Sourcing aluminium honeycomb foil from China
Honeycomb foil from China pays 6% on the listed lines; heading 7607 has standard rates of 6% to 10%. Classify the foil by thickness, backing and processing, then specify alloy, temper and a surface suitable for bonding. Cambridge China Bridge sources aluminium honeycomb foil.
UK duty on honeycomb foil
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7607 covers aluminium foil no thicker than 0.2 mm, excluding backing. This guide concerns foil supplied for making honeycomb, before it becomes a core. For the next manufacturing stage, see aluminium honeycomb cores.
The listed candidate lines carry 6% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control in the supplied snapshot. Elsewhere in the heading, qualifying thin rolls of 10 kg or less carry 7.5% plus residual anti-dumping duty of 35.6%; thin backed foil carries 10%. Specialised suspensions elsewhere do not provide a general exemption for honeycomb foil.
Confirm the commodity code using thickness, backing, processing, roll weight and presentation. These are candidate routes, not interchangeable codes. The UK carbon border adjustment mechanism will commence on 1 January 2027; confirm with your customs broker whether the supplied aluminium foil falls within its scope, ask the mill about emissions data and check the carbon border adjustment guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain unbacked foil coils, 0.03 mm to under 0.2 mm, without internal material layers | 7607 11 90 91 | 6% | None |
| Plain non-household foil, multilayer rolls over 10 kg, 0.03 mm to 0.045 mm | 7607 11 90 73 | 6% | None |
| Other plain non-household foil, multilayer rolls over 10 kg, 0.021 mm to 0.045 mm | 7607 11 90 74 | 6% | None |
| Worked unbacked foil coils, 0.03 mm to under 0.2 mm, without internal material layers | 7607 19 90 75 | 6% | None |
Foil gauge, temper and bonding surface
Specify alloy composition, temper, thickness tolerance, slit width, edge condition, coil weight, core dimensions and winding direction. State whether the foil is plain, cleaned or surface treated. Ask for mill certificates linked to coil identifiers, and agree how splices and damaged outer wraps will be identified.
Approve a sample through your own adhesive application, curing and expansion process. Check bond consistency, tearing during expansion and cell uniformity. For treated foil, obtain the treatment composition and check applicable REACH restrictions before sale: restrictions can limit, ban or set conditions on substances.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial order: 200 kg of plain aluminium honeycomb foil in coils under 7607 11 90 91, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,500. Duty at 6% is £210. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,710, so it is £742. Import taxes total £952; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £210 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Dimensions: measure gauge across the width and along sampled lengths, check slit width and edge burrs, and compare results with the agreed tolerances.
Surface: inspect for rolling oil, oxidation, scratches and pinholes; check treatment consistency and repeat the agreed bonding trial.
Unwinding: check for sticking layers, wrinkles, telescoping and damaged cores; record splices and compare usable material with the packing list.
Traceability: match coil labels, mill certificates and net weights; photograph moisture damage on arrival and retain samples for quality inspection.
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What goes wrong
A foil sample can bond well while production coils retain oil or have uneven treatment. Gauge variation changes the resulting core weight and strength; unsuitable temper or rough slit edges can cause tearing during expansion. Make approval depend on a manufacturing trial using the actual production material.
Crushed cores and shifted winding can interrupt feeding even when the metal meets its specification. Agree coil protection, moisture protection and arrival acceptance checks. Avoid substituting a household foil description or a finished core code for the actual foil being imported.
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 honeycomb foil from China?
The listed candidate foil lines carry 6% duty, with no trade remedy or suspension in the supplied snapshot. Confirm the code against the actual thickness, processing and roll presentation.
Does honeycomb foil have the same code as a honeycomb core?
Confirm each product separately. This guide covers foil before core manufacture; describe the imported material and its processing rather than relying on its intended use alone.
What should I specify for honeycomb foil?
Specify alloy, temper, gauge tolerance, slit width, edge condition, surface treatment and coil format. Approve the material through your adhesive, curing and expansion process.
How do I check whether the foil will bond?
Trial production material with your intended adhesive and curing process. Check surface cleanliness, bond consistency and tearing during expansion, then retain an approved sample.