Sourcing continuous inkjet coding inks from China

Normally 6% on coding ink

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 3215 covers printing, writing, drawing and other inks. Ordinary black and coloured printing inks and other refill inks from China carry 6%. The listed cartridges without an integrated print head, incorporating mechanical or electrical components, carry 0%. A refill bottle does not qualify merely because it fits a coding machine. No anti-dumping duty is recorded in the supplied tariff facts.

Narrow suspensions can reduce duty to 0% for specified formulations. These include named liquid printing inks and ink formulations for manufacturing inkjet cartridges under authorised use. Do not assume ordinary finished coding ink qualifies. The table gives possible classification routes, rather than interchangeable codes. Confirm the formulation, container construction and intended use through finding your commodity code.

The tariff attaches waste import controls to these lines. For waste ink from China imported into England under notification controls, shipment must await consent from the Environment Agency and the other authorities involved. Ask your customs broker to confirm the procedure for the actual consignment. For the wider heading, see printing inks and ink cartridges.

Specify the printer, solvent and coding surface

Give the factory the printer make and model, current ink reference, refill connection and actual packaging material. Specify dye or pigment, colour, solvent system, viscosity and conductivity targets with their measurement conditions. Agree drying, adhesion and resistance checks on your own glass, metal or plastic samples. Order make-up fluid and cleaning fluid by their separate references; do not accept them as substitutes for ink.

Before importing for Great Britain, check classification and ensure the ink is correctly labelled and packaged. Check the UK REACH registration position for its constituent substances and obtain an English safety data sheet matching the formulation. Ask for composition information suitable for your chemical adviser, rather than relying on a generic document headed 'printing ink'.

Approve a trial on the intended machine, including start-up, continuous running and restart after a shutdown. Record code legibility, rubbing resistance and behaviour after the product's intended washing or storage. For food packaging, request migration evidence relevant to the finished pack and coding position. Agree bottle seals, batch identification and retained samples before production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial consignment of black continuous inkjet coding ink in sealed refill bottles under 3215 11 00 00, invoiced at £2,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,900. Duty at 6% is £174. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,074, so it is £614.80. Import taxes total £788.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £174 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the ink reference, colour, batch and container connection to the approved order; check the safety data sheet describes that formulation.

Batch properties: compare the certificate of analysis and sampled ink with the agreed viscosity, conductivity and colour targets using the agreed measurement conditions.

Coding performance: run sampled ink in the intended printer on actual packaging; check drying, adhesion, legibility and restart behaviour against the approved trial.

Arrival condition: inspect seals, caps and cartons for leakage; compare delivered contents with the order and hold damaged or unidentified bottles apart from usable stock.

What goes wrong

An ink can produce a readable sample yet fail during continuous running. A changed solvent balance or conductivity can disrupt jet stability; poorly dispersed pigment can settle or obstruct the ink path. Ink that adheres to an untreated sample may rub off coated packaging or fail after condensation. Test the actual surface and production conditions.

A compatible bottle connection does not prove formulation compatibility. Mixing replacement ink with the existing ink or wrong make-up fluid can cause deposits and unstable printing. Agree the changeover procedure with the printer service provider, retain the approved sample and investigate batch differences before releasing the delivery.

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.