U.S. imports of Machines for Making Paper Bags, Sacks, or Envelopes (SITC 72523) totaled $16.7M in August 2026, imported from 16 countries.
Importers of Machines for Making Paper Bags, Sacks, or Envelopes paid $1.1M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 6.55% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Machines for Making Paper Bags, Sacks, or Envelopes imports of $16.7M in August 2026 ran 62% above the year-to-date monthly average of $10.3M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataBag-and-envelope-making machinery occupies a specialized niche within paper converting equipment, forming, folding, gluing, and cutting paper or paperboard into finished flexible packaging or mailing products in a single integrated process. These machines serve the flexible packaging, e-commerce fulfillment, and direct-mail industries, where throughput speed and format versatility are key purchasing criteria. Classification here requires that the machine's designed output is paper bags, sacks, or envelopes — not cartons or rigid containers, which fall under a separate heading.
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47 import shipments a month
Provided the machine is designed to produce paper bags or sacks — including flat or gusseted pouches made from paper — it falls under this heading. The critical factor is that the output is a flexible paper container. If the machine also produces pouches from plastic film or foil, classification should reflect the principal material or function.
OEM technical specifications, product brochures, and sample output (or photographs of finished bags/envelopes) are the most effective supporting documents. A commercial invoice that clearly describes the machine as a paper bag or envelope former, along with the machine's rated output format, helps CBP officers confirm the classification without delay at entry.
Basic heading 360 of 642 in section 7
Basic heading 72523 · $16.7M of $172.0B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
Germany and Spain together supply 70% of it. China pays 37.5% duty; Czech Republic 0.0%.
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
$16.7MYoY · free account
Exports
$1.4MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $97.2M of Machines for Making Paper Bags, Sacks, or Envelopes.
Through August 2026 · exports 10 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.