Powder coating|HS Code

Powder coating harmonized system code

Product Overview Powder Coating under HS Code 3208 refers to solvent-free dry paint used in the coating of metals for decorative or protective purposes. This product is a free-flowing, dry powder, applied electrostatically and then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a "skin." The key characteristics of Powder Coating under HS Code 3208 are its high resistance to scratching, chipping, fading, and wearing. It is typically available in various colors and finishes, including gloss, semi-gloss, flat, and clear finishes. HS Code 3208 is further classified into subcategories based on the type of resins used, such as epoxy, polyester, polyurethane, acrylic, and others. The primary commercial applications of this product include coating of automobiles, appliances, furniture, and architectural structures due to its durability and aesthetic appeal. Its value proposition lies in its eco-friendly nature, as it emits zero or near zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and its overspray can be recycled, thus reducing waste. HS Code Classification & Trade Specifications Powder Coating falls under the full 6-digit HS Code 3208.10, with the hierarchical breakdown as follows: Chapter 32 (Tanning or dyeing extracts; tannins and their derivatives; dyes, pigments and other colouring matter; paints and varnishes; putty and other mastics; inks); Heading 3208 (Paints and varnishes (including enamels and lacquers) based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a non-aqueous medium). The classification rationale is based on the product’s physical state, chemical composition, and its use for coating purposes. Trade considerations include packaging in tightly sealed containers to prevent moisture absorption and contamination. The product should be stored in cool, dry conditions and transported in a manner that avoids exposure to extreme temperatures. Quality standards for Powder Coating under HS Code 3208 include compliance with ISO 12944-6 for corrosion protection, and ASTM D2794 for impact resistance, among others.

Powder coating Chapter Note

1.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Separate chemically defined elements or compounds (except those of heading 32.03 or 32.04, inorganic products of a kind used as luminophores (heading 32.06), glass obtained from fused quartz or other fused silica in the forms provided for in heading 32.07, and also dyes and other colouring matter put up in forms or packings for retail sale, of heading 32.12); (b) Tannates or other tannin derivatives of products of headings 29.36 to 29.39, 29.41 or 35.01 to 35.04; or (c) Mastics of asphalt or other bituminous mastics (heading 27.15). 2.- Heading 32.04 includes mixtures of stabilised diazonium salts and couplers for the production of azo dyes. 3.- Headings 32.03, 32.04, 32.05 and 32.06 apply also to preparations based on colouring matter (including, in the case of heading 32.06, colouring pigments of heading 25.30 or Chapter 28, metal flakes and metal powders), of a kind used for colouring any material or used as ingredients in the manufacture of colouring preparations. The headings do not apply, however, to pigments dispersed in non-aqueous media, in liquid or paste form, of a kind used in the manufacture of paints, including enamels (heading 32.12), or to other preparations of heading 32.07, 32.08, 32.09, 32.10, 32.12, 32.13 or 32.15. 4.- Heading 32.08 includes solutions (other than collodions) consisting of any of the products specified in headings 39.01 to 39.13 in volatile organic solvents when the weight of the solvent exceeds 50 % of the weight of the solution. 5.- The expression “colouring matter” in this Chapter does not include products of a kind used as extenders in oil paints, whether or not they are also suitable for colouring distempers. 6.- The expression “stamping foils” in heading 32.12 applies only to thin sheets of a kind used for printing, for example, book covers or hat bands, and consisting of : (a) Metallic powder (including powder of precious metal) or pigment, agglomerated with glue, gelatin or other binder; or (b) Metal (including precious metal) or pigment, deposited on a supporting sheet of any material.