retread Instead since its inception," says the group's spokesperson, Ron Elliott, who's also the marketing and communications manager for Marangoni. "We need more industry leaders like Gene to join the campaign and reach out to their U.S. Senators and request that they fill all open positions at the United States International Trade Commission without delay and well in advance of a possible ruling by the United States Court of International Trade."

The court is reviewing an appeal filed in April by the United Steelworkers. The union is appealing the ITC's decision not to impose tariffs on Chinese truck and bus tires.

There are two ways to send letters to the U.S. Senators from your state. The letter can be sent via the Retread Instead website, or the text of the letter can be downloaded and sent directly by the sender.

The early supporters of Retread Instead include Marangoni and Premier Rubber Co., plus Symbology Inc., Tyre Retreading Machinery and Wonderland Tire Co.

For more information about Retread Instead, go to www.retreadinstead.net.