SYNTRON MATERIAL HANDLING

8431390010 SMH 5270-657-E-JWR Exclusion Letter P.docx

Sunday, October7, 2018

Ambassador Robert Lighthizer

U.S. trade Representative

Office of the United States Trade Representative

600 17th Street NW

Washington, DC 20006

Re: USTR-2018-0025 - Procedures to Consider Requests for Exclusion of Particular Products from the 

Determination of Action Pursuant to Section 301: 

This powder coated/ painted metal weldment frame is solely used for conveyor roll support.

The weldment measures approximately 75.5 inches long, 16.4 inches wide, at a height of 

approximately 13 inches and is made from ASTM A36 carbon steel.

Syntron Material Handling part number 5270-657-E-JWR

SMH system description: 60”BW 9 35D 3070HD metal weldment

(HTS# 8431.39.0010)

Syntron Material Handling (SMH) provides material handling solutions for conveying, feeding, 

elevating, vibratory flow aids and mining controls of bulk product. As a leader of innovative 

material handling solutions we offer efficient and cost-effective solutions to improve and

enhance the technology manufacturing business customers are already using. Industries we serve 

include food handling, ports and terminals, aggregates, cement, glass mining, pulp and paper, 

power generation and trona-potash-salt. Our products include vibrating conveyors, belt conveyor 

idlers, screw conveyors, bucket elevators, underground mining, heavy duty and light industry 

feeders.

 

SMH is located in Saltillo, Northeast Mississippi. Saltillo has an estimated population of 5000.

Our 300,000 square foot facility was built in 1974 and it houses Syntron Material Handling and

our Corporate Office. SMH currently employs 229 full-time team members.

Additionally, there is a Syntron Material Handling Solutions facility in Changshu, China. This 

location was established in 2006 and employs 23 team members.

Mission Statement

Syntron Material Handling provides customer-focused industry leadership by delivering

innovative engineering, high-performance products, and superior customer service.

Annual Quantity & Value

2017 Value: [BCI] 2017 Quantity: [BCI]

2016 Value: [BCI] 2016 Quantity: [BCI]

2015 Value: [BCI] 2015 Quantity: [BCI]
SYNTRON MATERIAL HANDLING

8431390010 SMH 5270-657-E-JWR Exclusion Letter P.docx

11. Is the Chinese-origin product of concern sold as a final product or an input used in

 a) For imports sold as final products, please provide:

[BCI]% of your total gross sales in 2017 that the Chinese-origin product accounted for.

 b) For imports of inputs used in the production of final products, 

please provide: 

[BCI] % of the total cost of producing the final product(s) the Chinese-origin input accounts for.

[BCI] % of your total gross sales in 2017 that sales of the final product(s) incorporating the 

input accounted for.

RATIONALE FOR REQUESTED EXCLUSION

This weldment is not a stock item, we order for capital project orders. 

There is not a U.S. company that manufactures this frame box weldment as a first sale item

that we could purchase from and use in manufacture of SMH final sale item. SMH 

sourced from China due to cost competitiveness.

Economic Impact

SMH understands that the purpose of the Section 301 tariffs is to eliminate unfair Chinese 

trade practices relating to the misappropriation of United States intellectual property and 

technology. The imposition of these tariffs is intended to be practicable and effective to 

obtain the elimination of acts, policies, and practices viewed as detrimental. Imposing

tariffs on these products would negatively affect SMH and our customers. 

Once all phases of the Section 301 duties announced to date are implemented SMH will 

face a potentially significant increase in duties paid over a 12-month period.

SMH currently employs 229 team members in our Saltillo, MS, location. SMH employees

represent approximately 9% of Saltillo, Mississippi workforce. Additional costs in tariffs 

will lead to reduced competitiveness and a drop in demand, ultimately resulting in loss of 

employment and marginal profitability.

Made in China 2025

Placing tariffs on these box frame weldments would not benefit U.S. industry, nor would it 

further the USTR’s stated goals underlying the Section 301 investigation. According to the 

USTR’s Section 301 Investigation findings, China’s “Made in China 2025” industrial policy

is centered on promoting ten strategic sectors of high-technology industries. 

The box frame weldment and the final product this weldment is part of is not among those 

categories.

The Chinese government has not employed any tactics to intervene in or regulate SMH’s 

operations in China. It has not attempted to use discretionary administrative licensing and 

approval processes, foreign equity limitations, or foreign ownership restrictions to require 

or pressure SMH to transfer technology. SMH’s control over its intellectual property and 
SYNTRON MATERIAL HANDLING

8431390010 SMH 5270-657-E-JWR Exclusion Letter P.docx

technology in China has not been undermined, and the Chinese government has not 

directed or facilitated investment in or acquisition of SMH’s assets or intellectual property. 

SMH is similarly unaware of any data breaches or attacks on any SMH facilities in China. 

The Chinese government does not consider SMH’s weldments and ultimately a portion of a 

conveyor, to be an area of strategic concern for its industrial policies. 

Imposing additional tariffs on such would only harm American interests and would not 

have a material effect on China’s acts, policies and practices used to acquire foreign 

technology or that the USTR has found to be unreasonable or discriminatory.

Other Relevant Information

This frame box weldment is a component part and not a final product.

Impact to Company Workforce

 Should we have to raise costs of products to recoup this additional tariff expense, which 

we have begun to do, and that could reduce our competitiveness in the market and 

ultimately impact retention of our current workforce of 229 people in Saltillo, MS.

SMH is unaware of any potential issues that would affect the ability of US CBP to 

administer subject exclusion. CBP should be able to easily identify the products based on 

HTSUS code and standard information provided.

As such, we respectfully request exclusion from Section 301 for our product, 5270-567-EJWR, classified under HTS# 8431.39.0010, that is produced and sourced from China.

Any Additional Supporting Information
SYNTRON MATERIAL HANDLING

8431390010 SMH 5270-657-E-JWR Exclusion Letter P.docx