Auburn Manufacturing Inc. is alleging that China is engaging in unfair trade practices on an industrial textile.

The Mechanics Falls company, which is the largest U.S. manufacturer of silica fabric, said China is dumping its fabric on the American market at unfairly low prices and is providing unfair subsidies to Chinese manufacturers of the product.

The company has filed petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission asking that anti-dumping and countervailing duties be imposed on Chinese imports of the fabric to level the playing field, according to a release from the company.

AMI said it has suffered cuts in production, revenue and profits because of the alleged unfair practices. The company employs roughly 50 people. It is the principal supplier of the fabric to the Navy, also said that increased military purchases from China violate several laws that require that military purchases be primarily or entirely from American manufacturers.

Without relief, the company said in its filing, AMI may not be able to continue making the fabric, which is manufactured at two plants in Maine.

The two U.S. agencies will now investigate Chinese trade practices and can impose penalties, including duties, if it finds the China is engaging in unfair trade practices.