Sourcing Hexamethylenediamine from China

6% duty on hexamethylenediamine

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 2921 covers amine-function compounds. Hexamethylenediamine and its salts fall under 2921 22 00 00, carrying 6% duty on goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for this line. Only this commodity line in the supplied facts specifically covers this product family.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches an export control for waste. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. For reclaimed material, residues or rejected stock offered from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable requirements before shipment; the attached export measure alone does not establish the import requirements.

Confirm the commodity code against the substance identity, salt form and composition. Do not assume a formulated blend uses the same code. See the wider amines guide for other products within this heading.

Specify assay, water and unloading conditions

Specify whether the order is hexamethylenediamine or a named salt, and record the intended process. Agree assay, water content, colour, impurity limits and test methods in the purchase specification. Request a batch certificate of analysis and retain an approved sample for comparison.

Hexamethylenediamine can solidify in cold containers and become difficult to unload. Agree the supplied physical form, packaging, transport conditions and a supplier-approved unloading procedure with the receiving site before dispatch.

For Great Britain, confirm chemical classification responsibilities with HSE. Importers must ensure correct labelling and packaging before placing chemicals on the market. Obtain an English safety data sheet. Confirm the applicable UK REACH registration threshold, responsibility and coverage with HSE before ordering.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of hexamethylenediamine under 2921 22 00 00, invoiced at £44,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £48,000. Duty at 6% is £2,880. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £50,880, so it is £10,176. Import taxes total £13,056; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,880 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the ordered substance or salt, batch reference and container labels to the certificate of analysis and safety data sheet.

Analysis: compare batch assay, water and colour with the agreed specification; use the agreed laboratory methods rather than appearance alone.

Packaging: inspect seals, closures, leaks and container damage, and check that chemical labels match the supplied material.

Handling: check the material's physical state and the receiving site's agreed unloading arrangements before opening or transferring it.

What goes wrong

A batch can miss the agreed assay, water or colour specification despite matching the product name. A generic certificate that cannot be tied to the delivered batch leaves the buyer without useful acceptance evidence. Hold affected stock pending investigation and testing.

Cold-weather solidification can prevent unloading with the equipment originally planned. Arrange suitable transport and handling in advance, and avoid improvised heating. Missing or inconsistent labels and safety information should be resolved before the material is supplied to customers.

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.