SITCSection 5
U.S. imports of supported catalysts with nickel or nickel compounds as active substances (SITC 59881) totaled $2.5M in April 2026, traded with 16 countries.
Importers of Supported Catalysts with Nickel or Nickel Compounds as Active Substances paid $207K in duties in April 2026 — an effective duty rate of 10% on $2.1M in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Supported Catalysts with Nickel or Nickel Compounds as Active Substances imports of $2.5M in April 2026 ran 31% below the year-to-date monthly average of $3.5M.
Last updated: April 2026 dataNickel-based supported catalysts — where nickel or its compounds are dispersed on a carrier such as alumina, silica, or kieselguhr — are workhorses of the hydrogenation industry, used in edible-oil hardening, petrochemical refining, and methane reforming. The nickel loading, dispersion, and support geometry are tightly specified by end users, making these products highly engineered rather than commodity-grade. Importers should note that nickel compounds are subject to REACH-equivalent scrutiny in many jurisdictions, and supplier change management requires re-qualification testing.
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Edible-oil hydrogenation (converting liquid vegetable oils to semi-solid fats), steam methane reforming for hydrogen production, and methanation in ammonia synthesis are the primary industrial consumers. Each application demands a distinct nickel loading and pore structure, so catalyst specifications are rarely interchangeable across sectors.
While nickel supported catalysts are not broadly subject to US export controls as dual-use items in most configurations, certain high-activity nickel catalysts used in nuclear or advanced chemical processes may require export license review. On the import side, classification accuracy is important because misclassification between catalyst headings can affect applicable duty rates.
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| Country | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| INDIA | $392K | $6.4M | +$6.0M |
| CANADA | $330K | $2.1M | +$1.7M |
| BELGIUM | $165K | $2.2M | +$2.0M |
| KOREA, SOUTH | -- | $2.3M | +$2.3M |
| CHINA | $280K | $1.7M | +$1.4M |
Monthly import values over time