U.S. exports of Unworked Glass Balls, Rods & Tubes (Excluding Microspheres) (SITC 66412) totaled $33.7M in August 2026.
Importers of Unworked Glass Balls, Rods & Tubes (Excluding Microspheres) paid $2.2M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 10.63% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Unworked Glass Balls, Rods & Tubes (Excluding Microspheres) imports of $21.0M in August 2026 ran 21% above the year-to-date monthly average of $17.3M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataUnworked glass rods and tubes are foundational inputs for laboratory glassware, pharmaceutical packaging, optical components, and specialty lighting, while glass balls in this heading exclude microspheres not exceeding 1 mm in diameter. The distinction between 'unworked' and further-fabricated forms is commercially significant: cutting, bending, or coating typically moves the product into a downstream classification. Diameter tolerances and glass composition (borosilicate vs. soda-lime) are the key specification variables that drive sourcing decisions.
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525 import shipments a month
Cutting alone generally does not constitute sufficient working to reclassify glass tubing, but additional operations such as fire-polishing ends, bending, or coating may advance the product to a more specific finished-goods heading. Importers should document the condition of the goods at time of importation and consult a licensed customs broker when the degree of processing is ambiguous.
This heading explicitly excludes microspheres not over 1 mm in diameter, which are classified separately and used in reflective road markings, fillers, and specialty coatings. The glass balls covered here are larger-diameter, unworked forms used in industrial grinding, bearings, and decorative applications.
Basic heading 83 of 766 in section 6
Basic heading 66412 · $33.7M of $13.0B
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Exports · August 2026
destination
China and Mexico together take 47% of it.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
origin
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
ImportsExports
Imports
$21.0MYoY · free account
Exports
$33.7MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $204.1M of Unworked Glass Balls, Rods & Tubes (Excluding Microspheres) and exported $330.8M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.