Ford Motor Co. v. United States

27 Cust. Ct. 492, 1951 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1392
United States Customs Court·Decided December 5, 1951·No. No. 8067; Entry No. 9168·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

Mollison, Judge:

The merchandise involved in this appeal consists of rough grey iron castings which were sold and exported by the Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd., to the Ford Motor Company of Dearborn, Mich. The pattern equipment which was used by the seller and exporter in making these castings was owned by Ford Motor Company of Dearborn, Mich., the importer, in the United States and was manufactured in this country.

The single issue involved in this appeal for reappraisement is whether tbe pattern equipment designed for use in the manufacture of rough iron castings to be used as manifolds in automobiles should be properly included as an item in the cost of production of the iron castings. It was agreed by counsel for both sides that there was no foreign, export, or United States value applicable and that the proper basis of value to be applied is the cost of production, as defined in section 402 (f) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U. S. C. § 1402 (f)). The said section reads as follows:

(f) Cost of Production. — For tbe purpose of this title the. cost of production of imported merchandise shall be the sum of—
(1) The cost of materials of, and of fabrication, manipulation, or other process employed in manufacturing or producing such or similar merchandise, at a time preceding the date of exportation of the particular merchandise under consideration which would ordinarily permit the manufacture or pro[493]*493duction of the particular merchandise under consideration in the usual course of business;
(2) The usual general expenses (not less than 10 per centum of such cost) in the ease of such or similar merchandise;
(3) The cost of all containers and coverings of -whatever nature, and all other costs, charges, and expenses incident to placing the particular, merchandise under consideration in condition, packed ready for shipment to the United States; and
(4) An addition for profit (not less than 8 per centum of the sum of the amounts found under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subdivision) equal to the profit which ordinarily is added, in the case of merchandise of the same general character as the particular merchandise under consideration, by manufacturers or producers in the country of manufacture or production who are engaged in the production or manufacture of merchandise of the same class or kind.

It was agreed between tbe parties at tbe trial tbat tbe following nnit costs, exclusive of tbe cost of tbe pattern equipment, were proper items to be included in tbe cost of production in tbe making or manufacture of tbe rough iron castings involved:

Right-hand Castings (8BA-9430) Left-hand Castings (8BA-9431)
(Canadian) (Canadian)
Material and labor_$0. 3464 Material and labor_$0. 2957
Usual general expenses_ 0. 3097 Usual general expenses- 0. 3021
Total each (Canadian)_$0. 6561 Total each (Canadian)-$0. 5978

It was further agreed by tbe parties tbat tbe profit ordinarily added was 10 per centum. It was also agreed between tbe parties tbat tbe above items of cost would represent tbe cost of production of tbe rough iron castings if tbe court should find tbat tbe cost of tbe pattern equipment is not properly included as an item or element of tbe cost of production; and it was also agreed between tbe parties tbat if tbe court should bold tbat tbe cost of the. pattern equipment was a proper element of cos tin tbe manufacture or making of the rough iron castings, then tbe sum of $50,821, divided by 20,000 (tbe number of castings ordered by tbe importer), i. e., tbe proportionate part of tbat sum for each casting, or unit pattern cost, should be added to tbe agreed items as above stated to arrive at tbe correct dutiable value.

Tbe rough grey iron castings were appraised as follows:

8BA-9430 (auto) exh mflds at $3.41538 each net unpkd Canadian dollars.
8BA-9431 (auto) exh mflds at $2.9923 each net unpkd Canadian dollars.

Tbe appraised value apparently includes for each casting tbe proportionate part of tbe cost of tbe pattern equipment admittedly used in tbe making of tbe castings, which proportionate part or sum was arrived at by dividing the total cost of $50,821 by 20,000, tbe number of castings imported. It therefore appears tbat if tbe cost [494]*494of the patterns is a proper part of the cost of production, the appraised values are correct.

It was admitted at the trial that the pattern equipment itself was of American manufacture and was consigned by the Ford Motor Company of Dearborn, Mich., to the Ford Motor Company, Ltd., of Canada at “no charge” and that the exporter or seller of the rough iron castings made no charge of any land to the importer for the pattern equipment and that the importer, the Ford Motor Company of Dearborn, Mich., paid for the pattern equipment in a fashion or manner separate from the transaction under which the rough iron castings were bought and sold; it was further proved beyond doubt that the title to the pattern equipment remained at all times in the importer and that the pattern equipment had at the time of the trial already been returned to the United States and advisorily ■classified by the appraiser as free of duty under paragraph 1615 as American goods returned, which had not been advanced in value or improved in condition by any process of manufacture or other means.

The importer, makes three claims to substantiate its contention that the cost of the pattern equipment should not be included as an item in the cost of production of the rough iron castings. First, it is contended that the Congress, in enacting paragraph 1615 of the Tariff Act of 1930, providing for free entry of American goods when returned to the United States, expressed an intention that such pattern equipment should not be subject to customs duty when returned not advanced in value or improved in condition, and as a consequence the customs authorities should not be permitted to accomplish indirectly what the Congress had specifically forbidden. However, no such intention appears from the language or the intent of any congressional enactment insofar as the valuation of the rough iron castings involved ■herein is concerned. Conceding that the pattern equipment itself .is entitled do free entry, when the pattern equipment itself has been accorded free entry, then all of the appellant's rights under paragraph ■1615 have been satisfied. What is involved in the case before us is rough iron castings'which have been manufactured or produced with the use of the pattern equipment which has imparted to the rough iron castings its: own shape, form, design, and measurements in such manner that the rough iron castings may be used as exhaust manifolds in the manufacture of certain automobiles. It is admitted that the pattern equipment was used in the manufacture or processing of the rough iron castings imported and it is obvious that the pattern equipment was intended to impart a certain shape, form, and design to the castings according to certain precise measurements.

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Ford Motor Co. v. United States, 27 Cust. Ct. 492, 1951 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1392 (cusc 1951).

27 Cust. Ct. 492 (Ford Motor Co. v. United States) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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