Sourcing lighting truss systems from China
Aluminium lighting truss systems from China carry 6% UK duty across the relevant structural lines. Workplace supply duties include safe-use information and necessary testing, so buy against documented spans, loads and connection details. Cambridge China Bridge sources aluminium lighting truss systems.
Duty on aluminium lighting truss systems
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, heading 7610 covers aluminium structures and structural parts. Lighting towers, welded truss subassemblies and finished assembly kits have different possible commodity lines. The table gives candidates for classification, rather than codes interchangeable across every truss system.
The selected lines carry 6% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or import control recorded in the supplied tariff facts. Unassembled, non-welded profiles under 7610 90 90 10 are different: the facts flag anti-dumping, and the published aluminium guide explains the applicable rates and structural exemptions. See the wider aluminium guide.
Give your customs broker drawings, photographs, the packing list and details of welding and assembly. Confirm whether the shipment comprises tower structures, attached subassemblies, finished kits or other structural parts using finding your commodity code. Ask your customs broker to confirm whether carbon border adjustment mechanism obligations will apply to the shipment.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium lattice towers for lighting support | 7610 90 10 00 | 6% | None |
| Welded aluminium lighting truss subassemblies | 7610 90 90 91 | 6% | None |
| Complete aluminium lighting truss assembly kits | 7610 90 90 92 | 6% | None |
| Other prepared aluminium lighting support structural parts | 7610 90 90 95 | 6% | None |
Specify the truss, connections and load cases
Specify the alloy and temper, chord and brace dimensions, section lengths, connection geometry, pins and retaining clips. Include corners, base plates and tower interfaces in the approved drawings. Ask for load tables tied to the exact truss model, span, support arrangement and load positions, together with the underlying calculations and test reports.
Where more specific product safety law does not apply, workplace articles fall under the general supplier safety duty. This includes safe-use information and necessary testing or examination. Request assembly, inspection, rejection and storage instructions. For outdoor support, HSE guidance calls for foreseeable wind loading, ground strength and slope to be considered; agree the ballast arrangement and operating limits for the proposed configuration.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative batch of welded lighting truss sections for an event hire business under 7610 90 90 91, invoiced at £60,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £63,000. Duty at 6% is £3,780. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £66,780, so it is £13,356. Import taxes total £17,136; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £3,780 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Materials: match batch certificates to the ordered alloy and temper; measure chord and brace wall thickness and section straightness.
Welds: check weld locations against drawings and look for cracks, visible porosity and distorted joints; commission the agreed weld examination.
Connections: trial-assemble production sections, corners and bases; check pin fit, retaining clips and alignment without forcing the joints.
Documentation and packing: match model identification to load tables and instructions; count connectors and check end protection through quality inspection. Repeat damage and connector checks on arrival.
What goes wrong
A similar-looking connector can have different geometry, leaving joints loose or impossible to assemble. Weld distortion can prevent alignment, and packing damage can dent chords or bend connection ends. A load chart for another model or support arrangement leaves the buyer without evidence for the intended build.
Outdoor failures can involve overturning or mast buckling under wind loading. HSE advises against using equipment intended exclusively for indoor use outdoors. Check the proposed complete system, including bases and ballast, rather than approving a straight truss section alone.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on aluminium lighting truss from China?
The relevant tower, welded subassembly, finished-kit and other structural-part lines carry 6% duty. The supplied facts record no trade remedy on these selected lines; unassembled non-welded profiles need a separate anti-dumping check.
What documents should I ask a Chinese truss factory for?
Ask for approved drawings, material certificates, model-specific load tables, supporting calculations and test reports, connector specifications, and assembly and inspection instructions.
Can I mix Chinese truss with my existing system?
Do not approve compatibility from appearance alone. Compare connection drawings and trial-assemble samples, then obtain engineering confirmation for the proposed mixed configuration.
Can indoor lighting truss be used outdoors?
HSE advises against using equipment intended exclusively for indoor use outdoors. Specify an outdoor configuration that addresses wind loading, ground conditions, bases and ballast.