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HQ 960186




May 23, 1997

CLA-2 RR:TC:MM 960186 DWS

CATEGORY: CLASSIFICATION

TARIFF NO.: 7223.00.50

Port Director of Customs
Building #77
Jamaica, NY 11430

RE: Protest 1001-96-108157; Stainless Steel Strip; Chapter 72, Notes 1(k) and 1(o);
Flat-Rolled Products; Wire; "The Making, Shaping and Treating of Steel";
Turks-Head Machine; 7220.20.70

Dear Port Director:

The following is our decision regarding Protest 1001-96-108157 concerning your action in classifying and assessing duty on stainless steel strip under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS).

FACTS:

The merchandise consists of stainless steel strip, imported in following measurements: 2.8 mm x 0.8 mm, 3.2 mm x 0.8 mm, 2.5 mm x 0.7 mm, 3.505 mm x 0.8 mm, 2.489 mm x 0.8 mm, 4.09 mm x 0.7 mm, and 3.78 mm x 0.7 mm. The protestant claims the strip is manufactured utilizing the following process. Stainless steel round wire rod is drawn through a multiple drawing machine which reduces its diameter and enhances its mechanical properties. The product is then strand annealed, round coil to round coil, and drawn on a single drawing machine to its final process round dimension. It is then processed through a wire flattening mill designed and manufactured specifically for wire flattening (a type of a Turks-head machine). This final process takes the product and flattens it into its final size. The protestant states that the width of the strip always measures less than 10 times its thickness, and that the strip is always produced from round wire and is always cold formed/cold compressed into its round-edge flat dimension.

The stainless steel strip was entered on January 9, 1996 under subheading 7223.00.50, HTSUS, as flat wire of stainless steel. The entry was liquidated on August 2, 1996, under subheading 7220.20.70, HTSUS, as a flat-rolled product of stainless steel. The protest was timely filed on October 29, 1996.

The subheadings under consideration are as follows:

7220.20.70: [f]lat-rolled products of stainless steel, of a width of less than 600 mm:
[n]ot further worked than cold-rolled
(cold-reduced): [o]f a width of less than 300 mm: [o]f a thickness exceeding
0.25 mm but not exceeding
1.25 mm.

The 1996 general, column one rate of duty for goods classifiable under this provision is 8.5 percent ad valorem.

7223.00.50: [w]ire of stainless steel: [f]lat wire.

The 1996 general, column one rate of duty for goods classifiable under this provision is 2.6 percent ad valorem.

ISSUE:

Whether the stainless steel strip is classifiable under subheading 7220.20.70, HTSUS, as a flat-rolled product of stainless steel, or under subheading 7223.00.50, HTSUS, as flat wire of stainless steel.

LAW AND ANALYSIS:

Classification of merchandise under the HTSUS is in accordance with the General Rules of Interpretation (GRI's). GRI 1 provides that classification is determined according to the terms of the headings and any relative section or chapter notes.

Chapter 72, notes 1(k) and 1(o), HTSUS, state that:

[i]n this chapter and, in the case of notes (d), (e) and (f) below throughout the tariff schedule, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:

(k) Flat-rolled products

Rolled products of solid rectangular (other than square) cross section, which do not conform to the definition at (ij) above in the form of:

- coils of successively superimposed layers, or

- straight lengths, which if of a thickness less than 4.75 mm are of a width measuring at least 10 times the thickness or if of a thickness of 4.75 mm or more are of a width which exceeds 150 mm and measures at least twice the thickness.

Flat-rolled products include those with patterns in relief derived directly from rolling (for example, grooves, ribs, checkers, tears, buttons, lozenges) and those which have been perforated, corrugated or polished, provided that they do not thereby assume the character of articles or products of other headings.

Flat-rolled products of a shape other than rectangular or square, of any size, are to be classified as products of a width of 600 mm or more, provided that they do not assume the character of articles or products of other headings.

(o) Wire

Cold-formed products in coils, of any uniform solid cross section along their whole length, which do not conform to the definition of flat-rolled products.

The question to be determined is whether the stainless steel strip meets the definition of a flat-rolled product or of wire. If the strip meets the definition of a flat-rolled product given above, then it is precluded from classification as wire. Based upon the information provided by the protestant, although of a solid rectangular cross section, the strip is not in coils of successively superimposed layers, but is spirally oscillated (back and forth across a spool) in layers. Also, the strip is not imported in straight lengths. As the strip does not meet the definition of a flat-rolled product as defined in chapter 72, note 1(k), HTSUS, it is precluded from classification under heading 7220, HTSUS.

In "The Making, Shaping and Treating of Steel" (10th ed.) (pp. 983-984), it states that:

[c]ommon four-sided shaped wire, such as squares, oblongs or keystone shape, are frequently produced on cold-rolling equipment known as a "Turks-head" machine. This consists of four hardened-steel rolls set in planes at right angles to each other. The narrow face of the rolls, as set in the framework, is adjustable on the same plane so that the assembly of the overlapping roll edges facing each other will project the contour of the opening so formed, into the desired shape of the cross-section of the wire to be made. The process wire, of a size somewhat larger than the finished size desired, is pointed and pulled through the Turks-head, being thus rolled to shape and size, after which it is coiled on a regular wire-drawing take-up block.

(emphasis supplied).

As the cold-rolling by the Turks-head machine of the strip is a type of cold-forming, and because it is our understanding that the strip is imported in coils and possesses a uniform solid cross section along its whole length, we find that it meets the terms of wire in chapter 72, note 1(o), HTSUS. Therefore, it is classifiable under subheading 7223.00.50, HTSUS.

You claim that because the protestant uses the term "flat rolled" in their invoices, the strip should not classifiable as wire. However, based upon discussions with the protestant and the description of the merchandise, we are confident of the classification of the strip as wire.

HOLDING:

The stainless steel strip is classifiable under subheading 7223.00.50, HTSUS, as flat wire of stainless steel.

The protest should be GRANTED in full. In accordance with Section 3A(11)(b) of Customs Directive 099 3550-065, dated August 4, 1993, Subject: Revised Protest Directive, this decision, together with the Customs Form 19, should be mailed by your office to the protestant no later than 60 days from the date of this letter. Any reliquidation of the entry in accordance with the decision must be accomplished prior to mailing of this decision. Sixty days from the date of the decision the Office of Regulations and Rulings will take steps to make the decision available to Customs personnel via the Customs Rulings Module in ACS and the public via the Diskette Subscription Service, Freedom of Information Act, and other public access channels.

Sincerely,

John Durant, Director
Tariff Classification

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