7218

Analysis

Heading 7218 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule covers stainless steel in ingots or other primary forms; semi-finished products of stainless steel. It divides into 3 six-digit subheadings and 3 eight-digit tariff lines, with 9 ten-digit statistical suffixes below them.

Every one of its 3 tariff lines is duty-free at the general rate, so classification within the heading affects statistics and Chapter 99 measures rather than the base duty.

The largest subheadings are 7218.10 (unnamed, 1 line), 7218.91 (unnamed, 1 line) and 7218.99 (unnamed, 1 line).

By Census's concordance, most of its statistical lines are made by Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing (331110). Those are the NAICS industries a US producer of these goods would report under.

Its median rate of duty-free sits at the 46th percentile of the headings in chapter 72.

The heading text decides whether a product belongs here at all (General Rule of Interpretation 1); the subheadings and lines below it only apply once that is settled. Section and chapter notes can override the heading wording, so read them for borderline goods.