CLA-2-87:RR:NC:MA:101 A85173
Mr. Frank Heidt, Jr.
FRITZ COMPANIES, INC.
Liberty Building
7001 Chatham Center Dr.
Suite 100
Savannah, GA 31405
RE: The tariff classification of an automotive cab and chassis and steel load-carrying members from South Africa and a CRANAB crane from Sweden
Dear Mr. Heidt:
In your letter dated June 25, 1996 you requested a tariff classification ruling on behalf of Bell Equipment North America, Inc. of Garden City, Georgia.
The first item concerned is a cab and chassis. The air-conditioned/heated cab is enclosed, rubber-mounted on a 180 turntable, bi-directional and has 1-door. Six floodlights are embedded into the roof of the cab. It has a Cummins 116 hp., 4-cylinder diesel engine with a 6-speed transmission and a maximum speed of 20 mph. The chassis comes equipped with steel front and rear axles, hydraulic disc brakes, has a load area of 43 ft. and carries a maximum payload of 12 tons.
You state that the cab and chassis will be imported without tires and the literature you provided (listing both the Gross Vehicle Weight of the cab and chassis with tires and the gross weight of the tires, themselves) states that the G.V.W. of the cab and chassis is approximately 12.6 metric tons. You further state that the manufacturer of the cab and chassis is Bell Equipment Co., S.A. (Pty) Ltd. [MID #ZABELEQU198EMP] of South Africa and that it will be imported through the port of Savannah, Georgia.
The applicable subheading for the cab and chassis will be 8704.22.1060, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for Motor vehicles for the transport of goods: Other, with compression-ignition internal combustion engine (diesel . . . ): G.V.W. exceeding 5 metric tons but not exceeding 20 metric tons: Cab chassis: G.V.W. exceeding 12 metric tons but not exceeding 15 metric tons. The rate of duty will be 4% ad valorem.
The second item is a steel load-carrying member. This is a U-shaped piece of steel which fits into a chassis to keep its payload from rolling or falling off. The literature you provided shows four of these members placed in each chassis.
You state that the manufacturer of the steel load-carrying member is Bell Equipment Co., S.A. (Pty) Ltd. [MID# ZABELEQU198EMP] of South Africa and that it will be imported through the port of Savannah, Georgia.
The applicable subheading for a steel load-carrying member will be 8708.29.5060, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for Parts and accessories of . . . motor vehicles . . . : Other parts and accessories of bodies: Other: Other: Other. The rate of duty will be 2.9% ad valorem.
The last item is a mountable CRANAB "660" or "800" crane equipped with a Bell series 35 grapple; it is intended to be rear-mounted on a chassis. The CRANAB "660" crane has a maximum reach of 23'6" and the "800" has a maximum reach of 24'7".
You state that the mountable CRANAB "660" and "800" cranes are manufactured by CRANAB [MID #SESLACRA9228VIN] of Sweden and will be imported through the port of Savannah, Georgia.
The applicable subheading for the mountable CRANAB "660" or "800" crane will be 8426.99.0000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for . . . cranes . . . : Other machinery: Other. The rate of duty will be 1.2% ad valorem.
Once imported, you state, all three items (cab and chassis, steel load-carrying members and CRANAB "660" or "800" crane) will be assembled into the Bell T12B Forwarder-an off-road vehicle meant to handle, sort, collect, pile and load hardwood and softwood timber at stump sites and transport the timber on short-hauls over rough terrain to a roadside or collection area.
Your question regarding Harmonized Tariff Schedule classification of the cab and chassis if they were separated at their coupling is not within the jurisdiction of this office to answer; it should be addressed to the -
Office of Regulations & Rulings
1301 Constitution Ave., NW
Room 4000
Franklin Court
Washington, D.C. 20229.
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 Robert DeSoucey at 212-466-5667.
Sincerely,
Roger J. Silvestri
Director
National Commodity
Specialist Division