Sourcing graphite electrode paste from China

UK duty on electrode paste

Heading 3801 covers artificial graphite and preparations based on graphite or other carbon. Its electrode-paste line, 3801 30 00 00, covers carbonaceous pastes for electrodes and similar furnace-lining pastes. The table lists supply forms under this same line. Finished graphite electrodes belong to heading 8545. See the wider artificial and expandable graphite guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the electrode-paste line carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line. Chemical registration, classification and supply requirements still need checking.

Confirm the commodity code using the formulation, physical form and intended furnace use. Give your customs broker the composition and technical sheet rather than relying on the supplier's description of graphite paste.

Specify the binder and furnace behaviour

Specify the carbon feedstock, graphite content where relevant, binder identity and proportion, ash, moisture, sulphur and volatile matter. Agree the supplied shape, size distribution and acceptable fines. For self-baking electrodes, define softening behaviour, baked electrical resistivity, density and strength, with the sample preparation and baking conditions used for each test.

Obtain the formulation and safety data sheet before approving a sample. Check UK REACH registration for the constituent substances. Classification and labelling must be carried out by someone with scientific competence. Hazardous chemicals supplied for workplace use need a safety data sheet. Agree packaging that protects the paste against moisture, contamination and deformation.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of electrode paste briquettes under 3801 30 00 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £2,400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £32,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £32,400, so it is £6,480. 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

Composition: check batch results for ash, moisture, sulphur and volatile matter against the agreed specification and retained sample.

Baking performance: check resistivity, density and strength using the agreed preparation and baking conditions; arrange a controlled furnace trial before accepting a replacement grade.

Physical condition: check shape, dimensions, fines, sticking, deformation and foreign material on arrival.

Identification: check batch references against the analysis and safety data sheet, and check the chemical labels and packaging. Substances and mixtures must be labelled and packaged correctly before being placed on the market.

What goes wrong

A paste can match the supplied shape while behaving differently during softening and baking. Binder substitution, changes in carbon feedstock or inconsistent grading can leave the buyer with a product that does not reproduce the approved trial. A resistivity result is difficult to compare when the factory changes the baking conditions.

Wet packaging, crushed pieces and excessive fines can change handling and charging behaviour. Record the condition before unloading, retain a representative sample and compare the shipment with the agreed batch results. Avoid approving a changed formulation solely because its trade name is unchanged.

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.