7608 - Aluminum tubes and pipes:

This HTS category, 7608, specifically encompasses aluminum tubes and pipes. It covers a broad range of hollow cylindrical products manufactured from aluminum or its alloys, intended for conveyance of fluids, structural applications, or other uses where the properties of aluminum are advantageous. The classification here is solely based on the material composition, identifying the product as definitively made of aluminum, as opposed to other base metals.

Within the vast structure of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, HTS 7608 falls under Section XV, which deals with base metals and articles thereof, and more specifically, Chapter 76, dedicated to aluminum and its articles. Its siblings at the same level represent entirely different classes of goods, such as live animals in Chapter 1, or other base metals and their articles found in different chapters. Therefore, HTS 7608 is uniquely positioned for aluminum-derived tubular products.

The subcategories within HTS 7608 further refine the classification based on the specific composition of the aluminum. 7608.10.00 distinguishes tubes and pipes made from pure aluminum (not alloyed), while 7608.20.00 covers those manufactured from aluminum alloys, which incorporate other elements to enhance properties like strength or corrosion resistance. This distinction is crucial for determining applicable duties and trade regulations.