CLA-2-84:S:N:N1:105 881199
Mr. Rafael Lopez de Victoria
Owens-Illinois de Puerto Rico
P.O. Box 387
Vega Alta, Puerto Rico 00692
RE: The tariff classification of iron mold equipment from
Venezuela and Colombia
Dear Mr. Lopez:
In your letter dated December 2, 1992 you requested a tariff
classification ruling.
The iron mold equipment you plan to import is used in the
forming of glass bottles and other glass containers. It includes
blank molds, blow molds, bottom plates, funnels, baffles, neck
rings, guide rings, thimbles and plungers.
The blank molds form bottle blanks or parisons. The molten
glass gob is mechanically dropped into the blank mold and takes
the rough form of a bottle. The funnel controls the shape of the
gob as it enters the blank mold. The baffle is the bottom of a
blank mold. Since baffles wear out more quickly than the rest of
the blank mold, replacement baffles will be separately imported.
The neck ring impresses the thread on the bottle top. The
thimble, guide ring and plunger shape other parts of the still
molten parison.
After the parison has all the features of the bottle or
container formed on it, it is passed to the blow mold, in which
it is blown to final form. The bottom plate forms the bottom of
the blow mold, just as the baffle does of the blank mold.
While all these items constitute molding equipment, the
tariff provision for molds does not include parts. For this
reason, the applicable subheading for the blank molds, blow
molds, neck rings, thimbles, guide rings and plungers will be
8480.50.0090, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
(HTS), which provides for molds for glass . The duty rate will
be 3.9 percent ad valorem. The applicable subheading for the
funnels, baffles and bottom plates, on the other hand, will be
8475.90.9000, which provides for other parts of machines for
manufacturing or hot working glass or glassware. The rate of
duty will be 3.9 percent ad valorem.
Articles classifiable under subheadings 8480.50.0090 and
8475.90.9000, HTS, which are products of Colombia and Venezuela
are entitled to duty free treatment under the Generalized System
of Preferences (GSP) upon compliance with all applicable
regulations.
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