WASHINGTON — Chinese imports of steel trailer wheels, 12 to 16.5 inches in diameter, are causing material injury to U.S. steel trailer wheel makers, the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined.

The ITC voted 5-0 Aug. 2 to make its final affirmative determination in the case, which began in August 2018 with petitions for relief from Elkhart, Ind.-based Dexstar Wheel Co., a division of American Development Inc./Kenda Rubber Industrial Co. Ltd.

Dexstar sought antidumping and countervailing duties against Chinese steel trailer wheel importers under Sections 701 and 731 of the Trade Act.

At a July 9 ITC hearing, Dexstar and its attorneys argued the case for finding material injury, while representatives of the Chinese importers countered that the case represented a severe misreading of competition within the steel trailer wheel market.

One week earlier, on July 2, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued countervailing duty rates of 388.71% against steel wheel importer Zhejiang Jingu Co. Ltd.; 386.45% against Xingmin Intelligent Transportation Systems Group; and 387.88% against all other Chinese steel trailer wheel importers.

Commerce also found antidumping duty rates of 38.27% against Changzhou Chungang Machinery Co. Ltd., with a cash deposit rate of 16.57%, and 44.57% against all other importers, with a cash deposit rate of 22.65%.

Commerce instructed Customs & Border Protection to begin collecting duties from the Chinese importers. However, the ITC did not find critical circumstances in the steel trailer wheel case, meaning that the importers will not be charged duties retroactively.

Chinese steel wheel imports to the U.S. totaled $73 million in 2018, according to the ITC.

The notice of the ITC's material injury finding appeared in the Aug. 28 Federal Register.