Sourcing densified propeller blanks from China

Duty on unmachined densified wood blanks

Heading 4413 covers densified wood in blocks, plates, strips or profile shapes. This guide concerns material blanks supplied for subsequent propeller machining. Confirm classification from the condition in which they are imported, especially if shaping or machining has already begun. See the wider densified wood guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, the supplied tariff record lists 4413 00 00 00 at 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure, suspension or attached import control. It contains only this commodity line. Timber legality due diligence still applies to densified wood first placed on the Great Britain market.

Give your customs broker the material construction, photographs and drawing showing the extent of machining, then confirm the commodity code. The material description and intended use should agree with the goods actually shipped.

Specify the propeller blank construction

State the intended propeller application, wood species, lamination layout, grain direction, resin system and densification process. Put blank dimensions, machining allowance, density, moisture limits and permitted defects in the purchase specification. Agree the mechanical properties and test methods with the propeller designer before approving the factory sample.

For laminated blanks, ask for the species and harvest origin of the constituent timber and the supporting legality documents. Confirm with the relevant timber regulator the due diligence required when first placing densified wood on the Great Britain market, including the species, country of harvest and legality evidence to retain. Agree batch identification so inspection results can be matched to the delivered blanks.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 50 unmachined densified wood propeller blanks under 4413 00 00 00, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,000, so it is £1,200. 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

Geometry and grain: measure length, width, thickness and straightness against the drawing; check grain direction and that sufficient material remains for machining the hub and blades.

Density and moisture: weigh and measure sample blanks, compare density and moisture with the agreed specification, and look for damp wrapping, mould or distortion.

Bonding and machining: inspect exposed glue lines and machine a trial blank to look for internal voids, delamination, tearing and movement after cutting.

Traceability: match blank identifiers to the supplier's production and timber records. Record checks and rejected pieces using the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A blank can meet its outside dimensions yet leave insufficient machining allowance where the hub or blade profile needs it. Grain misalignment, uneven density and hidden glue-line defects may become apparent only during cutting. Damp blanks can distort between inspection and machining.

Approve a trial machining result before releasing the batch, and agree how substitutions or process changes will be handled. Missing harvest records can also leave the timber due diligence file incomplete, so collect the supporting documents before shipment.

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.