U.S. imports of Leather Machinery for Preparing, Tanning & Working Hides and Skins (SITC 72481) totaled $139K in August 2026, imported from 12 countries.
Importers of Leather Machinery for Preparing, Tanning & Working Hides and Skins paid $18K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 12.95% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Leather Machinery for Preparing, Tanning & Working Hides and Skins imports of $139K in August 2026 ran 82% below the year-to-date monthly average of $758K.
Last updated: August 2026 dataMachinery used in the beamhouse and tanning stages of leather production — including fleshing machines, splitting machines, and drum tanning equipment — falls under SITC 72481, serving tanneries and leather processors. This is a specialized capital equipment segment with a limited global supplier base concentrated in Italy, Germany, and a few Asian manufacturers. Importers should distinguish between machinery for preparing raw hides (pre-tanning) and machinery for working finished leather, as the processing stage can affect classification at the HTS level.
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11 import shipments a month
Preparing and tanning machinery (SITC 72481) covers equipment used on raw or semi-processed hides — such as fleshing, liming, splitting, and drum tanning machines. Machinery for working finished or semi-finished leather (e.g., staking, buffing, embossing) may fall under the same or an adjacent heading depending on the specific operation. Importers should review the machine's function in the production sequence and consult a customs broker if the boundary is unclear.
Section 301 tariffs may apply to tannery machinery sourced from China. European-origin equipment from Italy or Germany is generally not subject to Section 301 but may carry standard MFN duties. Importers should verify the applicable HTS subheading and origin-specific duty treatment before finalizing procurement decisions.
Basic heading 72481 · $139K of $172.0B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
Italy and China together supply 82% of it. China pays 20.0% duty; Germany 10.0%.
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.
ImportsExports
Imports
$139KYoY · free account
Exports
$10KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $8.3M of Leather Machinery for Preparing, Tanning & Working Hides and Skins.
Fewer than 6 of the last 12 months reported trade, or the latest month was under $500K; the trend chart is not shown for thin series.
Through August 2026 · exports 10 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.