Sourcing cast iron covers and castings from China
Cast articles of iron or steel from China pay 0% UK customs duty, but cast iron manhole covers, gratings and frames for ground systems, in grey or ductile iron, carry anti-dumping duty: 38.1% for most exporters, with named company rates from 15.5%, in force until 31 January 2028. Other castings such as grinding balls and drain parts have none. Cambridge China Bridge sources them.
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Zero duty, with one big exception
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, cast articles of non-malleable cast iron, grinding balls for mills, and other cast articles of iron or steel carried 0% third-country duty from China. For counterweights, see our cast iron counterweight sourcing guide. For inspection equipment, see our cast iron surface plate sourcing guide.
Grey and ductile cast iron articles used to cover, give access to or view ground and sub-surface systems, such as manhole covers, gully gratings and frames, carried anti-dumping duty under measures the tariff lists against the Trade Remedies (Dumping and Subsidisation) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. The residual rate is 38.1%, named exporters pay from 15.5% to 31.5% with a valid invoice declaration, and the measures run to 31 January 2028.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grey iron covers and frames for ground systems | 7325 10 00 31 | 0% | 15.5% to 38.1% (residual 38.1%) |
| Other non-malleable cast iron articles | 7325 10 00 99 | 0% | None |
| Grinding balls for mills | 7325 91 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Ductile iron covers and frames for ground systems | 7325 99 10 60 | 0% | 15.5% to 38.1% (residual 38.1%) |
| Other cast articles, other | 7325 99 10 90 | 0% | None |
| Other cast steel articles | 7325 99 90 90 | 0% | None |
Planning around anti-dumping
The duty is charged on the customs value, so on a residual-rate cover it can exceed the freight cost. Ask whether the foundry is a named exporter with its own rate, get the required invoice declaration wording before shipment, and compare the landed price with UK or other-origin covers. The import duty guide explains how the declarations work.
Standards
Manhole covers and gully gratings are specified to BS EN 124 load classes, from pedestrian areas to heavy vehicle loads; the class must be marked on the cover. Drain channels and floor drains have their own standards, EN 1433 and EN 1253, which the tariff also names. For drainage pipes, see our ductile iron and cast iron pipes sourcing guide. For channel gratings, see our cast iron trench grating sourcing guide.
Worked duty example
A hypothetical order, not a quote: 500 ductile iron manhole covers and frames of load class D400 under 7325 99 10 60, bought for £30,000 free on board with £4,000 of freight and insurance, so the customs value is £34,000. Customs duty is 0%, but the residual anti-dumping rate of 38.1% adds £12,954. Import VAT is 20% of £46,954, or £9,390.80. VAT-registered buyers usually recover the VAT, but the £12,954 of anti-dumping duty is a real cost, which is why a foundry with its own lower named rate, from 15.5%, changes the price comparison. The duty and VAT guide explains the calculation.
Inspection checklist
Iron grade: grey iron is specified to BS EN 1561 and ductile iron to BS EN 1563, so ask for tensile results from test bars cast with each melt against the ordered grade, and for ductile iron a metallographic check of graphite nodularity on a sample casting.
Load and set: BS EN 124-2 covers cast iron covers and gratings under the general requirements of BS EN 124-1. At the witnessed test, apply the test load for the marked class and measure the permanent set after unloading against the limit in the standard, not only whether the cover breaks.
Fit, locking and paperwork: check locking devices, hinges and cushioning inserts work on sampled sets, measure coating thickness with a gauge, and for covers under the anti-dumping measure confirm the foundry's company-specific rate and invoice declaration wording before the goods ship.
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What goes wrong
Castings fail on soundness, fit and marking. Porosity and shrinkage cavities weaken covers that look fine on the surface, covers that do not seat flat rock and clatter under traffic, and grey iron supplied where ductile iron was ordered breaks under a load it was marked for. The BS EN 124 class, manufacturer and standard markings are sometimes cast on covers that were never load tested, and bitumen coating is thin or missing.
Ask for the type test report to BS EN 124 and material certificates for the iron grade, witness a proof load test on production samples, check that covers sit in their frames without rocking, measure clear opening and depth, weigh a sample against the drawing, check markings, and check the coating before loading.
Inspection
Ask for load test reports and material certificates, check castings for porosity and seating fit, and weigh a sample of covers. At inspection, check class marking and coating.
Cambridge China Bridge sources castings, drain parts and covers, with anti-dumping exposure and load class settled before the order. See how our sourcing service works.
Related guides: Ductile iron and cast iron pipes from China.
Frequently asked questions
Is there anti-dumping duty on Chinese manhole covers?
Yes. On 25 September 2026 grey and ductile iron covers and frames for ground systems carried 38.1% residual anti-dumping duty, with named exporters from 15.5%, until 31 January 2028.
What is the ordinary duty on castings from China?
Cast articles of heading 7325 carried 0% third-country duty; only the covers and frames carry anti-dumping duty.
Which standard applies to manhole covers?
BS EN 124, which sets load classes that must be marked on the cover.
How do named exporter rates apply?
Only with the invoice declaration the measure requires; otherwise the residual rate applies.