Sourcing hot-melt adhesive sticks from China

Normally 6% duty on hot-melt sticks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 October 2026, heading 3506 covers prepared adhesives, including hot-melt sticks. Retail adhesive packs not exceeding 1 kg fall within 3506 10 00 00; bulk polymer or rubber-based sticks are candidates for 3506 91 90 99. Both lines carry 6% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure recorded. The table separates product variants that share a code.

The bulk line lists a conditional 0% suspension for specified specialist adhesives. Do not assume ordinary glue sticks qualify: have the broker check the exact description. The tariff also attaches fluorinated greenhouse gas import control to that line and waste import control to both lines. Confirm the applicable declaration requirements with your customs broker. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste.

Give the broker the formulation, physical form, intended use and retail pack net weight to confirm the commodity code. The glues and adhesives guide covers the wider heading. Use the import duty and VAT guide when budgeting; the worked order is illustrative.

Specify the stick and the glue gun together

Agree stick diameter, length, straightness and dimensional tolerances against the buyer's actual glue gun. Specify the formulation, colour or clarity, operating temperature range, open time and set time. Name the substrates and surface preparation, then approve samples using the intended gun and assembly method.

For carton sealing, test the actual board, coating and loaded joint. For craft or repair packs, check feed behaviour, stringing and visible residue. Agree storage conditions, maximum age at shipment and packaging that keeps sticks separate after warm transport.

Chemical classification is the supplier's responsibility, including importers. Before sale in Great Britain, ensure the sticks are correctly labelled and packaged. Ask for formulation information and a safety data sheet for review rather than accepting a generic document for another adhesive.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,500 retail packs of hot-melt adhesive sticks under 3506 10 00 00, invoiced at £1,500 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £1,800. Duty at 6% is £108. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £1,908, so it is £381.60. Import taxes total £489.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £108 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Dimensions: measure samples across cartons and check straightness, gun fit and smooth feeding.

Bond performance: apply the sampled sticks to the agreed substrates and check adhesion after cooling under the intended load.

Heat damage: check for fused sticks, flattened surfaces, blocked packs and cartons exposed to heat.

Batch and documents: match batch details, formulation, colour and agreed storage instructions to the approved sample and reviewed label.

What goes wrong

A stick can feed through the gun yet produce a weak joint because the formulation does not suit the substrate or the assembly closes after the glue has cooled. Colour changes, excessive stringing and inconsistent flow can also make a repeat batch unsuitable. Retain an approved sample and repeat the same application trial before shipment.

Hot-melt sticks can soften and fuse during hot container transport. Agree protective packing and storage instructions before ordering, then inspect carton interiors on arrival before distributing stock.

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.