Sourcing extreme-pressure packages from China
Lubricant extreme-pressure additive packages from China normally pay 4% UK duty; qualifying listed additives can attract 0%. Correct hazard labelling and packaging are required before sale in Great Britain, and hazardous workplace chemicals need safety data sheets. Cambridge China Bridge sources lubricant extreme-pressure additive packages.
Duty and formulation-specific suspensions
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 3811 covers prepared additives for mineral oils and liquids used for the same purposes. This guide concerns extreme-pressure lubricant additives and packages. The table includes complete packages and listed concentrates used to formulate them; a package's composition determines whether a listed concentrate code fits.
The selected lines carry 4% basic duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures or attached import controls in the supplied tariff data. Listed additives under 3811 29 00 30 and 3811 29 00 40 have 0% suspensions, whose footnotes exclude mixtures or preparations containing those products. Suspensions under 3811 21 00 90 concern specified calcium-based additives or detergents, including an authorised-use provision; they do not give every extreme-pressure package a zero rate.
Give your broker the ingredient identities, concentrations, petroleum-oil content and intended use to confirm the commodity code and any suspension conditions before ordering. The related lubricant antiwear packages guide provides wider heading context.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listed sulphur reaction-product additive containing mineral oil | 3811 21 00 21 | 4% | None |
| Other lubricant additive packages containing petroleum oils | 3811 21 00 90 | 4% | None |
| Listed sulphur and triphenyl phosphite reaction-product concentrate | 3811 29 00 30 | 4% | None |
| Listed sulphurised isobutylene lubricant additive | 3811 29 00 40 | 4% | None |
Specify the extreme-pressure blend
State whether the package is for gear oil or metalworking lubricant, the base oil, blending conditions and intended metals. Specify sulphur chemistry, total and active sulphur, phosphorus content where relevant, carrier oil, viscosity, water content and residual chlorine. Agree test methods and acceptance criteria rather than accepting an unqualified extreme-pressure performance claim.
Ask for load-carrying and wear results on the finished lubricant at the proposed treat rate, together with copper corrosion, solubility and storage stability results. Keep the approved formulation and a retained sample. Require written approval before the factory changes the active ingredient or carrier oil.
For Great Britain, check the UK REACH position for each substance and ask HSE to confirm registration obligations for your annual import volume. Registration is assessed per substance and legal entity. Hazardous mixtures need appropriate hazard labels and safety data sheets. Labels and packaging must be correct before market supply.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of mineral-oil-containing extreme-pressure additive package under 3811 21 00 90, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £26,500. Duty at 4% is £1,060. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,560, so it is £5,512. Import taxes total £6,572; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,060 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Composition: compare the batch analysis with the agreed sulphur, phosphorus, carrier-oil, water and chlorine specification.
Performance: blend an arrival sample into your base oil at the agreed treat rate and check load-carrying performance, wear and copper corrosion.
Condition: check for sediment, separation, leakage and damaged closures; compare viscosity and appearance with the retained sample.
Documents: match batch identifiers across containers, analysis certificates and safety data sheets; check hazard labels, packaging and substance registration information.
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What goes wrong
An additive can show acceptable total sulphur yet fail the agreed load test or copper corrosion check. A substituted carrier oil can alter viscosity or cause separation in your base oil. A report on the neat concentrate does not demonstrate the performance of your finished lubricant.
Agree testing on your own blend before purchase and repeat the agreed checks on arrival. Another avoidable problem is claiming a concentrate's tariff suspension for a finished package that does not meet its description or footnotes. Use testing and certification support to define the evidence needed.
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 extreme-pressure additive packages from China?
The selected lubricant additive lines carry 4% basic duty. Qualifying listed additives have 0% suspensions, but these do not cover every finished package. The supplied data shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty.
Does a sulphurised additive make my whole package duty-free?
No automatic relief applies. The listed suspensions have composition conditions, and relevant footnotes exclude mixtures or preparations containing the listed products. Check the complete package with your broker.
What should I test before buying an extreme-pressure package?
Test the finished blend in your base oil at the intended treat rate. Agree load-carrying, wear, copper corrosion and storage stability checks, alongside batch composition and viscosity.
Do imported lubricant additive packages need safety data sheets?
Safety data sheets are required for hazardous chemicals supplied for workplace use. Obtain a sheet matching the actual formulation and check hazard labelling, packaging and the UK REACH position.