Sourcing deep-hole drilling machines from China

Duty depends on drilling or boring classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8459 covers machine tools that remove metal by drilling, boring, milling, threading or tapping. For this guide, the drilling lines are the starting point. The boring rows are conditional alternatives for equipment classified as boring machines, rather than additional categories of deep-hole drills.

Both numerically controlled and other drilling machines from China carry 2% duty. Other boring machines carry 0%. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines. The wider heading therefore has a 0% to 2% duty range, but a deep-hole drilling machine should not be quoted at 0% merely because it produces a bore.

Give your broker the machine specification, machining process and control details to confirm the commodity code. For wider drilling-machine coverage, see the radial drilling machines guide.

Specify the bore and coolant system

State whether the process uses a gun drill or a drill tube with internal chip evacuation. Specify workpiece material, hole diameter and depth, blind or through holes, straightness, diameter tolerance and surface finish. Identify whether the tool, workpiece or both rotate, and define the fixtures, guide bushes and support arrangement.

Agree coolant pressure and flow at the tool, filtration, temperature control, tank cleaning access and chip handling. Include spindle speed, feed control, tool connections, electrical supply, floor loading and maintenance access. Ask the factory to drill your representative material to the agreed depth and measure the resulting bore.

For supply in Great Britain, confirm with the relevant authority the applicable requirements under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, including conformity marking, a declaration of conformity and English instructions. The responsible person must ensure that the technical file is compiled and available on request. Arrange testing and certification checks before shipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 2 numerically controlled deep-hole drilling machines under 8459 21 00 00, invoiced at £96,000 free on board, with £6,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £102,000. Duty at 2% is £2,040. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £104,040, so it is £20,808. Import taxes total £22,848; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,040 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Bore quality: measure diameter along the hole, straightness and surface finish on the agreed test workpiece; keep the measurement method and results with the acceptance record.

Coolant and chips: run the agreed cutting cycle and check pressure stability, filtration, chip discharge, leaks and access for cleaning.

Safety and documents: check guards, interlocks and emergency stops; match the machine identity to its declaration, English manual and wiring diagrams.

Arrival condition: inspect tool supports, pipework and transport restraints, then repeat alignment and cutting checks after installation. Use the quality inspection guide to agree the inspection scope.

What goes wrong

A machine can achieve the advertised drilling depth while failing the specified bore quality. Poor support alignment, unsuitable tooling or inconsistent coolant delivery can cause hole wander, rough surfaces, chip blockage and tool breakage. A demonstration in easier material does not establish performance on your workpiece.

Loose supports or damaged pipework can undermine an otherwise acceptable factory test after transport. Agree what is locked or removed for shipping, retain the factory test results and repeat the agreed checks on arrival before accepting production performance.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.