Sourcing heat exchanger gaskets from China

0% duty on metal-jacketed gaskets

Heading 8484 covers gaskets combining metal sheeting with another material, gaskets made from multiple metal layers, assorted gasket sets and mechanical seals. Metal-jacketed heat exchanger gaskets with filler fall within the metal-sheeting family. The table shows product variants sharing the same commodity line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, commodity code 8484 10 00 90 carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line. That does not remove the asbestos restriction: new asbestos-containing gaskets cannot be imported or supplied.

Confirm the jacket construction and filler against the commodity code guide. Do not classify a gasket by its heat exchanger application alone. For the wider heading, see spiral wound gaskets.

Specify the jacket, filler and partition bars

Send an approved drawing showing the outer profile, inner opening, finished thickness, sealing width and partition-bar positions. State whether bars are integral or welded, how their junctions are formed, and which side faces each mating surface. Include the exchanger identification and drawing revision so a similar-looking spare cannot be substituted.

Specify the jacket metal grade and filler composition separately. Give the process fluid, operating temperature and pressure, and have the exchanger engineer approve material compatibility and the gasket construction. For fibre filler, request an asbestos-free declaration supported by a laboratory test. Agree the sample approval and inspection criteria before production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 40 metal-jacketed heat exchanger gaskets, illustrative order under 8484 10 00 90, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £31,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £31,500, so it is £6,300. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Dimensions: measure the profile, opening, thickness and partition layout against the approved drawing, then check the fit on a template or mating component.

Jacket: check for dents, splits, wrinkles, sharp burrs and open seams; inspect partition junctions and welds for discontinuities.

Materials: match jacket certificates and filler identification to the order, and check that any asbestos test report covers the supplied filler.

Arrival: check flatness, transit damage, individual protection and package identification; keep each gasket linked to its drawing and material records. Agree the checks through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A gasket can match the outside diameter but have the wrong partition pattern, allowing process streams to bypass their intended path. Uneven thickness, distorted bars or damaged jacket seams can prevent consistent seating. Approve the complete drawing and a fit sample rather than ordering from a photograph or exchanger name alone.

A metal jacket hides the filler, so an acceptable surface does not establish material identity or asbestos absence. Unapproved filler substitution can change sealing behaviour. Large profiles can also bend during transport; agree rigid support and protection that keeps sealing faces free from dents.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.