Sourcing graphite furnace plates from China

Duty on non-electrical graphite support plates

Heading 6815 covers articles of stone or other mineral substances not elsewhere specified or included. Non-electrical graphite furnace support plates fall within the other graphite or carbon article line, 6815 19 00 00, subject to confirmation of their material and function. The table shows plate variants sharing this tariff line, rather than separate commodity lines.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, all supplied lines under heading 6815 carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied snapshot lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or attached import controls. This includes the non-electrical graphite article line used for these support plates.

Give your customs broker the drawing, composition, coating details and intended furnace function to confirm the commodity code. Electrical graphite electrodes and carbon brushes fall under heading 8545. For other graphite articles within the wider heading, see the graphite crucibles guide.

Specify the plate and its furnace conditions

Specify the graphite grade and manufacturing route, density, ash content, flexural strength and machining direction. Define length, width, thickness, flatness, hole positions, grooves and edge treatment on the drawing. Agree how properties will be measured and which batch documents accompany shipment.

Describe the furnace atmosphere, operating temperature, heating and cooling cycle, load distribution and distance between supports. Ask the supplier to assess the plate against those conditions. Include any coating or impregnation in the specification and approve a sample in the intended furnace before accepting a substitute grade.

Obtain composition declarations for the graphite and any coating or impregnation. Inclusion of a substance on the UK REACH Candidate List brings supplier obligations, so use those declarations to establish which duties need checking before resale. Consider hazardous machining dust in the workplace substance risk assessment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 10 machined graphite furnace support plates, illustrative order under 6815 19 00 00, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,300. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,300, so it is £1,060. 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: check the batch identity and grade against the order, and compare density, ash and strength records with the agreed specification.

Geometry: measure thickness, flatness, hole positions and grooves against the drawing; check that the plate sits correctly on the intended supports.

Condition: inspect faces, edges and hole mouths for cracks, chips and loose particles. Record arrival damage before moving plates into production.

Packing: check that plates are separated and supported against bending and impact. Solid wood crates and pallets should meet ISPM 15 requirements; certification cannot replace the mark. Agree the checks through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A plate can match the outside dimensions yet have unsuitable graphite properties or an unapproved impregnation. Uneven thickness or poor flatness changes how the load is supported. Chipped hole edges and hidden cracks can develop into failure during handling or furnace cycling.

A successful unloaded trial does not establish performance under the intended load. Agree a representative furnace trial, including the actual support spacing and atmosphere. Packing that lets plates flex or strike each other can damage an otherwise acceptable batch.

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.