Sourcing cobalt mesh from China

Cobalt mesh duty and classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 8105 covers cobalt metallurgy intermediates, cobalt and its articles, including waste and scrap. Finished cobalt mesh should be checked against the other-articles line, 8105 90 00 00. The table shows buying forms within that same tariff line, rather than separate commodity lines.

The supplied tariff record shows 0% duty for goods from China throughout this heading, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions. No attached import controls are recorded for the other-articles line. The waste and scrap line has waste import and export controls. For mesh scrap from China, confirm the applicable requirements with your customs broker before shipment; waste moving under notification controls needs the competent authorities' consent.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual composition, construction and condition of the goods. Do not classify cobalt-coated mesh solely by its coating description. For the wider cobalt heading, see cobalt wire. The duty and VAT guide explains the separate import VAT calculation.

Specify composition, aperture and construction

State whether you need cobalt metal, a named cobalt alloy or cobalt-coated material. Specify woven or expanded construction, aperture dimensions, wire diameter or strand width, overall thickness, roll or sheet dimensions, edge finish and tolerances. For expanded mesh, include opening orientation and whether it is flattened. Agree the cleanliness and surface condition needed for your process.

Ask for batch chemistry showing cobalt content and agreed impurity limits, tied to the supplied mesh. Check UK REACH status for the actual product before importing or selling it: registration covers substances on their own and in mixtures, and substances in articles only in limited cases. Arrange factory verification to check who makes the wire or sheet and who converts it into mesh.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2 rolls of cobalt mesh, illustrative order under 8105 90 00 00, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,300. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,300, so it is £660. 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

Composition: match the batch certificate to package identification and independently check cobalt content and agreed impurities.

Geometry: measure apertures, wire diameter or strand width, thickness and usable dimensions against the drawing; check opening orientation.

Workmanship: inspect for broken wires, loose intersections, torn strands, distorted openings, burrs and unravelled edges.

Packing: check for creases, crushed rolls, contamination and rubbing damage; retain batch identification when splitting packs. Use an agreed inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A description such as cobalt mesh can conceal a different alloy or a cobalt coating on another metal. Mesh count alone can also leave the aperture unclear because wire diameter changes the opening. Put composition and measured aperture dimensions on the order, then approve a sample made by the proposed production method.

Thin mesh can arrive creased, with damaged edges or stretched openings. Specify support for sheets and protection for rolls, and agree how to assess usable material after unpacking. A matching chemistry certificate does not demonstrate that the mesh will fit, filter or perform in your process; trial the sample in its intended application.

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.