U.S. imports of Arc Welding Machines & Apparatus for Metal (NES) (SITC 73736) totaled $13.5M in August 2026, imported from 24 countries.
Importers of Arc Welding Machines & Apparatus for Metal (NES) paid $1.8M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 13.30% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataResidual arc welding machines and apparatus for metal that do not meet the automation threshold of SITC 73735 — such as manual stick welders, basic MIG/TIG units, and specialty arc systems — fall under SITC 73736. These products serve maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) markets as well as small fabrication shops where manual operator control is standard practice. Section 301 tariff exposure is a live concern for units sourced from certain origins, and buyers should verify country-of-origin documentation carefully. The 'not elsewhere specified' scope means classification disputes can arise when a machine straddles manual and semi-automatic operation.
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449 import shipments a month
Manual stick (SMAW) welders, basic transformer-based MIG units without programmable feed control, and specialty arc devices not captured by more specific headings generally land here. The key differentiator is the absence of automatic torch or wire-feed control that would qualify the machine as 'partly automatic' under SITC 73735.
A detailed technical specification sheet describing the machine's control system, power source type, and intended welding process is essential. If the unit lacks programmable automation features, that should be explicitly stated. A binding ruling request from CBP can provide advance certainty for high-volume or high-value shipments.
Basic heading 386 of 642 in section 7
Basic heading 73736 · $13.5M of $172.0B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
Vietnam and Mexico together supply 59% of it. China pays 38.7% duty; Canada <0.1%.
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
$13.5MYoY · free account
Exports
$10.2MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $130.7M of Arc Welding Machines & Apparatus for Metal (NES).
Through August 2026 · exports 10 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.