Cladding involves a metallurgical bond between the silver layer and the base metal, typically achieved by rolling or pressure welding, resulting in a composite material with a defined silver thickness. Electroplating deposits a thin silver coating through an electrochemical process. Silver-clad base metals in semimanufactured form fall under heading 7107, while silver-plated articles of base metal are generally classified under the chapter covering the finished article or under base metal chapters, depending on the form.

Electrical contact strips and connector components are the primary applications, where the silver surface provides high conductivity and corrosion resistance at a lower cost than solid silver. The automotive, electronics, and industrial switchgear industries are the main consumers. Semimanufactured clad strip is typically further processed by the importer into finished contact assemblies.