Sourcing cobalt aluminate blue pigment from China
Cobalt aluminate blue pigment from China normally carries 6% UK duty under the residual colouring-matter line. GB buyers need a UK REACH registration position and compliant chemical labelling and packaging before sale. Cambridge China Bridge sources cobalt aluminate blue pigment.
UK duty on cobalt aluminate blue pigment
Heading 3206 covers other colouring matter and colouring preparations, including inorganic pigments. For cobalt aluminate blue powder, 3206 49 70 90 is the candidate residual line. The table shows forms to discuss with your broker under that same line, rather than separate tariff categories. Confirm preparations from their complete composition and presentation. See the wider pigments and titanium dioxide guide.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the supplied facts show 6% duty for Chinese goods under 3206 49 70 90 and no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. The suspension attached to this line names Pigment Black 12 and specified preparations based on it; it does not describe cobalt aluminate blue. Do not assume that a suspension elsewhere in heading 3206 covers your blue pigment.
The tariff attaches an import waste control. Confirm its applicability with your customs broker before shipment. If pigment from China is imported into England as waste under notification controls, dispatch, destination and transit authorities must consent before shipment. The line also carries waste and dangerous-chemical export controls; ask your broker about these before any return shipment. Confirm the commodity code using the composition and intended form.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobalt aluminate blue pigment powder | 3206 49 70 90 | 6% | None |
Specify the blue shade and processing conditions
Specify cobalt aluminate composition, any extenders or surface treatment, powder or preparation form, particle-size distribution, moisture and the agreed blue reference sample. State whether the material will colour ceramic glaze, coatings or plastics. For ceramics, approve fired samples using your own glaze and firing conditions. For coatings and plastics, compare dispersion, full shade and tinting strength in your actual formulation.
For Great Britain, confirm with HSE when UK REACH registration is required for annual imports and how any coverage by the manufacturer's only representative applies. Registration is per substance and legal entity. Chemicals must be correctly labelled and packaged before being placed on the market; confirm with HSE the safety data sheet requirements for hazardous grades. Use testing and certification support to define the checks for your intended application.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative: one tonne of cobalt aluminate blue pigment powder under 3206 49 70 90, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £26,000. Duty at 6% is £1,560. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,560, so it is £5,512. Import taxes total £7,072; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,560 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: check the batch analysis against the agreed composition, extenders and surface treatment, and match bag markings to the batch documents.
Colour: compare full shade and tinting strength against the retained reference in the agreed formulation; for ceramics, compare fired samples.
Dispersion: check for coarse particles, specks and agglomerates, and record whether the powder disperses under the agreed mixing conditions.
Packing: check sampled bag weights, sealed liners, moisture damage and caking, and retain a labelled sample from each batch.
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What goes wrong
A powder sample can look acceptable while giving a different shade after firing or dilution. Changed extenders, coarse particles or poor dispersion can alter colour strength or leave specks. Approve the pigment in your process and agree acceptance criteria before ordering.
Moisture can turn loose powder into hard lumps, while mixed batch documents make complaints difficult to investigate. Keep the reference sample, batch analysis and arrival sample together. A supplier's chemical paperwork also needs checking against the composition actually supplied.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on cobalt aluminate blue from China?
The supplied tariff facts show 6% under candidate code 3206 49 70 90, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Its named suspension concerns a different pigment.
Does cobalt aluminate blue need UK REACH registration?
Confirm with HSE the annual-volume threshold for GB importers and how coverage by the manufacturer's only representative affects registration responsibilities. Check coverage before ordering.
How should I approve cobalt blue for ceramic glaze?
Fire the supplier's sample in your own glaze under your production conditions. Agree the fired blue reference, dispersion checks and batch acceptance criteria.
Does the tariff waste control apply to my pigment?
Ask your broker to confirm whether the shipment falls within the attached waste control. For notified waste, shipment requires consent from dispatch, destination and transit authorities.