USW tyre import restrictions harmful - US SBR producer

12 June 2009 22:59  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--More harm than good could result if the United Steelworkers (USW) are successful in persuading the Obama administration to reduce Chinese tyre imports to the US, a US styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) producer said on Friday.

The USW is seeking to reduce the number of imported tyres from China to 21m annually, from 46m in 2008. The labour organisation filed a petition asking for a quota in April and argued  its case before the International Trade Commission (ITC) earlier this month.

Imported tyres from China, which make up 18% of the SBR US tyre market, were said by the USW to have resulted in the loss of 7,000 domestic jobs.

However, the SBR producer said an import quota was not a good thing.

“If we restrict them, they could turn around and retaliate in some way that would make matters worse,” the tyre producer said.

Most US tyre makers remained neutral about the issue.

SBR producers include Goodyear, International Specialty Products (ISP), Lion Copolymer and Negromex.

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By: Gene Lockard
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