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

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A coalition of U.S.-based trailer manufacturers is asking federal agencies to impose duties on dry van and refrigerated trailers imported from Mexico, Canada and China, setting the stage for a tense standoff between themselves and some of their American peers.

The group, which calls itself the American Trailer Manufacturers Coalition, comprises Great Dane, Stoughton Trailers and Wabash.

In petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce and International Trade Commission, the coalition requested investigations into alleged subsidization of imported trailers as well as “dumping” of equipment on U.S. shores. “Dumping” refers to flooding a market with goods and products to drive down prices. Exporters across the three named countries are accused in the petitions of selling products at less than fair value or receiving government subsidies.

“As a member of the coalition, Stoughton is hopeful that the administration will address the unfair trade taking place in this market and level the playing field,” Stoughton CEO Bob Wahlin told Transport Topics in an email Dec. 1.

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(Stoughton Trailers via YouTube)

“The application of anti-dumping and countervailing duties will level the playing field and save America’s trailer manufacturing industry,” Robert DeFrancesco, ATMC’s legal counsel, added in a statement.

The Commerce Department will weigh for possible investigation the allegations of dumping and subsidization, while ITC will investigate whether the domestic trailer industry has been injured or faces injury because of the alleged behavior.

Data show U.S. dry van and refrigerated trailer imports from the three targeted countries totaled 72,333 units in 2023, 48,751 trailers in 2024 and 21,082 in the first half of 2025. Imports from Mexico totaled 71,657 trailers in 2023, 47,441 units in 2024 and 20,060 in the first six months of 2025. Canadian dry van and refrigerated trailer and subassembly exports to the U.S. totaled 653 units in 2023, 1,272 trailers in 2024 and 1,017 between Jan. 1 and June 30.

The antidumping levy rates sought by the coalition are:

• Canada — 223.13% to 297.26%
• Mexico — 209.47% to 431.89%
• China — 362.65% to 1,363.25%

Some 11 Mexican manufacturers could be affected by the duties, including affiliates of trailer majors Fruehauf, Hyundai Translead and Utility Trailer Manufacturing.

Utility CEO Steve Bennett believes the complaint has the potential to exacerbate the existing market downturn.

“The coalition’s recently filed petitions impose significant legal and administrative burdens on Utility and its customers. These inflationary actions further exacerbate already difficult market conditions in the trailer industry,” he told the federal agencies in a response to the petitions obtained by TT.

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(Utility Trailer Manufacturing)

The ongoing freight recession has diminished demand for trailers, causing Utility and others to implement workforce reductions. Conversely, during periods of strong demand, Utility’s U.S. refrigerated trailer plants can face labor shortages and lead times that can extend beyond one year, Bennett said in his comments.

“The Mexico facility supplements U.S. production capacity by providing access to labor that is unavailable domestically and offering more attractive shipping opportunities for geographical areas that otherwise would be harder to reach,” he said.

Utility operates dry van manufacturing facilities in Arkansas and Virginia, refrigerated trailer manufacturing facilities in Utah, Virginia and Piedras Negras, Mexico, and produces flatbeds in Alabama.

Fruehauf said in a statement to TT: “Fruehauf has had a longstanding presence in both the United States and Mexico, and we recognize the importance of fair trade for all trailer manufacturers in North America.”

Hyundai Translead was approached for comment.

The three Canadian OEMs potentially under scrutiny are Di-Mond Sales, Manac Inc. and CIMC Refrigerated Trailer Co.

CIMC Refrigerated is a unit of China International Marine Containers, also the parent company of CIE Manufacturing.

CIMC Refrigerated was approached by TT for comment.

In February, a coalition of U.S.-based intermodal chassis manufacturers led by Stoughton accused intermodal chassis and subassembly manufacturers from Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam — including CIMC — of selling their products at less than fair market value or receiving government subsidies. In an April preliminary determination, ITC said the U.S. companies were, in fact, materially injured by the imports of chassis and subassemblies from the targeted countries. A final determination on the petition is not expected until early in 2026.

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(Brian Powell for Wabash)

This petition followed one filed in 2020 by a coalition including Stoughton that made similar allegations. In the wake of this complaint, Commerce in May 2021 increased tariffs on Chinese chassis imports by 200%. In May 2024, CIMC was cleared of evading antidumping and countervailing tariffs.

In the latest case, some 37 Chinese shippers including six directly linked to CIMC were targeted. Commerce must decide by Dec. 10 whether the antidumping and countervailing duties petitions contain the legally required information regarding petitioner’s standing, dumping and injury sufficient to warrant initiating an investigation.

Questionnaires will then be issued and responses collected. Preliminary countervailing duty and antidumping duty decisions are then expected by around April 20 and June 18, 2026, respectively, according to law firm White & Case.

The final determinations for both countervailing and antidumping duties are due by Nov. 5, 2026.

The periods under scrutiny in any investigations are Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30 for Canada and Mexico, and April 1 through Sept. 30 for China.

The ITC must make a preliminary determination no later than Jan. 5, 2026. A final ITC injury determination is due by Dec. 28, 2026, at the latest.