CLA-2-84:S:N:N1:103 810729

8428.90.0090; 8480.79.9090

Mr. Franco Cordaro
Bruzzone Shipping Inc.
530 Burnside Avenue
Inwood, NY 11696

RE: The tariff classification of equipment for a molding plant from Italy

Dear Mr. Cordaro:

In your letter dated May 11, 1995 on behalf of Products and Engineering Int'l. you requested a tariff classification ruling.

Your client will be involved in establishing a plant which will recycle up to 2.5 million scrap tires per year and manufacture consumer products from the resulting materials. The plant will consist of numerous machines of both domestic and foreign origin. Some of the equipment used in the recycling operation is the subject of a separate ruling, file number NY 810386. This ruling is concerned with equipment which will be used to mold granules generated from the tire recycling operation into flooring tiles and flooring rolls.

In a telephone conversation with a member of my staff, Mr. Roberto Rovere of Products and Engineering Int'l. requested a ruling as to the classification of the following:

1. Injection molding presses - inject the granules, along with molding additives, into a mold and, utilizing heat and pressure, produce floor tiles.

2. Molds - the forms used in the injection molding press machines.

3. Granule weighing hopper - receives granules from silos and, by means of an electronic three-way selector, directs the proper amount of granules needed to formulate the tiles to mixing machines.

4. Palletizer - stacks the molded tiles onto pallets to form a cube 3 to 4 feet high for subsequent stretch wrapping.

5. Basins - used in the manufacture of flooring rolls, these are long stainless steel trays (molds), heated by steam, into which a blend of rubber granules and molding additives are placed and leveled. After curing in the basins, the material is manually released and wound onto a winder machine.

The applicable subheading for the articles discussed above is:

Article HTS No. HTS Duty Rate 1. Injection molding presses 8477.10.8010 3.7% ad val. 2. Molds 8480.71.9010 3.7% ad val. 3. Granule weighing hopper 8423.30.0000 3.5% ad val. 4. Palletizer 8428.90.0090 1.6% ad val. 5. Basins 8480.79.9090 3.7% ad val. 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