Sourcing bolt cold heading machines from China
Bolt cold heading machines within heading 8462 carry 0% UK duty from China across the relevant cold-press lines, with no listed anti-dumping duty. Machinery conformity assessment and marking remain necessary before supply or use in Great Britain. Cambridge China Bridge sources bolt cold heading machines.
Zero duty on the relevant cold-press lines
Heading 8462 covers metal-forming machine tools, including cold metal working presses. For bolt cold heading machines, the table gives candidate mechanical and other cold-press lines. Confirm the machine's forming mechanism and whether it is numerically controlled before choosing a line; a programmable feeder alone should not be your classification evidence.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, all supplied lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.
Give your customs broker the operating description, drive arrangement, control details and drawings to confirm the commodity code. For wider heading coverage, see wire spring coiling machines.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numerically controlled mechanical cold metal presses | 8462 62 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other mechanical cold metal presses | 8462 62 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Other cold metal presses, numerically controlled | 8462 69 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other cold metal presses, not numerically controlled | 8462 69 90 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the bolt blank and forming sequence
Send the factory your bolt blank drawing and wire specification. Agree wire material and condition, diameter range, cut-off length, head geometry, shank dimensions and tolerances. Describe the forming stations and blows needed for each part, and identify which dies, punches, transfer fingers and cut-off tools are included. State whether thread rolling is supplied separately.
Specify the electrical supply, lubrication system, operator interface language, tooling change procedure and access for maintenance. Agree a witnessed production trial using your wire and tooling, with output measured as accepted blanks rather than machine strokes. Record rejects, stoppages and dimensional drift during the trial.
The machinery conformity assessment procedure must be completed and the relevant conformity marking affixed. Ask for the declaration of conformity for the exact configuration, English instructions and electrical diagrams. If manual loading or unloading is involved, have a machinery compliance adviser confirm the applicable conformity assessment route with the relevant authority.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Two mechanical bolt cold heading machines, illustrative order under 8462 62 90 00, invoiced at £56,000 free on board, with £4,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £60,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £60,500, so it is £12,100. 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
Formed blanks: inspect head fill, cracks, folds, burrs and head-to-shank alignment; measure blanks from the beginning and end of the agreed trial.
Feed and transfer: check cut-off consistency, wire grip, transfer timing, ejection and jam recovery with your material; retain labelled samples and the trial record.
Guarding and documents: have a competent person check guards, interlocks, emergency stops and safe setup arrangements; match the machine identification to its declaration, instructions and drawings.
Arrival condition: inspect rust protection, tooling faces, lubrication leaks, loose connections and transit damage before commissioning. Compare supplied tooling and spares with the packing list. Use an agreed inspection plan.
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What goes wrong
A demonstration with the factory's easiest wire can hide poor feeding or incomplete head formation on your material. Incorrect cut-off volume, unsuitable tooling or transfer timing can produce cracked heads, folds and inconsistent shanks. Require retained trial samples and records for your specified blank, rather than accepting a video of unrelated parts.
Tooling omissions, inaccessible controller settings and missing diagrams can delay commissioning or changeovers. Agree the tooling inventory, parameter access, spare-part identification and support arrangements before ordering. Ask for factory verification focused on whether the supplier builds and tests the heading machine itself.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on bolt cold heading machines from China?
The supplied tariff record shows 0% across the relevant heading 8462 cold-press lines, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Import VAT is separate.
Which commodity code covers a bolt cold heading machine?
The table gives candidate cold-press codes. Confirm the forming mechanism and numerical control from the technical specification with your customs broker before declaring the machine.
Is a CE certificate enough for a cold heading machine?
Ask for the declaration of conformity for the exact machine configuration, English instructions and diagrams. Check the assessment route and guarding rather than relying on a certificate title.
How should I test a bolt cold heading machine before shipment?
Run your specified wire and tooling, measure accepted blanks, retain samples and record rejects and stoppages. Check head formation, cut-off consistency, transfer timing and dimensional drift.