ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Watch: STAYING AHEAD GLOBALLY: 2025 Mid-Year Trade & Tariff Update
Presented in collaboration with ILDEC (Illinois District Export Council), and Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at the WBDC (Women’s Business Development Center).
What do vanilla extract, butter, and cookie sheets have in common with steel coils, aluminum bars, and CNC machines?
They’re all governed by the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) — the “recipe code” system that determines how much you pay in import duties, what you’re eligible to claim under trade agreements, and whether you’re at risk of audit or penalties.
This interactive session uses the cookie recipe as an accessible but powerful analogy to decode how HTS classification, tariff exposure, and global sourcing decisions directly impact your bottom line as an Illinois manufacturer. Whether you’re sourcing machine parts from Germany, electronics from Taiwan, or resins from China — getting the classification right can mean the difference between margin and loss.
What You’ll Learn
- How HTS classification determines every tariff dollar you pay
- Why “similar” parts may carry very different duty rates
- How classification affects total landed cost, FTA eligibility, and duty drawback
- Real examples of Illinois manufacturers saving thousands of dollars annually through reclassification, sourcing strategy, and trade compliance planning
- How to build a 4-phase tariff strategy (Assessment → Optimization → Implementation → Ongoing)
- No-cost advisory services available through WBDC’s SBDC-ITC and IL District Export Council (ILDEC)
Featured Frameworks
- HTS vs. Recipe Code Model
- Classification Cost Mapping
- POC + POV Tariff Planning Framework
- FTA Readiness & Duty Drawback Opportunities
Who Should Attend
- Illinois manufacturers in industrial equipment, food processing, electronics, or auto/ag supply chains
- Compliance officers, or supply chain managers
- Sourcing, engineering, and logistics professionals
- Any firm managing imports of equipment, components, or raw materials
