Sourcing aluminium fin foil from China
Aluminium heat-exchanger fin foil from China carries 6% UK duty across the selected plain and further-worked lines, with no anti-dumping duty listed. Classification depends on thickness, backing and processing, rather than its intended use alone. Cambridge China Bridge sources aluminium heat-exchanger fin foil.
Duty and classification for fin foil
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7607 covers aluminium foil with a metal thickness not exceeding 0.2 mm, excluding any backing. This guide concerns foil feedstock for heat-exchanger fins. The table distinguishes rolled-only material from further-worked material and separates foil below the upper thickness boundary from foil at that boundary.
The selected lines carry 6% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff snapshot lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control on these lines. Elsewhere in the heading, specified thin small-roll foil carries 7.50% duty plus 35.60% residual anti-dumping duty; converter-foil and other specialised suspensions should not be assumed to cover fin foil.
Give your customs broker the alloy, thickness, backing details and processing history, including coatings and embossing, to confirm the commodity code. The table contains possible classifications, not interchangeable choices. See the wider aluminium fin-strip guide and the import duty and VAT guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain unbacked foil coils, 0.03 mm to below 0.2 mm, without internal layers | 7607 11 90 91 | 6% | None |
| Plain unbacked foil, 0.2 mm, without internal layers, other than car body panels | 7607 11 90 93 | 6% | None |
| Further-worked unbacked foil coils, 0.03 mm to below 0.2 mm, without internal layers | 7607 19 90 75 | 6% | None |
| Further-worked unbacked foil, 0.2 mm, without internal layers, other uses | 7607 19 90 94 | 6% | None |
Specify foil for your fin-forming process
Specify alloy composition, temper, thickness and width tolerances, tensile strength, elongation, flatness and edge condition. State whether the foil is bare, hydrophilic-coated or clad for brazing. Agree coating identity, coating adhesion and wettability tests where relevant, and identify the intended forming and joining process. Ask for mill certificates linked to each coil and approve a production trial on your tooling.
REACH restrictions can limit, ban or set conditions on the manufacture, sale or use of substances. For coated foil, request coating composition information and check relevant restrictions before sale in Great Britain. Treat a supplier's generic compliance statement as a starting point for checking the actual material.
Confirm with HMRC or your customs broker whether heading 7607 falls within the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism and when any obligations apply. Ask the mill for emissions information when planning future orders and review the UK carbon border adjustment guide.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial order of plain aluminium fin-foil coils for forming tests under 7607 11 90 91, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,200. Duty at 6% is £192. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,392, so it is £678.40. Import taxes total £870.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £192 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Dimensions: measure thickness across the width and along sampled lengths; check slit width, camber, edge burrs and coil weights against the purchase specification.
Material: match coil identifiers to mill certificates and review composition, temper, tensile strength and elongation results. Trial-form sample material to check cracking and springback.
Surface: inspect for pinholes, scratches, oil residue and sticking layers. For coated foil, check coverage, adhesion and wettability against the approved sample and agreed test method.
Coils and packing: check winding tension, telescoping, crushed cores and damaged edges on arrival. Photograph moisture staining and verify protective packing. Agree the checks through the quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
Foil that meets nominal thickness can still split during forming if temper or elongation differs from the approved sample. Burrs damage tooling, camber disrupts feeding, and uneven winding causes stoppages. Coating changes can alter wetting or joining behaviour, so require approval before the factory changes the coating or mill.
Moisture trapped in packing can leave stained coils, while crushed cores and telescoped winding make otherwise usable foil difficult to unwind. Keep the failed coil's identity, certificate, packaging photographs and forming samples together when raising a claim.
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 aluminium fin foil from China?
The selected plain and further-worked fin-foil lines carry 6% duty. The supplied tariff snapshot lists no anti-dumping duty or suspension on those lines. Confirm the code against thickness, backing and processing.
Does hydrophilic coating change the commodity code?
Do not assume coated foil uses the same code as bare rolled foil. Give the broker the coating composition, backing details and processing description before declaring it.
What should I test before ordering fin foil?
Trial the material on your fin-forming tooling. Check cracking, springback and feeding, alongside thickness, temper, elongation and coating performance where relevant.
Is aluminium fin foil covered by the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism?
Confirm with HMRC or your customs broker whether heading 7607 falls within the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism and when any importer obligations apply. Ask the mill for emissions information when planning orders.