CLA-2-84:OT:RR:NC:1:106

Ms. Donna L. Bade, Esq.
Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
225 West Washington Street, Suite 1640
Chicago, IL 60606

RE: The tariff classification of a stop bar from Malaysia

Dear Ms. Bade:

In your letter dated August 30, 2013 on behalf of The Gillette Company, you requested a tariff classification ruling.

The C018 cold roll steel stop bar is a fabricated part designed for use only in the manufacture of Gillette razor blades. It is incorporated in the Upstack Carousel which puts empty dispensers in place so Quantity 5 razor cartridges can be loaded into the dispenser. The stop bar does not contain any mechanical or electronic components. If the proximity switch fails, the stop bar acts as a secondary physical barrier to protect the Upstack Carousel from over traveling/rotating so that the cartridge dispensers will unload/unload smoothly.

In your letter, you proposed classifying the stop bar in subheading 8479.90.9496, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for “Machines and mechanical appliances having individual functions, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter; parts thereof: Parts: Other: Other: Other”. The stop bar is an integral component of the Upstack Carousel which is incorporated in the Dispenser Load Station. The Dispenser Load Station mounts to the end of the Cartridge Assembly Machine. As the stop bar is not a part of the Cartridge Assembly Machine itself, it is not classifiable in heading 8479, HTSUS. Rather, it is a part of the Carousel/Dispenser Load Station. This station is classified in heading 8428, HTSUS, which provides for “Other lifting, handling, loading or unloading machinery …”.

The applicable subheading for the stop bar will be 8431.39.0080, HTSUS, which provides for “Parts suitable for use solely or principally with the machinery of headings 8425 to 8430: Of machinery of heading 8428: Other … Other: Other”. The rate of duty will be free.

Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on World Wide Web at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/.

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

A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Nickolas Bartkus at (646) 733-3017.

Sincerely,

Myles B. Harmon
Acting Director
National Commodity Specialist Division