Sourcing enamelled annealed glass from China

Duty on enamelled annealed panels

Heading 7006 covers glass of headings 7003, 7004 or 7005 that has been enamelled or otherwise worked, but is not framed or fitted with other materials. Ordinary enamelled annealed panels fall within the “Other” line, 7006 00 90 00. The table shows different panel specifications sharing that tariff line.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, both heading lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or import controls for these lines.

Confirm the commodity code from the finished panel and its processing history. Toughened or laminated safety glass belongs under heading 7007. For the wider heading, see our engraved untoughened glass door panel guide.

Specify the enamel and annealed condition

Specify clear, low-iron or tinted base glass, thickness and tolerances, panel dimensions, hole positions, cut-outs and edge finish. Record which face carries the enamel, the colour, opacity, pattern coverage and viewing conditions. Approve a physical sample alongside the drawing, since the base glass can change the apparent colour.

Ask the factory to identify the coating material and processing route, and confirm that the supplied glass remains annealed. Agree adhesion and cleaning-resistance checks with the supplier. Review the intended adhesive or fixing system with the installer and test a sample assembly before approving production.

Annealed glass breaks into sharp pieces. Doors, low-level glazing and furniture where people could strike the glass usually need safety glass instead. Consumer panels must be safe, and businesses must not sell products they know or should have known are unsafe. For building use, confirm the applicable construction product standard, declaration of performance and marking route before ordering; CE marking remains recognised in Great Britain.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A mixed-size batch of enamelled annealed panels for a small fit-out, illustrative under 7006 00 90 00, invoiced at £11,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £13,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £13,500, so it is £2,700. 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

Dimensions and edges: measure sampled panels against the drawing, including thickness, holes and cut-outs; check polished edges for chips, sharp areas and cracks.

Enamel finish: compare colour and opacity with the approved sample under the agreed lighting; check pinholes, streaks, scratches, missing coverage and the coated face.

Process and performance: match batch records to the agreed annealed condition and coating process; witness the agreed adhesion, cleaning and sample-assembly checks.

Packing and arrival: check separators, corner protection and crate bracing before dispatch; on arrival, inspect for movement, damp, chipped edges and broken panels before releasing stock. See our quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A colour approved on low-iron glass can look different on ordinary clear glass. Patchy coverage shows through under lighting, and the coated face can be supplied the wrong way round. Coatings may scratch, detach or react badly with cleaning products or installation adhesives. Resolve these points on a finished sample rather than a colour swatch alone.

Panels also fail through chipped edges, misplaced holes and loose packing. Another costly error is accepting a supplier's safety claim for glass that remains annealed. Match the glass condition to the intended installation before approving the order, and keep damaged or mismatched panels out of the installation.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.