Spare Light Truck Tires Not Covered by AD Order on Tires From Thailand, Commerce Says

A model of spare light truck tires imported from Thailand by Cheng Shin Rubber USA is not covered by an antidumping duty order on Thai light truck tires, Commerce said in a Jan. 18 scope ruling. The products were for temporary use only, and temporary tires are excluded from the order, it said.

Exporter Maxxis Thailand said the tire model was used “exclusively as a temporary-use, spare tire for light trucks and may not be used as a regular-service tire,” Commerce said. It said the model is stamped “Temporary Use Only” on the tire sidewall, and the design verification plan for the tire model identifies it likewise as a “spare” tire.

In this case, the language of the scope order was clear, Commerce said. The scope language lays out four physical requirements a tire model must meet to be excluded as a “temporary spare,” and Cheng Shin Rubber’s tires met them all, the department said. They have the proper size designation, they are stamped “Temporary Use Only,” they have a tread depth no greater than 6.2 mm and no quality grade standards are molded into the tire, it said.

Purchase contracts also indicated the tires were marketed only as spares, Commerce said, and a previous scope ruling reached the same decision, Commerce said.