Sourcing fumed silica from China

Fumed silica duty and conditional relief

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 2811 covers other inorganic acids and other inorganic oxygen compounds of non-metals. Ordinary fumed silica falls within other silicon dioxide, code 2811 22 00 90, generally at 4% duty from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing measure for this line. The table shows applications sharing the same tariff line, rather than separate commodity codes.

The line has 0% suspensions for qualifying silica filler granules containing at least 97% silicon dioxide and for specified silica powder used to manufacture chromatography columns and sample preparation cartridges under authorised-use supervision. These are conditional concessions, not general relief for fumed silica. The tariff also attaches import and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply only to waste; for waste material from China, confirm the applicable requirement with your customs broker before shipment.

Confirm the commodity code against composition, surface treatment, physical form and intended use. Do not assume a treated grade or formulated dispersion has the same classification as untreated powder. See the wider silica and inorganic acids guide for the other silica lines and heading coverage.

Specify surface treatment and resin performance

State whether you need hydrophilic or hydrophobic fumed silica, identify any surface treatment, and specify the intended coating, resin or adhesive. Agree specific surface area, moisture, purity, bulk density and dispersion behaviour against an approved sample. Ask the factory to identify the producer and grade behind any proposed substitute.

Test the sample in your own formulation using the intended mixing process. Agree how you will assess thickening, sag resistance, settling and visible agglomerates. A matching surface-area result alone does not establish equivalent formulation performance.

For Great Britain, confirm with the relevant authority or your customs broker whether UK REACH registration, an exemption or supplier representative coverage applies before ordering. Obtain an English safety data sheet and GB chemical classification labels where legally required. Amorphous silica remains a dust needing controls.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative palletised trial batch of fumed silica for coatings under 2811 22 00 90, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £1,440 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,440. Duty at 4% is £217.60. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,657.60, so it is £1,131.52. Import taxes total £1,349.12; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £217.60 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the producer, grade, surface treatment and batch references across bags, purchase order and certificate of analysis.

Batch testing: check specific surface area by nitrogen adsorption, loss on drying, suspension acidity and sieve residue against the agreed specification.

Application trial: compare dispersion and thickening in the approved formulation; retain a sealed batch sample for any later investigation.

Packaging: inspect bag seals, liners, moisture damage and powder leakage on arrival; record affected batches before moving stock into production.

What goes wrong

The wrong surface treatment can leave a resin insufficiently thickened even when the powder looks acceptable. Changed moisture, poor dispersion or unapproved grade substitution can alter processing. Tie acceptance to batch results and the agreed application trial, rather than the supplier's grade name alone.

Split bags cause losses and dusty handling; wet packaging can leave material difficult to disperse. Keep suspect bags separate while checking batch identity and performance. Another avoidable error is budgeting zero duty merely because a supplier describes the product as silica filler, without matching the suspension conditions.

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.