Sourcing wheel-rim steel coils from China
Hot-rolled non-alloy wheel-rim steel coils from China face 0% duty within available steel quota or 50% outside it, plus residual countervailing duty of 35.90%. Classify the imported width, thickness and finish, and verify the mill and heat records before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources hot-rolled non-alloy wheel-rim steel coils.
Steel quota and countervailing duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 7208 covers hot-rolled flat products of iron or non-alloy steel, at least 600 mm wide, not clad, plated or coated. This guide concerns coils bought for wheel-rim manufacture. Confirm the width as imported, particularly if the supplier slits a wider parent coil before dispatch. See the wider hot-rolled steel guide.
The selected Chinese-origin coil lines show 50% third-country duty under the steel measure, with 0% available within tariff quota. They also show residual anti-dumping duty of 0.00% and residual countervailing duty of 35.90%. Trade remedies remain payable within quota and accumulate with the steel duty outside quota. The supplied extract lists no suspensions or attached import controls for these lines.
Ask your broker to confirm quota availability and the producer-specific trade-remedy treatment before shipment. The countervailing notice states an expiry of 7 April 2027; recheck the position when declaring. Confirm the commodity code using the chemistry, imported width, thickness, pickling and intended processing. Calling the product wheel-rim steel does not resolve those classification questions.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickled coils, thickness 4.75 mm or more | 7208 25 00 00 | 50% outside quota | 0.00% residual anti-dumping; 35.90% residual countervailing |
| Pickled coils, thickness 3 mm or more but less than 4.75 mm | 7208 26 00 00 | 50% outside quota | 0.00% residual anti-dumping; 35.90% residual countervailing |
| Pickled coils, thickness less than 3 mm | 7208 27 00 00 | 50% outside quota | 0.00% residual anti-dumping; 35.90% residual countervailing |
| Other hot-rolled coils, 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 hot-rolled coils, 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 hot-rolled coils, 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 steel for rim forming and welding
Agree the non-alloy grade and chemistry with the wheel manufacturer, including the properties needed for forming the rim profile and welding the joint. Specify yield strength, tensile strength, elongation, test direction and acceptance criteria. Request heat-linked mill test results and trial material for the actual forming and welding process before approving production supply.
State thickness and width tolerances, crown, camber, edge condition, pickled or mill-scale surface, oiling, coil mass and bore diameter. Agree limits for edge cracks, laminations and surface pits. Check that the receiving plant can unload and feed the coils. Use factory verification to check the supplying mill and any processor.
Inspection checklist
Traceability: match coil tags, heat numbers, mill certificates and packing records; retain the identity of the producing mill and any slitting processor.
Dimensions: measure thickness across the width and check width, camber, edge condition and coil shape against the purchase specification.
Forming and welding: review heat-linked mechanical results and inspect trial rim sections for splitting, edge cracking and joint defects against the agreed acceptance criteria.
Arrival condition: record rust, pitting, damaged edges, displaced windings, broken bands and wet packaging before releasing material to production. Plan checks using our inspection guide.
What goes wrong
A coil can meet nominal strength yet split during rim forming because elongation, edges or surface quality are unsuitable. Mixed heats make failures difficult to investigate. Generic certificates, unapproved grade substitutions and trials using material unlike the shipment weaken acceptance evidence.
Quota assumptions can also distort landed cost. Separately, official guidance says supply-chain evidence may be requested at the border for third-country-processed iron and steel. Obtain verifiable mill and processing records before shipment, and have your broker review any Russian-origin input concerns.
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 wheel-rim steel coils from China?
The selected lines show 50% outside steel quota or 0% within available quota, plus residual countervailing duty of 35.90%. Residual anti-dumping duty is 0.00%. Confirm the producer's treatment with your broker.
Does wheel-rim use determine the commodity code?
Give your broker the chemistry, imported width, thickness, surface condition and intended processing. The product name alone does not establish the correct line.
What should I ask the steel mill to supply?
Ask for heat-linked chemistry and mechanical results, coil identification, dimensional tolerances and trial material for your forming and welding process.
What should I check when the coils arrive?
Match heat and coil records, measure dimensions, inspect edges and surfaces, and photograph moisture damage or displaced windings. Keep suspect coils separate pending assessment.