1. On 04/22/2019, Commerce published in the Federal Register (84 FR 16643) its preliminary determination of sales at less than fair value and critical circumstances in the antidumping investigation of certain steel wheels 12 to 16.5 inches in diameter (certain steel wheels) from the People's Republic of China (China).

2. The scope of this investigation is certain on-the-road steel wheels, discs, and rims 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 nominal 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, recreational trailers, and towable mobile homes. 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 CFR 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.

The scope includes rims, discs, and wheels that have been further processed in a third country, including, but not limited to, the painting of wheels from China and the welding and painting of rims and discs from China to form a steel wheel, or any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigations if performed in China.

Excluded from this scope are the following:
(1) Steel wheels for use with 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;
(2) aluminum wheels;
(3) certain on-the-road steel wheels that are coated entirely in chrome;
(4) steel wheels that do not meet Standard 110 or 120 of the NHTSA's requirements other than the rim marking requirements found in 49 CFR 571.110S4.4.2 and 571.120S5.2;
(5) steel wheels that meet the following specifications: steel wheels with a nominal wheel diameter ranging from 15 inches to 16. 5 inches, with a rim width of 8 inches or greater, and a wheel backspacing ranging from 3. 75 inches to 5.5 inches; and
(6) steel wheels with wire spokes.

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. Certain on-the-road steel wheels entered with a tire mounted on them may be entered under HTSUS 8716.90.5059 (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 subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the subject merchandise is dispositive.

3. This proceeding has been assigned case number A-570-090.

4. Commerce has determined that critical circumstances exist for imports of subject merchandise from the producers and exporters identified below. Accordingly, for imports of such merchandise, CBP shall suspend liquidation of such shipments entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 01/22/2019, (90 days prior to the date of FR publication of the preliminary determination) and shall require, for such entries, a cash deposit equal to the percentage of entered value for the producers and exporters listed below.

Exporter: China-Wide Entity
Case Number: A-570-090-000
Cash Deposit Rate: 43.73%

Exporter: Changzhou Chungang Machinery Co., Ltd.
Producer: Changzhou Chungang Machinery Co., Ltd.
Case Number: A-570-090-001
Cash Deposit Rate: 37.65%

5. For all other entries of certain steel wheels from China, the following cash deposit instructions apply:

A. For all Chinese exporters of certain steel wheels from China which have not received their own rate, the cash deposit rate will be the China-wide rate.

B. For all non-Chinese exporters of certain steel wheels from China which have not received their own rate, the cash deposit rate will be the rate applicable to the exporter/producer combinations that supplied that non-Chinese exporter.

6. If there are any questions by the importing public regarding this message, please contact the Call Center for the Office of AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, at (202) 482-0984. CBP ports should submit their inquiries through authorized CBP channels only. (This message was generated by OIII:CD.)

7. There are no restrictions on the release of this information.

Alexander Amdur