WASHINGTON, June 23: Three US producers of polyester fibre on Friday filed an anti-dumping duty petition against China, saying Chinese imports at unfair prices were hurting the domestic industry.

The three companies -- DAK Americas, Nan Ya Plastics Corp. America, and Wellman -- accused certain Chinese producers of gaining market share in the United States by underselling and aggressive low-pricing of imports.

The Chinese rivals’ actions “suppress US prices, causing material injury to US manufacturers,” they said in a joint statement.

The petition covers only polyester staple fibres with a diameter of three denier and greater, which are generally used as stuffing in sleeping bags, mattresses, bedding and furniture.

It asks the US government to impose anti-dumping duties on imports of more than 100 Chinese producers including as Sanfangxiang and Sinopec.

“In just a few years, China has grown to be the number-one import source-country for certain polyester staple fibre, eclipsing even (South) Korea and Taiwan -- two countries whose imports are currently subject to anti-dumping duty orders in the US,” said Paul Rosenthal, lead counsel to the petitioners.

Anti-dumping duties are intended to offset the amount by which a product is sold at less than fair value in the United States.

The petitioners said that the imports they complained about constitute a large and increased share of the US market.

They noted that the weight of imports of the specified Chinese polyester fibre surged 161pc between 2003 and 2005. Chinese shipments accounted for 39pc of all imports in the latest 12-month period.—AFP