A petition filed March 27 alleges that steel wheels from China are being sold at less than fair value in the U.S. market and benefiting from countervailable subsidies. The alleged dumping margins range from 11.3 percent to 231.7 percent.
The petition covers on-the-road steel wheels for use with tubeless tires with a wheel diameter of 22.5 inches and 24.5 inches, regardless of width. These wheels are generally designed, manufactured, and offered for sale for use on road and highway surfaces by Class 6, 7, and 8 commercial vehicles, including tractors, semi-trailers, dump trucks, garbage trucks, concrete mixers, and buses.
Covered steel wheels include the following.
– “hub-piloted” and “stud-piloted” steel wheels and rims and discs for such wheels, whether imported as an assembly or separately
– wheels, discs, and rims of carbon and/or alloy composition, whether cladded or not cladded, whether finished or not finished, and whether coated or uncoated
– steel wheels imported with and without the required Department of Transportation markings, which may be added after importation
– steel wheels imported as an assembly with a tire mounted on the wheel or with a valve stem attached (although if the steel wheels imported as an assembly with a tire mounted on the wheel or a valve stem attached, the tire or valve stem is not covered)
Imports of subject goods are provided for HTSUS 8708.70.4530, 8708.70.4560, 8708.70.6030, 8708.70.6060, 8716.90.5045, and 8716.90.5059. Wheels meeting the scope description may also enter under HTSUS 4011.20.1015, 4011.20.5020, and 8708.99.4850.
Excluded from the scope are (a) steel wheels for use with tube-type tires, (b) wheels where steel represents less than fifty percent of the product by weight (e.g., aluminum wheels), and (c) steel wheels manufactured and offered for sale primarily for off-highway or off-the-road use.
The Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission will next determine whether to launch AD/CV duty and injury investigations, respectively, on this product. There are strict statutory deadlines associated with these proceedings, so affected companies that wish to protect their interests should contact trade counsel as soon as possible.
For more information contact Kristen Smith at (202) 730-4965 or David Craven at (312) 279-2844.