U.S. Tariff on China-Made Printer and Copier Parts Start Today

The United States’ implementation of a 25-percent tariff on various products made in China kicked in today. Among the products that are subject to the 25-percent tariff are printer and copier parts made in China. China retaliated today with a 25-percent tariff on U.S. goods worth some $34 million.

The U.S. government had announced the tariff on June 15th, initially targeting some $50 billion worth of goods.

Among the China-made printer-and-copier-related products that are subject to the tariff are:

(a)   Control or command assemblies, incorporating more than one of the following: printed circuit assembly, hard or flexible (floppy) disk drive, keyboard, user interface;

(b)  Light source assemblies, incorporating more than one of the following: light emitting diode assembly, gas laser, mirror polygon assembly, base casting;

(c)  Laser imaging assemblies, incorporating more than one of the following: photoreceptor belt or cylinder, toner receptacle unit, toner developing unit, charge/discharge units, cleaning unit;

(d)  Image fixing assemblies, incorporating more than one of the following: fuser, pressure roller, heating element, release oil dispenser, cleaning unit, electrical control;

(e)  Ink jet marking assemblies, incorporating more than one of the following: thermal print head, ink dispensing unit, nozzle and reservoir unit, ink heater; 
(f)  Maintenance/sealing assemblies, incorporating more than one of the following: vacuum unit, ink jet covering unit, sealing unit, purging unit;

(g)  Paper handling assemblies, incorporating more than one of the following: paper transport belt, roller, print bar, carriage, gripper roller, paper storage unit, exit tray;

(h)  Thermal transfer imaging assemblies, incorporating more than one of the following: thermal print head, cleaning unit, supply or take-up roller;

(ij) Ionographic imaging assemblies, incorporating more than one of the following: ion generation and emitting unit, air assist unit, printed circuit assembly, charge receptor belt or cylinder, toner receptacle unit, toner distribution unit, developer receptacle and distribution unit, developing unit, charge/discharge unit, cleaning unit; or

(k) Combinations of the above specified assemblies.

No printer or copier vendors have yet issued a statement regarding the tariff, and the question remains whether they will absorb the added cost, or shift it to customers.

More Resources

• Press release: USTR Issues Tariffs on Chinese Products in Response to Unfair Trade Practices
• June 2018: HP Responds to Proposed Tariffs on China-Imported Products
• June 2018: ISC Argues Against Proposed U.S. Tariffs on China-Imported Printer and Copier Supplies
• June 2018: This Week in Imaging: Tariffs on China-Made Printers, Copiers Could Have Big Impact
• June 2018: U.S. Slaps 25-Percent Tariff on China-Made Products