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SITCSection 6
U.S. imports of cermets & articles thereof, including waste & scrap (SITC 68999) totaled $59.2M in July 2026, traded with 28 countries.
Importers of Cermets & Articles Thereof, Including Waste & Scrap paid $1.9M in duties in July 2026 — an effective duty rate of 3.3% on $57.9M in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Cermets & Articles Thereof, Including Waste & Scrap imports of $59.2M in July 2026 ran 77% above the year-to-date monthly average of $33.6M.
Last updated: July 2026 dataCermets — composite materials combining ceramic compounds with a metallic binder, most commonly tungsten carbide in a cobalt matrix — serve as a critical input for cutting tools, wear-resistant components, and high-performance industrial tooling. Their classification as cermets rather than as articles of base metal or ceramic depends on the composite nature of the material, and misclassification is a recurring audit issue for tool importers. Waste and scrap of cermets retain commercial value due to recoverable tungsten and cobalt content, making secondary-market flows an important segment of this heading.
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262 shipments/mo
Basic heading 102 of 766 in section 6
Basic heading 68999 · $59.2M of $26.7B
A true cermet is a homogeneous composite in which ceramic and metallic phases are intimately bonded throughout the body of the article. A carbide tool that is merely coated with a ceramic layer (e.g., TiN or Al₂O₃ PVD coating) is generally classified by its base material rather than as a cermet. The distinction matters because the two can fall under different tariff provisions with different duty rates.
Cermet scrap — primarily spent tungsten carbide inserts and grinding sludge — contains recoverable tungsten and cobalt, both of which are designated critical minerals. Secondary processors pay a premium for this scrap as a feedstock for recycled carbide powder, making the scrap stream commercially active and worth tracking separately from finished-article imports.
Imports · July 2026
origin
Germany and Luxembourg together supply 94% of it.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
destination
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
Supplier Network
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ImportsExports
Imports
$59.2MYoY · Pro
Exports
$36.0MYoY · Pro
12-mo low · imports
YoY · ProThrough July 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.