U.S. imports of Parts for Typesetting & Typefounding Machinery (SITC 72691) totaled $1.3M in August 2026, imported from 29 countries.
Importers of Parts for Typesetting & Typefounding Machinery paid $127K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 9.53% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Parts for Typesetting & Typefounding Machinery imports of $1.3M in August 2026 ran 14% below the year-to-date monthly average of $1.5M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataTypesetting and typefounding equipment — once the backbone of commercial print shops — has largely transitioned to digital prepress systems, making spare parts for legacy mechanical compositing and hot-metal founding machines a specialized, low-volume trade segment. Components such as matrix cases, mold assemblies, and drive mechanisms for Linotype or Monotype equipment are the primary articles in this category. Because the parent machinery is largely obsolete in high-volume production, most trade activity involves restoration, archival printing operations, or niche letterpress studios sourcing parts from specialty suppliers abroad.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
150 import shipments a month
Classification is based on the part's design function relative to typesetting or typefounding machinery, not the age of the equipment. However, if a part has been substantially modified or repurposed for a different machine type, it may need to be reclassified under a more appropriate heading. A licensed customs broker can assist with binding ruling requests for ambiguous components.
Standard commercial documentation applies — commercial invoice, packing list, and bill of lading — along with a clear description of the part's function and the machine model it serves. CBP may request additional technical specifications if the part's principal use is not immediately apparent from the invoice description.
Basic heading 72691 · $1.3M of $172.0B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
Vietnam and Germany together supply 49% of it. Vietnam pays 12.5% duty; Canada 0.9%.
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
$1.3MYoY · free account
Exports
$1.1MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $18.5M of Parts for Typesetting & Typefounding Machinery.
Through August 2026 · exports 10 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.