U.S. tire companies, like most manufacturers of goods these days, have faced a number of challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes a recent rubber shortage, which affected some tiremakers more than others. However, there’s another, larger threat looming over U.S. tire companies – tires imported from Asian countries including South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
In recent years, tire makers from these countries have imported and sold tires in the United States below fair market value. That prompted the U.S. Commerce Department to open investigations into these companies last year, and now, the International Trade Commission (ITC) has determined that these Asian tire imports do in fact harm domestic tire manufacturers, according to Reuters.
As a result, the Commerce Department “will issue antidumping duty orders on imports of these products from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, and a countervailing duty order on imports of these products from Vietnam.” “We’re grateful that the ITC affirmed what USW members see every day: a deliberate effort to undercut our domestic industry and overtake our market,” said United Steelworkers (USW) International (which is representing U.S. tire plant workers) President Tom Conway.
Last year, the U.S. imported $4.4 billion in tires from these four Asian countries, a number that has grown by 20 percent since 2017. Previously, the USW went after Chinese tire imports back in 2015, which dramatically reduced the number of tires flowing into the U.S. from the country. That allowed American tire makers like Michelin, Goodyear, Cooper, Sumitomo, and Yokohama to expand production.
Regardless, USW chair Kevin Johnsen noted that much of the damage has already been done. “Before we can get remedies, we must demonstrate harm in the form of lost jobs and reduced market share. By that time, American workers are already suffering,” Johnsen said.
We’ll have more on the state of the tire market soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
Or maybe US companies adjust their prices. Its crazy how much tires have risen in price
What a crock! First by calling Sumitomo and Yokohama “American” companies. Seriously?! Why was BF Goodrich not mentioned? Oh wait, they’re owned by Michelin…just like Goodyear owns Cooper!
And the USW talking about protecting American jobs, ha what a joke!! ALL of the companies listed as “American” produce most of their tires for the US market at overseas plants. What about actually decreasing their overseas production and returning it to the US? Oh that’s right, it would decrease the profit margins so screw the US worker! Good going USW way to protect your members.
ONE Giant Problem, tires coming in from nasty places such as china, have carried numerous insects, mosquitos for one, that are not indigenous to North America. They have come in water, that found in some of the tires that got there while they were be loaded etc. This is as important to the ecology of the North America, as anything-there is no telling how these new insects will effect a lot of other things in the next few years. Remember African bees? Our CBP need far more authority when it comes to keeping this crap out of our country, in fact seizing 100% of the load, would be a wake up call to those that could care less, such as red china.