U.S. Commerce Department Issues Preliminary Affirmative Antidumping Duty Determination on Chassis and Chassis Subassemblies from Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam, Wiley Rein LLP Reports

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its preliminary finding that chassis producers in Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam have sold chassis and chassis subassemblies into the United States at less than fair value. Commerce calculated preliminary antidumping duty rates of 32.37% in Mexico, 46.12% to 181.57% in Thailand, and 511.16% in Vietnam.

The U.S. Chassis Manufacturers Coalition, which consists of major American chassis manufacturers Stoughton Trailers and Cheetah Chassis Corporation, thanks Commerce for its work thus far in this investigation and its preliminary decision to impose duties that are critical for the domestic industry and its workers.

Today's determination establishes the preliminary duty margins in the dumping portions of the investigations. In approximately one week, Commerce will publish its decision in the Federal Register and instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to begin suspending liquidation and collecting preliminary antidumping duties on chassis from these three countries. These duties will be added to the preliminary subsidy duties already in place for Mexico (133.18%) and Thailand (2.24%, 7.97%, or 9.42%, depending on the producer). The effective antidumping cash deposit rate in the Mexico antidumping investigation will be offset by the export subsidies resulting in a 133.18% combined antidumping and countervailing duty rate. Because there were no export subsidies in Thailand, the combined antidumping and countervailing duty effective rate for Thailand will be between 48.36% and 190.99%.

These determinations are preliminary, and dumping rates may change upon the final determination. Commerce continues to investigate several additional issues, verify submitted responses, and review briefing from the parties. Commerce's final determination is currently expected in mid-December but may be extended to mid-February 2026.

Chassis are essential to U.S. supply chains, but U.S. production of this critical piece of transportation equipment has been weakened by dumped imports—first by unfairly priced imports from China (which are currently subject to AD/CVD orders), and now from Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam.

"Today's decisions, in conjunction with the Commerce Department's preliminary subsidy decisions, are an important development to combat the harm the U.S. chassis industry has experienced," said Robert E. DeFrancesco, trade counsel to the Petitioner and a partner in the International Trade Practice at Wiley. "The significant preliminary duties show that the U.S. chassis industry faces significant unfair competition from multiple sources that only trade relief can prevent."

The duties that will be imposed following today's decision are assessed on the importer of record of the merchandise. Duty evasion, absorption, and circumvention are illegal and closely monitored by Customs, in conjunction with the Commerce Department.

SOURCE Wiley Rein LLP