Sourcing spring steel coils from China
Hot-rolled non-alloy high-carbon spring steel coils carry 0% within an available steel quota or 50% outside it, with residual countervailing duty of 35.90% and residual anti-dumping duty of 0.00%. Confirm chemistry, width, thickness and pickling before choosing the code. Cambridge China Bridge sources hot-rolled high-carbon spring steel coils.
Steel quota duty and countervailing duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, the relevant coil lines under heading 7208 show 50% third-country duty. This guide covers hot-rolled, uncoated non-alloy high-carbon spring steel coils at least 600 mm wide. It covers feedstock for spring manufacture, rather than finished springs. For other products in the heading, see hot-rolled steel.
The steel measure provides 0% duty within an available tariff quota and 50% outside it. The supplied tariff record also lists residual countervailing duty of 35.90% and residual anti-dumping duty of 0.00% on these lines. Trade remedies remain payable within quota and accumulate with the steel duty outside quota. Ask your broker to check the actual producer's treatment. No suspensions or attached import controls are recorded for these lines in the supplied snapshot.
Confirm the commodity code using the mill chemistry, actual width, thickness, pickled condition and whether the material is intended for re-rolling. A supplier's description of 'spring steel' is insufficient. Ask the broker to verify quota access and trade remedies before shipment, and use UK import duty and VAT when preparing the landed-cost calculation.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickled spring steel coil, thickness 4.75 mm or more | 7208 25 00 00 | 50% outside quota | 0.00% residual anti-dumping; 35.90% residual countervailing |
| Pickled spring steel coil, thickness 3 mm to below 4.75 mm | 7208 26 00 00 | 50% outside quota | 0.00% residual anti-dumping; 35.90% residual countervailing |
| Pickled spring steel coil, thickness below 3 mm | 7208 27 00 00 | 50% outside quota | 0.00% residual anti-dumping; 35.90% residual countervailing |
| Other spring steel coil, thickness 4.75 mm to 10 mm, not for re-rolling | 7208 37 00 90 | 50% outside quota | 0.00% residual anti-dumping; 35.90% residual countervailing |
| Other spring steel coil, thickness 3 mm to below 4.75 mm, not for re-rolling | 7208 38 00 90 | 50% outside quota | 0.00% residual anti-dumping; 35.90% residual countervailing |
| Other spring steel coil, thickness below 3 mm, not for re-rolling | 7208 39 00 90 | 50% outside quota | 0.00% residual anti-dumping; 35.90% residual countervailing |
Specify chemistry and the spring-making process
Specify the exact non-alloy grade and agreed chemistry, including carbon and residual alloying elements. State whether the coil will be slit, formed, hardened and tempered, or re-rolled. Agree the delivery condition and hardness so the material suits your forming and heat-treatment process.
Put thickness and width tolerances, edge condition, coil mass, bore and permitted surface defects in the purchase specification. Agree limits for decarburisation and acceptance criteria for inclusions and edge cracks. Ask for heat-linked mill certificates and trial material for your actual heat-treatment cycle before approving production.
Inspection checklist
Traceability: match coil tags, heat numbers and mill certificates; compare the reported chemistry with the agreed grade.
Dimensions: measure thickness across the width and along accessible material; check width, edge condition, camber and winding.
Metallurgy: arrange independent chemistry, hardness and decarburisation checks against the purchase specification; assess trial pieces after your intended heat treatment.
Arrival and origin: photograph rust, wet wrapping, crushed edges and displaced windings before processing. Keep verifiable supply-chain records available because border officials may request evidence.
What goes wrong
Coils sold under the same general spring-steel description can behave differently during forming and hardening. Excessive decarburisation, inclusions or edge cracks can cause rejection after processing. Mixed heats and lost coil tags make investigation harder. Agree acceptance tests and retain labelled samples linked to each heat.
Commercial failures include assuming quota access is guaranteed or treating the residual anti-dumping rate as the whole trade-remedy bill. Have the broker check the declaration against the mill documents. Arrange factory verification around the mill's chemistry control, surface inspection and traceability.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on spring steel coils from China?
The relevant lines show 50%, with 0% within available steel quota. The supplied record lists residual countervailing duty of 35.90% and residual anti-dumping duty of 0.00%. Check producer-specific treatment.
Does high carbon content make spring steel an alloy steel?
Do not classify from the sales name. Give your broker the full mill chemistry, dimensions and processing condition to confirm whether the non-alloy coil lines fit.
What should I test before accepting spring steel coil?
Check chemistry, hardness, decarburisation, edge cracks and dimensions against the agreed specification. Trial material through your forming and heat-treatment process.
Can I buy hot-rolled coil ready to make springs?
Agree the delivery condition and subsequent processing with the mill and your spring maker. Hot-rolled feedstock still needs a defined forming and heat-treatment route for the intended spring.