On August 8, 2018,  Petitioners Dexstar Wheel a Division of Americana Development, Inc. filed a petition for the imposition of antidumping duties and countervailing duties on imports of Certain Steel Wheels 12-16.5 Inches in Diameter from the People’s Republic of China.

SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION

The scope of this investigation is certain on-the-road steel wheels, and components thereof, for tubeless tires with a nominal wheel diameter of 12 inches to 16.5 inches, regardless of width. Certain on-the-road steel wheels with a wheel diameter of 12 inches to 16.5 inches within the scope are generally for road and highway trailers and other towable equipment, including, inter alia, utility trailers, cargo trailers, horse trailers, boat trailers and recreational trailers. Rims may be entered separately and sold to towable mobile home customers where the rim will be mounted to the wheel hub without a disc. The standard widths of certain on-the-road steel wheels are 4 inches, 4.5 inches, 5 inches, 5.5 inches, 6 inches, and 6.5 inches, but all certain on-the-road steel wheels, regardless of width, are covered by the scope.

The scope includes rims and discs for certain on-the-road steel wheels, whether imported as an assembly, unassembled, or separately. The scope includes certain on-the-road steel wheels regardless of steel composition, whether cladded or not cladded, whether finished or not finished, and whether coated or uncoated. The scope also includes certain on-the-road steel wheels with discs in either a “hub-piloted” or “stud-piloted” mounting configuration, though the stud-piloted configuration is most common in the size range covered. All on-the-road wheels sold in the United States must meet Standard 110 or 120 of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, which requires a rim marking, such as the “DOT” symbol, indicating compliance with applicable motor vehicle standards. See 49 C.F.R. § 571.110 and § 571.120. The scope includes certain on-the-road steel wheels imported with or without NHTSA’s required markings.

Certain on-the-road steel wheels imported as an assembly with a tire mounted on the wheel and/or with a valve stem or rims imported as an assembly with a tire mounted on the rim and/or with a valve stem are included in the scope of this investigation. However, if the steel wheels or rims are imported as an assembly with a tire mounted on the wheel or rim and/or with a valve stem attached, the tire and/or valve stem is not covered by the scope.

Excluded from this scope are the following: Steel wheels for tube-type tires; such tires use multi piece rims, which are two-piece and three-piece assemblies and require the use of an inner tube. Also excluded from this scope are aluminum wheels and certain on-the-road steel wheels that are coated with chrome. Steel wheels that do not meet Standard 110 or 120 of the NHTSA’s requirements are excluded from the scope.

Certain on-the-road steel wheels subject to this investigation are properly classifiable under the following category of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”): 8716.90.5035 which covers the exact product covered by the scope whether entered as an assembled wheel or in components. Wheels entered with a tire mounted on them are believed entered under HTS 8716.90.50.59 (Trailers and semi-trailers; other vehicles, not mechanically propelled, parts, wheels, other, wheels with other tires) (a category that will be broader than what is covered by the scope). While the HTSUS subheading is provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the subject merchandise is dispositive.

PETITIONERS

Dexstar Wheel a Division of Americana Development, Inc.

400 Collins Rd.

Elkhart, IN 46514

COUNSEL FOR PETITIONERS

Terence P. Stewart, Esq.

STEWART AND STEWART

2100 M Street, NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20037

ALLEGED DUMPING MARGIN

Not public information.

ALLEGED SUBSIDIES MARGIN

Countervailing Duty Petition issued against China. Amounts of additional duties unspecified.

NAMED PRODUCERS/EXPORTERS

For a list of foreign products/exporters alleged by Petitioner, please see Attachment 1.

NAMED IMPORTERS

For a list of importers alleged by Petitioner, please see Attachment 2.

ESTIMATED TIMELINE OF PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION

For an estimated timeline of the preliminary investigation process, please see Attachment 3.

IMPORTS OF SUBJECT MERCHANDISE

Imports of Subject Merchandise