Industries
Classification is commodity knowledge
The tariff schedule contains more than 10,000 subheadings, and the difference between two of them can be twenty points of duty. Below is where our experience is deepest — and where importers most often need our help.
By Commodity
Where our experience runs deepest
Apparel, Footwear & Textiles
Chapters 61–64 are among the most duty-sensitive and most misclassified in the schedule. Fibre content, construction, knit versus woven and gender all move the rate.
- Fibre content and construction verification against the actual garment
- Set and composite goods analysis under GRI 3
- Textile country-of-origin and marking rules (19 CFR 102.21)
- UFLPA exposure and supply chain traceability documentation
Food, Beverage & Agriculture
Most food shipments need clearance from two agencies: FDA, and USDA/APHIS for plant and animal products. Prior Notice timing errors are the single most common cause of refusal.
- FDA Prior Notice, product codes and affirmations of compliance
- FSVP and facility registration verification
- APHIS permits, phytosanitary certificates and Lacey Act declarations
- TTB requirements and COLA verification for alcohol
Consumer Products & Retail
Broad SKU counts, seasonal deadlines and CPSC obligations. A stable product database keeps thousands of line items classified consistently, season after season and year after year.
- CPSC Certificates of Compliance and eFiling message sets
- Children’s product testing documentation and tracking labels
- Meeting retailer routing requirements so you avoid chargebacks
- High-SKU classification databases with documented rationale
Industrial Machinery & Equipment
In Chapters 84 and 85, classification depends on what the machine does, not what it looks like. Machines entered unassembled, in multiple shipments or with spare parts need planning before they ship.
- Functional-unit and GRI 2(a) unassembled-machine analysis
- Multi-shipment and knocked-down entries
- Parts versus accessories versus complete machines
- Section 232 steel and aluminium derivative exposure
Automotive & Aftermarket Parts
Vehicles and engines need DOT and EPA clearance before entry, and Section 232 duties affect much of the parts supply chain.
- DOT HS-7 and EPA 3520-1 declarations
- FMVSS conformity and registered importer coordination
- Section 232 automotive and steel/aluminium derivative review
- USMCA qualification for parts and regional value content
Electronics & Technology
FCC device authorization, lithium battery documentation and rapid product turnover. Classification has to keep pace with the product roadmap.
- FCC equipment authorization records and importation declarations
- Lithium battery and hazmat documentation
- Section 301 exclusion tracking on Chinese-origin goods
- Export control screening for dual-use items
Chemicals & Industrial Materials
TSCA certification is required on every applicable entry, and many commodity chemicals and metals raise antidumping scope questions.
- TSCA positive and negative certification
- EPA FIFRA notices of arrival for pesticides
- Antidumping and countervailing duty scope analysis
- Safety data sheet and hazmat documentation review
E-commerce & Direct-to-Consumer
High volumes of low-value shipments, under rules that have changed significantly in the last two years. Section 321 treatment is no longer something to assume.
- De minimis eligibility review and Type 86 entry filing
- Formal entry conversion when de minimis does not apply
- Consolidated and manifest-level clearance strategies
- Marketplace and 3PL documentation workflows
Not on the list?
These are the commodities we handle most, not the only ones we handle. Tell us what you import and we will make sure you get to the right place.
Ready to move your freight through customs?
Send us your commercial invoice and packing list, or tell us about your import program. We’ll come back with a clear quote and a filing plan — usually the same business day.