US gives final OK to duties on Chinese hand trucks

A US trade panel gave final approval on Wednesday to anti-dumping duties of up to nearly 400 percent on hand trucks from China. The US International Trade Commission voted 6-0 that low-priced hand trucks, or dollies, from China threatened to materially injure US producers. The decision clears the way for the Commerce Department to impose duties ranging from 24.90 percent to 386.75 percent.
China exported 1.3 million hand trucks to the United States at a value of nearly $16.70 million last year, according to Commerce Department figures. That was more than double the volume and value of its shipments in 2001.
US hand truck production is mainly located in the Midwest and California. The industry employs about 370 workers.
Chinese-made hand trucks accounted for about 47 percent of the hand trucks sold in the United States in 2003.