CLA-2-84:S:N:N1:104 899264

Mr. Dave Henderson
Federal Cartridge Company
900 Ehlen Drive
Anoka, Minnesota 55303

RE: The tariff classification of lead wire manufacturing equipment from Germany.

Dear Mr. Henderson:

In your letter dated June 13, 1994 you requested a tariff classification ruling. You have provided a description of the lead wire manufacturing process, a quotation for the equipment to be imported and copies of pictures of the major components. The process begins with the melting of 60 pound lead ingots in a furnace. The resulting liquid lead is continuously stirred and pumped to a twin strand die cast machine holding pot. Two hydraulic powered pistons in the pot push the liquid lead through cooling dies to form two rods. A pair of shears at the end of the die cast machine shear the rods into billets. The billets are then transferred by a combination conveyor/preheat oven to an extrusion press which pushes the lead billets through dies to produce lead wire. The wire is fed through a take up device which coils the wire into barrels.

The quotation from the manufacturer describes the actual equipment to be imported as follows:

A 3000 kg melting furnace supplied complete with a welded steel crucible and a light oil or gas burner. It also includes an agitator which you describe as a paddle wheel in the melting pot and a lead pump in the bottom of the furnace which pumps the lead into the holding furnace of the die caster via heated pipes.

A twin strand pressure die casting machine consisting of one electrically heated holding and melting furnace with two hot chambers, two molds for billets, two hydraulic rams, one hydraulic pump, one shearing unit to obtain billets of the desired length plus the electrical control cubicle.

A 300 ton hydraulic extrusion press which is fed with preheated precast billets consisting of a double acting hydraulic cylinder connected by two columns to the cross beam which carries the billet receiver. It will include the ram, die holder and die, and complete electrical and hydraulic system.

A multiple wire take-up, guiding and ejection station to feed up to 6 extruded wires simultaneously into 6 wire containers.

The applicable subheading for the 3000 kg melting furnace will be 8417.10.0000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for industrial or laboratory furnaces and ovens ... non-electric: ... for the melting or other heat treatment of ... metals. The rate of duty will be 5.7 percent.

The applicable subheading for the twin strand pressure die casting machine will be 8454.30.0010, HTS, which provides for casting machines of a kind used in metallurgy or in metal foundries. The rate of duty will be free.

The applicable subheading for the hydraulic extrusion press with the multiple wire take-up will be 8462.91.8090, HTS, which provides for presses for working metal or metal carbides: other. The rate of duty will be 4.4 percent.

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Section 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).

A copy of this ruling letter should be attached to the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If the documents have been filed without a copy, this ruling should be brought to the attention of the Customs officer handling the transaction.

Sincerely,

Jean F. Maguire
Area Director
New York Seaport