SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Scope. —For purposes of these investigations, Commerce has defined the subject merchandise as truck bed covers, which are protective shields made of aluminum, steel, fiberglass, carbon fiber, plastic, and/or water-resistant fabric that are sized to span the open-top area of a pickup truck. When fully assembled and installed, truck bed covers have a width between 45 and 75 inches (actual) and a length between 55 and 100 inches (actual), and can be used to secure the cargo area of a pickup truck and/or repel water.

Truck bed covers typically encompass four general configurations— i.e., folding, roll-up, one-piece, and retractable. Folding truck bed covers consist of two or more interconnected, hinged panels which may be made from a rigid material or a soft material with a rigid frame. Roll-up truck bed covers can be made of soft material with rigid crossbars, or rigid material such as slats, which allow the cover to roll forward for access to the truck bed, and which can be secured with straps, buckles, or other fasteners. One-piece truck bed covers are rigid covers that open from the tailgate end of the truck bed using a hinge or pivot, typically with the assistance of struts for opening and closing. Retractable truck bed covers are made of interconnected rigid slats or one-piece aluminum-reinforced polycarbonate that retract into a recessed canister to allow access to the truck bed. Retractable truck bed covers may be manually operated or electrically powered with a motor, and electric models may include additional features such as fob keys, Bluetooth connectivity, or LED lights.

The scope of the investigation includes not only the cover material ( i.e., the protective shield made of aluminum, steel, fiberglass, carbon fiber, plastic, and/or water-resistant fabric), but also any accompanying hardware for the mounting or storage of the truck bed cover ( e.g., rails, canisters, latches, straps, clasps, clamps, nuts, bolts, washers, screws, hitch pins, weather strips/seals/gaskets) or other parts ( e.g., locks, struts, drain tubes, motors), provided that such hardware or other parts are entered with and invoiced with the cover material. Truck bed covers are included within the scope whether or not they are accompanied with such hardware or other parts. Moreover, any hardware for the mounting or storage of the truck bed cover ( e.g., rails, canisters, latches, straps, clasps, clamps, nuts, bolts, washers, screws, hitch pins, weather strips/seals/gaskets) or other parts ( e.g., locks, struts, drain tubes, motors) are covered within the scope if such items are separately entered as a truck bed cover mounting or installation kit.

Excluded from the scope are truck caps (also known as camper shells, toppers, or canopies), which are enclosures that can be mounted on truck bed rails to extend the height of a truck bed by at least 12 inches (actual), thus creating a fully-enclosed, lockable storage area for cargo.

Also excluded from the scope of the investigation are any products already covered by the scope of any extant antidumping and/or countervailing duty orders, including Aluminum Extrusions from the People's Republic of China: Antidumping Duty Order, 76 FR 30650 (May 26, 2011), and Aluminum Extrusions from the People's Republic of China: Countervailing Duty Order, 76 FR 30653 (May 26, 2011).

Background. —The final phase of these investigations is being scheduled pursuant to sections 705(b) and 731(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671d(b) and 1673d(b)), as a result of affirmative preliminary determinations by Commerce that certain benefits which constitute subsidies within the meaning of § 703 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1671b) are being provided to manufacturers, producers, or exporters ( printed page 51510) in China of truck bed covers, and that such products are being sold in the United States at less than fair value within the meaning of § 733 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1673b). The investigations were requested in petitions filed on February 25, 2026, by RealTruck, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan.

For further information concerning the conduct of this phase of the investigations, hearing procedures, and rules of general application, consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A and B (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A and C (19 CFR part 207).

Participation in the investigations and public service list. —Persons, including industrial users of the subject merchandise and, if the merchandise is sold at the retail level, representative consumer organizations, wishing to participate in the final phase of these investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the Secretary to the Commission, as provided in § 201.11 of the Commission's rules, no later than 21 days prior to the hearing date specified in this notice. A party that filed a notice of appearance during the preliminary phase of the investigations need not file an additional notice of appearance during this final phase. The Secretary will maintain a public service list containing the names and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to the investigations.

Please note the Secretary's Office will accept only electronic filings during this time. Filings must be made through the Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS, edis.usitc.gov). No in-person paper-based filings or paper copies of any electronic filings will be accepted until further notice.

Limited disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under an administrative protective order (APO) and BPI service list. —Pursuant to § 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary will make BPI gathered in the final phase of these investigations available to authorized applicants under the APO issued in the investigations, provided that the application is made no later than 21 days prior to the hearing date specified in this notice. Authorized applicants must represent interested parties, as defined by 19 U.S.C. 1677(9), who are parties to the investigations. A party granted access to BPI in the preliminary phase of the investigations need not reapply for such access. A separate service list will be maintained by the Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.

Staff report. —The prehearing staff report in the final phase of these investigations will be placed in the nonpublic record on October 1, 2026, and a public version will be issued thereafter, pursuant to § 207.22 of the Commission's rules.

Hearing. —The Commission will hold a hearing in connection with the final phase of these investigations beginning at 9:30 a.m. on October 15, 2026. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed in writing with the Secretary to the Commission on or before October 8, 2026. Any requests to appear as a witness via videoconference must be included with your request to appear. Requests to appear via videoconference must include a statement explaining why the witness cannot appear in person; the Chairman, or other person designated to conduct the investigation, may in their discretion for good cause shown, grant such a request. Requests to appear as a remote witness due to illness or a positive COVID-19 test result may be submitted by 3:00 p.m. the business day prior to the hearing. Further information about participation in the hearing will be posted on the Commission's website at www.usitc.gov/​calendarpad/​calendar.html.

A nonparty who has testimony that may aid the Commission's deliberations may request permission to present a short statement at the hearing. All parties and nonparties desiring to appear at the hearing and make oral presentations should attend a prehearing conference, if deemed necessary, to be held at 9:30 a.m. on October 13, 2026. Parties shall file and serve written testimony and presentation slides in connection with their presentation at the hearing by no later than noon on October 14, 2026. Oral testimony and written materials to be submitted at the public hearing are governed by sections 201.6(b)(2), 201.13(f), and 207.24 of the Commission's rules. Parties must submit any request to present a portion of their hearing testimony in camera no later than 7 business days prior to the date of the hearing.

Written submissions. —Each party who is an interested party shall submit a prehearing brief to the Commission. Prehearing briefs must conform with the provisions of § 207.23 of the Commission's rules; the deadline for filing is October 8, 2026. Parties shall also file written testimony in connection with their presentation at the hearing, and posthearing briefs, which must conform with the provisions of § 207.25 of the Commission's rules. The deadline for filing posthearing briefs is October 22, 2026. In addition, any person who has not entered an appearance as a party to the investigations may submit a written statement of information pertinent to the subject of the investigations, including statements of support or opposition to the petition, on or before October 22, 2026. On November 4, 2026, the Commission will make available to parties all information on which they have not had an opportunity to comment. Parties may submit final comments on this information on or before November 6, 2026, but such final comments must not contain new factual information and must otherwise comply with § 207.30 of the Commission's rules. All written submissions must conform with the provisions of § 201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions that contain BPI must also conform with the requirements of §§ 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's rules. The Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures, available on the Commission's website at www.usitc.gov/​documents/​handbook_​on_​filing_​procedures.pdf, elaborates upon the Commission's procedures with respect to filings.

Additional written submissions to the Commission, including requests pursuant to § 201.12 of the Commission's rules, shall not be accepted unless good cause is shown for accepting such submissions, or unless the submission is pursuant to a specific request by a Commissioner or Commission staff.

In accordance with §§ 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the Commission's rules, each document filed by a party to the investigations must be served on all other parties to the investigations (as identified by either the public or BPI service list), and a certificate of service must be timely filed. The Secretary will not accept a document for filing without a certificate of service.

Authority: These investigations are being conducted under authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is published pursuant to § 207.21 of the Commission's rules.

91 FR 51509