Sourcing cable stripping machines from China
The selected heading 8479 lines carry 0% UK duty for goods from China, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Powered cable stripping machines supplied in Great Britain must meet machinery safety requirements, with conformity documentation; confirm English-language instruction requirements with the relevant authority. Cambridge China Bridge sources cable stripping machines.
UK duty and classification for cable stripping machines
Heading 8479 covers machines with individual functions not specified elsewhere in the chapter. For a cable stripping machine, investigate 8479 89 97 90 against its actual operation. The table includes a metal-treatment comparison line and potentially relevant parts lines, rather than interchangeable codes for the same machine. See the wider machinery guide.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, the selected lines carried 0% ordinary duty for goods from China, with no recorded anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension. The residual machine line carries waste and fluorinated greenhouse gas import controls; the residual parts line also carries the gas control. Confirm the applicable gas requirement with your customs broker rather than assuming the tariff annotation requires a permit for every stripper.
If the machine is itself waste and notification controls apply, the exporter must seek consent through the dispatch country's competent authority. For imports into England, shipment follows consent from the Environment Agency and other authorities involved. This concerns the machine being imported, rather than simply its intended use stripping scrap cable. Confirm the commodity code using the operating description, photographs and parts list.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other individual-function machines, candidate line for cable stripping machines | 8479 89 97 90 | 0% | None |
| Metal-treatment machines, for comparison when confirming the stripping process | 8479 81 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other cast iron or cast steel machinery parts | 8479 90 20 90 | 0% | None |
| Other machinery parts, subject to checking the individual component | 8479 90 70 99 | 0% | None |
Specify the cable, feed system and stripping result
Separate machines for removing insulation from scrap cable from machines preparing wire ends for assembly. Specify cable diameter range, insulation material, solid or stranded conductor, armoured cable capability and whether the machine slits insulation or removes it completely. Send representative cable samples, including bent and flattened material where relevant.
Agree feed arrangement, blade-depth adjustment, roller grip, collection method and the acceptable condition of the recovered conductor. Specify the installation supply, mounting, isolation, guarding and emergency stop arrangement. Agree spare blades, rollers and adjustment components by drawing or part reference.
For powered machinery supplied in Great Britain, applicable essential safety requirements, conformity assessment, a declaration and the appropriate marking must be in place. Confirm technical-documentation and English-language instruction requirements, and whether CE or UKCA marking is appropriate, with the relevant authority; a mark alone does not replace the supporting documents.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: An industrial cable stripping machine for a small recycling workshop, illustrative only under 8479 89 97 90, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,200, so it is £1,840. 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
Cable trials: run your agreed samples and check consistent feeding, clean insulation separation, conductor damage and jamming. Repeat after changing cable size and blade depth.
Guarding and controls: have a competent inspector check access to blades and feed rollers, guard operation, emergency stopping and isolation before adjustment or blade replacement.
Build and spares: check blade alignment, roller condition, adjustment locking, mounting stability and the supplied spare components against the order.
Documents and arrival: match the declaration, nameplate and English instructions to the delivered machine. Check transport damage, loose fixings and cable guides, then repeat the agreed trials after installation. Arrange quality inspection before shipment.
What goes wrong
A demonstration on straight, uniform cable can hide slipping rollers, poor blade adjustment and problems with mixed scrap. Excessive blade depth damages the conductor; insufficient depth leaves insulation attached. Put acceptance criteria in writing and retain labelled samples from the trial.
A different motor, feed assembly or guard can invalidate the usefulness of the supplier's demonstration and leave documents describing another configuration. Resolve substitutions before dispatch, and check that the supplied instructions explain safe clearing of jams and blade changes.
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 cable stripping machines from China?
The selected heading 8479 machine and parts lines carry 0% ordinary duty, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Confirm the exact code from the machine's function.
Does a cable stripping machine need CE or UKCA marking?
Powered machinery supplied in Great Britain needs the appropriate conformity marking and supporting compliance documents. Confirm with the relevant authority whether CE or UKCA marking is appropriate under the applicable machinery rules. Check the actual machine configuration.
How do I test a cable stripping machine before shipment?
Use your cable samples, including the insulation and conductor types you process. Check feed grip, blade adjustment, insulation separation, conductor damage and jamming against written acceptance criteria.
Does the tariff waste control cover every cable recycling machine?
The tariff attaches a waste control to the residual machine line. Ask your customs broker whether the imported machine is waste and which requirements apply; its intended use processing scrap does not settle that question.