Toyo files complaint with US trade body

On 14 August, Toyo Tire & Rubber, along with its North American subsidiary Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas and its affiliates, filed a formal complaint before the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) against 22 manufacturers, importers, and sellers of passenger and light truck tyres.

Toyo requested the ITC conduct an investigation under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930. The tyre maker alleges that respondents have engaged in unfair trade practices by importing into and/or selling within the United States, tyres that infringe eight US design patents held by Toyo. The manufacturer of the Toyo and Nitto tyre brands says it is taking this step to protect the company, its customers and associates from unfair competition by enforcing its intellectual property rights.

Toyo requests that the ITC issue exclusion orders that would infringing tyres imported by or on behalf of the respondents from entering the United States. Toyo also seeks appropriate cease-and-desist orders prohibiting certain activities, including the domestic sale of infringing products that have already been imported.

The 22 respondents are: Hong Kong Tri-Ace Tire Co., Ltd., China; Weifang Shunfuchang Rubber & Plastic Co., Ltd., China; Doublestar Dong Feng Tyre Co., Ltd., China; Shandong Yongtai Chemical Group Co., Ltd., China; MHT Luxury Alloys; Wheel Warehouse, Inc.; Shandong Linglong Tyre co., Ltd.; Dunlap & Kyle Company, Inc., d/b/a Gateway Tire and Service; Unicorn Tire Corp; West KY Customs, LLC; Svizz-One Corporation Ltd.; South China Tire and Rubber Co., Ltd.; American Omni Trading co., LLC; Tire & Wheel Master, Inc.; Simple Tire; WTD Inc.; Guangzhou South China Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.; Turbo Wholesale Tires, Inc.; TireCrawler.com; Lexani Tire Worldwide; Vittore Wheel & Tire; and RTM Wheel & Tire.