Sourcing alloy chain steel wire rod from China
Listed duties across the relevant chemical categories are 0% to 50%, plus 24.00% residual anti-dumping duty. Classify chain-making rod by mill chemistry and hot-rolled coil form; quota relief does not remove anti-dumping duty. Cambridge China Bridge sources alloy chain steel wire rod.
Duty depends on chemistry, not the chain grade name
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 7227 covers hot-rolled bars and rods of other alloy steel in irregularly wound coils. This guide concerns feedstock for chain manufacture. The extract has no dedicated chain-steel line. The table compares chemical categories, not interchangeable chain grades; the carbon/chromium-defined line applies only where the analysis meets its definition. See the wider alloy steel wire rod guide.
For China, silico-manganese steel has listed duty of 0%; the other table rows show 50% and carry the steel measure. All table rows list 24.00% residual anti-dumping duty. Ask your broker about quota availability: anti-dumping remains payable within the tariff-free quota and cumulates with steel duty outside quota. No countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control is recorded in the supplied extract.
Confirm the commodity code from the heat chemistry, processing history and imported coil form. A supplier's description of material as chain steel does not establish the code. Have your broker verify any claimed producer-specific anti-dumping rate and its supporting commercial invoice declaration before budgeting.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other hot-rolled alloy steel wire rod in coils | 7227 90 95 00 | 50% outside quota | 24.00% residual anti-dumping |
| Boron alloy wire rod meeting the tariff composition definition | 7227 90 10 00 | 50% outside quota | 24.00% residual anti-dumping |
| Hot-rolled silico-manganese steel wire rod | 7227 20 00 00 | 0% | 24.00% residual anti-dumping |
| Alloy wire rod meeting the specified carbon and chromium composition | 7227 90 50 00 | 50% outside quota | 24.00% residual anti-dumping |
Specify rod for forming, welding and heat treatment
Tell the mill the intended chain application and your manufacturing route. Agree the grade, chemical limits, delivery condition, diameter, ovality and surface acceptance criteria. For welded chain, agree how weldability will be assessed using your welding process. Where the chain will be quenched and tempered, agree the material properties needed after your intended heat treatment.
Request heat-linked mill records covering chemistry and agreed mechanical tests. Specify acceptable seams, laps, scale, rust and decarburisation. Agree coil weight, internal diameter, winding and securing so the material fits your pay-off equipment. Approve a trial through drawing, link forming, welding and heat treatment as applicable before accepting the production lot.
Review the UK REACH status of the supplied rod and any surface treatment. HSE states that UK REACH generally applies to individual chemical substances on their own, in mixtures or in articles. Establish the applicable position for the actual supply rather than relying on a generic supplier assurance.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of other alloy chain steel wire rod; outside-quota duty and residual anti-dumping apply under 7227 20 00 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £20,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £20,000, so it is £4,000. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match coil tags, heat numbers and mill records; segregate mixed or unidentified heats.
Dimensions: measure rod diameter and ovality on sampled coils; check coil size, winding and restraint against handling equipment.
Surface: inspect for seams, laps, pitting, heavy scale and damaged coil ends; arrange the agreed decarburisation checks.
Process trial: check drawing and link forming, then assess weld quality and heat-treated sample-chain performance against your agreed acceptance criteria.
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What goes wrong
A substitute grade can look similar while behaving differently during forming, welding or heat treatment. Surface seams may open during drawing or bending. Keep the heat identity through processing and investigate failures before blending material into production. A rod chemistry certificate alone does not demonstrate the performance of the manufactured chain.
A low material quote can omit anti-dumping duty or assume quota relief that is unavailable. Check the declaration basis alongside the import duty and VAT guide. Use factory verification to check whether the supplier controls steelmaking records, coil identification and subcontracted processing.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on alloy chain steel wire rod from China?
The table's silico-manganese line lists 0%; its other lines list 50%, subject to steel quota availability. All list 24.00% residual anti-dumping duty. Confirm the chemistry-based code with your broker.
Is there a separate commodity code for chain steel wire rod?
The supplied extract has no chain-specific line. Use the mill chemistry and hot-rolled coil form to establish the code; the intended chain application or supplier grade name is insufficient.
Can a supplier use a lower anti-dumping rate?
Have your broker verify the named producer's eligibility and prescribed invoice declaration. If the invoice is not presented or the declaration is not made, the residual amount applies.
Does a mill certificate prove the finished chain's strength?
No. It records the supplied material's results. Agree trials covering your forming, welding and heat treatment, then check sample-chain performance against the intended application.