8441.40.00.00 - Machines for molding articles in paper pulp, paper or paperboard

HTS code 8441.40.00.00 specifically enumerates machines designed for the molding of articles from paper pulp, paper, or paperboard. This category encompasses equipment that shapes these materials into three-dimensional forms through processes such as pressing, casting, or forming. Examples include machines used to produce egg cartons, fruit trays, disposable tableware, and other molded paper products where the defining characteristic is the molding process applied to the paper substrate.

It is crucial to distinguish this category from its siblings. While 8441.10.00.00 covers cutting machines, and 8441.30.00.00 deals with machines for forming containers other than by molding, 8441.40.00.00 is exclusively for machinery that *molds* articles. Machines for making bags, sacks, or envelopes (8441.20.00.00) have a distinct function related to bag construction, and other machinery falling under 8441.80.00.00 would be classified there if not specifically molded. Parts for all these machines are addressed under 8441.90.00.00.

As a leaf node, 8441.40.00.00 does not have further subdivisions. Therefore, classification within this code relies on the precise function of the machine: its primary operation must be the molding of paper-based materials into specific articles. The distinction often lies in the manufacturing process; if the machine's core purpose is to shape pulp or paper into a desired form through molding, it falls here, rather than being primarily involved in cutting, folding, or creasing operations.