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SITCSection 7
U.S. imports of letterpress printing machinery (excluding flexographic) (SITC 72661) totaled $88K in April 2026, traded with 8 countries.
Importers of Letterpress Printing Machinery (Excluding Flexographic) paid $11K in duties in April 2026 — an effective duty rate of 12% on $88K in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Letterpress Printing Machinery (Excluding Flexographic) imports of $88K in April 2026 ran 13% below the year-to-date monthly average of $101K.
Last updated: April 2026 dataLetterpress presses — which print directly from a raised inked surface — are explicitly defined here to exclude flexographic printing, which uses a similar relief principle but with flexible photopolymer plates and is classified separately under 72663. Remaining commercial letterpress applications include specialty packaging, foil stamping, die-cutting, and fine art or artisanal printing, where the tactile impression quality is valued. The market for new letterpress equipment is narrow, so trade flows under this heading are often dominated by used or restored machinery sourced from European manufacturers.
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The SITC classification explicitly separates the two because flexographic presses use flexible elastomeric or photopolymer plates, fast-drying liquid inks, and are engineered for high-speed continuous-web substrates (films, foils, corrugated board) — a distinct industrial application from traditional rigid-plate letterpress. The exclusion ensures that flexo equipment, which dominates flexible packaging printing, is tracked and classified under its own dedicated heading (72663).
Combination platen presses that perform both letterpress printing and die-cutting in a single pass are generally classified by their principal function. If printing is the primary purpose and die-cutting is ancillary, the machine falls here; if die-cutting dominates, it may be classified as a cutting machine. Importers with true dual-function equipment should seek a CBP binding ruling to confirm the correct heading.
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| Country | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| NETHERLANDS | $41K | $9K | -$33K |
| SPAIN | $34K | -- | -$34K |
| CANADA | -- | $20K | +$20K |
| UNITED KINGDOM | $8K | -- | -$8K |
| VENEZUELA | -- | $7K | +$7K |
Monthly import values over time