Sourcing chloroprene contact adhesives from China

Normally 6% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 3506 covers prepared glues and adhesives, including chloroprene contact adhesives. Retail adhesive packs not exceeding 1 kg fall within 3506 10 00 00; other rubber-based contact adhesives generally fall within 3506 91 90 99. Both carry 6% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty. The table separates pack and formulation variants sharing a code.

The rubber-based residual line lists a restricted 0.00 % suspension for named specialist products; do not assume ordinary chloroprene contact glue qualifies. Relevant lines attach waste controls. For waste imports into England under notification controls, the Chinese exporter must apply to the dispatch authority for consent. Confirm applicability with your customs broker. The residual line also attaches fluorinated-gas controls: confirm the requirement with your broker, particularly for aerosols. Products containing banned fluorinated gases must not be placed on the Great Britain market.

The aerosol row identifies a conditional tariff category, not confirmation that the product can be sold. Give your broker the composition, propellant details, net pack weight and sales presentation to confirm the commodity code. See the wider glues and adhesives guide for the rest of the heading.

Specify the bond and solvent system

Specify chloroprene rubber as the adhesive base, the solvent blend or water-based formulation, solids content, viscosity, colour and application method. Name the actual substrates, including any foam, laminate, leather or surface coating. Agree coating coverage, drying conditions, the contact-bonding window and pressure applied when joining the surfaces.

Approve a sample using your own materials. Check initial grip, peel resistance after curing, heat exposure and visible staining. Test whether the solvent attacks foam or a decorative surface. Agree batch identification, remaining shelf life on arrival and a retained sample against which production can be compared.

Confirm with HSE whether the actual solvent-based adhesive requires English hazard-label information, including pictograms, signal words and hazard statements, and when a safety data sheet must be supplied to business customers. For solvent glues sold to the public, also confirm whether child-resistant fastenings and tactile warnings are required. Check the formulation before approving packaging. Solvent-based and aerosol adhesives are often dangerous goods: obtain the safety data sheet transport classification before booking freight.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of retail tins of chloroprene contact adhesive under 3506 10 00 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,500. Duty at 6% is £1,170. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £20,670, so it is £4,134. Import taxes total £5,304; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,170 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: compare the batch, formulation description, pack size and safety data sheet with the approved order.

Condition: check seals, leaking seams, damaged tins, skin formation, lumps and separation; compare consistency with the retained sample.

Bond: apply to the agreed substrates using the specified drying and joining method; check peel behaviour, staining and foam damage after curing.

Packaging: check English hazard artwork, batch traceability and remaining shelf life against the approved specification.

What goes wrong

A substitute solvent can change drying behaviour or damage foam even when the glue looks similar. A bond made before sufficient solvent has evaporated can disappoint; an overly dry adhesive film may also fail to join as expected. Compare production with the approved sample using the same substrates and application conditions.

Poorly sealed tins can lose solvent and become difficult to spread. Water-based batches can separate after unsuitable storage or transport. Agree storage conditions and an arrival acceptance method before ordering, and investigate leaking or changed batches before releasing them for use.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.