Sourcing flexible bronze hoses from China

Duty and classification for bronze hoses

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 8307 covers flexible tubing of base metal, with or without fittings. Flexible bronze tubing falls within the other-base-metal line, 8307 90 00 90. The table shows product variants sharing this code, rather than separate tariff lines.

The supplied tariff record shows 0% duty for goods from China under this line, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control recorded. This tariff treatment does not establish suitability for a particular fluid or operating pressure.

Confirm the actual tube material and construction with drawings and a material specification, then check the commodity code. A rubber hose with metal braid is classified by its rubber core. See the flexible metal hoses guide for the wider heading.

Specify the bronze tube and complete assembly

Specify the bronze alloy separately for the tube, braid and fittings. A bronze-coloured finish or bronze fitting does not establish the tube material. State whether the tube is corrugated or interlocked, its bore, wall thickness, overall length, end connections and fitting orientation. Agree the intended fluid, temperature, working pressure, movement and minimum bend radius.

For industrial corrugated metal hoses and assemblies, use ISO 10380 as the specification reference for design, pressure rating, bending and testing. Agree test conditions for the complete assembly, including its end joints. Ask for material certificates and test reports identifying the supplied construction.

Where a hose falls within pressure-equipment rules, it must meet their requirements before being placed on the Great Britain market. The applicable conformity assessment depends on equipment classification. Establish the route for the actual hose and intended service with testing and certification support.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,000 flexible bronze hose assemblies; illustrative quantity, FOB value and freight under 8307 90 00 90, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,600. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,600, so it is £1,520. 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

Material: compare tube, braid and fitting certificates with the agreed alloys; check sampled material rather than accepting colour as identification.

Dimensions: measure bore, length and fitting orientation against the drawing; gauge threads and check flange mating dimensions.

Assembly: inspect corrugations, braid coverage and end joints for damage; compare leak, pressure and movement test records with the approved assembly and agreed conditions.

Packing: check batch identification, protected ends and clean interiors; reject packing that crushes corrugations or forces tight bends. Arrange a shipment inspection.

What goes wrong

The supplier may describe an assembly as bronze because its fittings are bronze while the tube is another material. An interlocked tube may also be offered against a corrugated-hose drawing. Neither substitution should be accepted without checking the intended service and approving the changed construction.

A hose can match the drawing yet leak at an end joint or crack after repeated bending. Twisting during installation, a bend tighter than the agreed radius and unsupported fittings can damage the assembly. Approve a sample in the intended installation and compare production with that sample.

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.