U.S. trailer makers harmed by imports from China, ITC says

Units of China International Marine Containers and Vanguard National Trailer Corp. will face antidumping and countervailing duties. (Vanguard National Trailer Corp.)

The U.S. International Trade Commission determined that domestic trailer manufacturers were injured by imports of van-type trailers and subassemblies from China, marking the first of three decisions expected this fall stemming from a petition filed by some of the industry’s largest manufacturers.

As a result, Chinese manufacturers of dry van and refrigerated trailers, including units of China International Marine Containers and Vanguard National Trailer Corp., will face antidumping and countervailing duties.

The U.S. Department of Commerce determined that the imports were sold at less than fair value and subsidized by the Chinese government. Before duties can be levied on imports, an affirmative determination must be issued by both ITC and Commerce. The latter agency must now issue a Federal Register notice.

The decision sets the stage for a parallel investigation involving trailer imports from Canada and Mexico.

All three investigations stem from a petition filed by the American Trailer Manufacturers Coalition in November. The coalition comprises Great Dane, Stoughton Trailers and Wabash.

Opposing the petition are the Chinese manufacturers and companies with production operations in Canada and Mexico, including Hyundai Translead and Utility Trailer Manufacturing.

Image

Great Dane, Stoughton Trailers and Wabash make up the American Trailer Manufacturers Coalition. (Andrew Druyor Photography for Great Dane)

At issue in the ITC petition was whether unfairly priced imports harmed domestic manufacturers or whether weak market conditions, including the prolonged freight downturn and excess trailer inventories, were primarily responsible for the industry’s struggles.

Specifically, the ITC evaluated whether imports between Oct. 1, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2025, materially injured U.S. manufacturers. Four commissioners voted in favor of an injury finding, while two did not participate.

The ITC said Sept. 25 that a report explaining the basis for the determination and commissioners’ opinions will be released no later than Nov. 5. A separate decision in that Canada and Mexico case is expected in early 2027.

“Today’s determination by the ITC confirms the yearslong loss of U.S. market share to unfairly traded imports by market-manipulating foreign actors in China, Canada and Mexico,” coalition counsel Robert DeFrancesco said in a statement after the China ruling.

Vanguard and CIMC did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the decision in the China case.

The Chinese manufacturers’ position was outlined during an Aug. 27 ITC hearing.

Federal data shows U.S. imports of dry van and refrigerated trailers from China, Canada and Mexico totaled 72,333 units in 2023, 48,751 in 2024 and 21,082 during the first half of 2025.

Mexico accounted for the overwhelming majority of those imports, totaling 71,657 trailers in 2023, 47,441 in 2024 and 20,060 during the first six months of 2025.

In a June 2 preliminary determination, Commerce recommended countervailing duties ranging from 82.3% to 128.7% on trailers from China and 1.9% to 62.67% on trailers from Mexico.

The agency followed in August with final affirmative determinations against Chinese manufacturers, assigning a dumping margin of 130.86% and countervailing duty rates of 134.75%.

Those antidumping rates were significantly lower than the 362.65% to 1,363.25% sought by the coalition. The group also requested antidumping duties ranging from 223.13% to 297.26% for Canadian manufacturers and 209.47% to 431.89% for Mexican manufacturers.

Commerce defines dumping as the sale of a product in the United States at a price below either the producer’s home-market price or its cost of production. The difference between the foreign-market price and the U.S. price is known as the dumping margin.

Before the ITC can issue final determinations in the Canadian and Mexican cases, Commerce must issue final affirmative antidumping and countervailing duty determinations for Mexico and a final antidumping determination for Canada. The Canadian countervailing duty investigation ended in June after the coalition withdrew that portion of its petition.

DeFrancesco told Transport Topics that Commerce’s final Canadian antidumping determination is expected by Dec. 17.

Vanguard Refrigerated Trailer initially was a mandatory respondent in the investigation of Canadian trailer exports to the United States. However, Commerce determined in August that trailers Vanguard shipped from Canada during the period under review consisted entirely of Chinese-origin products that fell within the scope of the Chinese investigations.

During the Aug. 27 ITC hearing, executives from Wabash and Stoughton said their order books improved after the commission’s preliminary injury determination in February.

The executives said customers who had previously shifted purchases to imported trailers began returning, which they argued demonstrated that domestic manufacturers can compete when imports do not benefit from unfair trade practices.

Wabash CEO Brent Yeagy told commissioners that some customers had said they would cancel other orders if the preliminary duties were lifted.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that Fruehauf Inc. did not oppose the trade petition.