Latest Tariff Petition Draws Interest From Nearly 50 Manufacturers and Importers

Jan. 27, 2016

The International Trade Commission (ITC) will take its first look Jan. 29, 2016, at the request to levy tariffs on even more off-the-road (OTR) tires produced not only in China, but in Sri Lanka and India as well.

A petition was filed Jan. 8 by Titan Tire Corp. and the United Steelworkers (USW,) and is similar to a 2007 case, which the ITC and U.S. Department of Commerce ultimately approved and have since renewed in 2013. This case alleges it’s not just the Chinese government, but the governments in Sri Lanka and India too, that are unfairly boosting tire producers there at the expense of production in the U.S. Find the details of the latest petition here.

Since the petition was filed, OTR tire manufacturers, both in the U.S. and abroad, as well as importers of tires from the affected countries, have begun filing appearances and paperwork to stake their interest in the case. A long list of companies who have so far answered questionnaires in the case is below.

Amid the documents filed so far is a letter from Beverly Miller, an owner of M.E. Miller Tire Co., in Wauseon, Ohio. On its website the business says, “We stock the largest selection of antique farm tractor tires and wheels available anywhere.”

And it’s those antique tractor tires that are at the heart of Miller’s comments to the ITC:

“Keeping the nostalgia of rural America alive should be considered in the discussion of the Titan Tire and USW petition. If action is taken, exceptions should be made.

“We serve a specific market. Those who restore antique farm equipment rely on us to provide tires of the tread design that match the era of their tractors. In the 1940s and 1950s both Goodyear and Firestone made tractor tires with straight 45-degree lugs. This tread is no longer made by Titan Tire and other U.S. manufacturers. In some cases, the tires that have the most original tread come from India.

“The industry should not keep tractor restorers from affording to buy the tires that make their vintage tractors show quality.

“We are against the petition. While we do have a good working relationship with Titan/Goodyear as we do sell their farm tires, we are against sanctioning taxes on tires we can only buy internationally.”

Read Miller’s full letter here.

The ITC will hold a preliminary conference beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 29. Unless there’s an extension, the ITC must reach its preliminary determinations by Feb. 22, 2016.

Here’s the list of importers and manufacturers of OTR tires who have submitted confidential questionnaires in the matter (as of mid-day on Jan. 27, 2016):

Alliance Tire Americas Inc.,

American Omni Trading Co. LLC,

American Pacific Industries Inc.,

Apollo Vredestein USA Inc., Apollo Tyres Ltd.,

ATC Tires Pvt. Ltd. India,

Balkrishna Industries Ltd., BKT Tires Inc. and BKT USA Inc.,

Blackstone OTR LLC,

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC,

Cargo Partner America and Cargo Partner Network Inc.,

Caribbean Rubber Corp.,

CEAT Ltd.,

Clark Equipment Co. dba Bobcat Co.

Deere & Co.,

Duramax Inc.,

EP America Inc.,

Foreign Tire Sales Inc.,

Global Transportation Services Inc.,

Global Rubber Industries Privated Ltd.,

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear South Asia Tyres Private Ltd., Goodyear India Ltd.,

High Grade Mfg. Inc.,

JK Tyre & Industries Limited,

Joy Global Inc.,

Komatsu America Corp.,

KRM Tyres,

Malhotra Rubbers Ltd.,

MFR Ltd.,

Michelin North America Inc.,

OTR Wheel Engineering Inc.,

PB Global Inc.,

Pride Tires Inc.,

Rhino Manufacturing Group Inc.,

Rose Container Inc.,

Silverstone Inc.,

Specialty Tires of America Inc.,

Speedways Rubber Co.,

Strategic Import Supply LLC,

Superking Manufacturers (TYRE) Pvt. Ltd.,

Tianjin United Tire & Rubber Intl. Co. Ltd.,

Tianjin Wanda Tyre Group Co. Ltd.,

Tire Wholesalers Co. Inc.,

Topy America Inc.,

Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.,

Trident International Pvt. Ltd., Trident Industrial Tires & Tracks LLP,

TVS Srichakra Ltd.,

Tyres International Inc.,

West Worldwide Services Inc.