Sourcing brass and copper rod from China

0% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 7407 covers copper bars, rods and profiles: of refined copper, of brass (bars and rods, and profiles) and of other copper alloys such as bronze and copper-nickel. All 4 lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure and no tariff suspension.

Copper wire is heading 7408, plates and strip over 0.15 mm are 7409 (see our copper sheet guide) and tubes 7411, so confirm the commodity code from the cross-section and form. For tube sourcing, see our copper tubes and pipes guide.

Grades and lead rules

Free-machining brass rod is specified to BS EN 12164, general-purpose rod to BS EN 12163, and copper rod and busbar for electrical use to BS EN 13601, each with a material designation such as CW614N or CW617N and a temper. Name the standard, grade and temper on the purchase order and the mill certificate. For finished fasteners, see our copper and brass fasteners guide.

Leaded brass is common in machined parts. Fittings made from it for drinking water in England and Wales must meet the materials requirements of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, which usually means a low-lead or dezincification-resistant grade, and electrical parts rely on the copper alloy lead exemption in the RoHS Regulations 2012. For finished cast parts, see our copper mesh, springs and castings guide. For finished plumbing fittings, see our copper press-fit fittings sourcing guide. For solder-ring plumbing connections, see our copper solder-ring fittings sourcing guide.

Specifying rod and bar

Specify alloy designation and temper, shape (round, hexagon, square, flat or profile drawing), size and tolerance class, length and cut tolerance, straightness, surface condition, mechanical properties, lead content limit where relevant, and packing in bundles or boxes with tags showing cast and size.

Worked duty example

Take a hypothetical order of 20 tonnes of free-cutting brass rod, entered under 7407 21 10 00: £140,000 free on board plus £2,500 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £142,500. Brass rod carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £142,500, £28,500, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.

Inspection checklist

Composition: check the mill certificate against the BS EN grade and verify copper, zinc and lead on sampled bars with a spectrometer.

Dimensions: measure diameter or across-flats, straightness and length against the tolerance class, and check ends are square and burr-free.

Properties: test hardness or tensile strength against the temper, and run a short machining trial if machinability matters.

What goes wrong

Rod orders fail on grade, tolerance and lead. A higher-lead or lower-copper alloy is shipped under a standard grade name, hexagon sizes are out of tolerance for collets, bars are bent or scratched, and water fittings fail the low-lead requirement.

Test composition on arrival and check dimensions before release. See our quality inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources brass and copper rod for UK machine shops and fittings makers, checking the mill's testing first. See second supplier.

Related guides: Sourcing copper mesh, springs and castings.