Sourcing molybdenum foil from China

Zero duty on molybdenum foil

Heading 8102 covers molybdenum and its articles, including waste and scrap. Foil falls under 8102 95 00 00 alongside bars, rods, profiles, plates, sheets and strip. The table separates flat material forms sharing that code; they are not separate tariff lines. See the wider molybdenum sheet guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the supplied record shows 0% duty for Chinese-origin foil, no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, no suspension and no attached import control on this line. Other lines in the heading carry waste import and export controls, including scrap. For foil waste from China, confirm the applicable requirements with your customs broker before shipment.

Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. Keep usable foil and scrap clearly described separately. Confirm the commodity code against the actual goods before declaring them. Zero customs duty does not remove import VAT; see UK import duty and VAT.

Purity, thickness and annealed condition

Specify pure molybdenum or the intended alloy, chemical composition, thickness tolerance, width, length and surface finish. State whether foil is supplied in rolls or flat sheets, and agree flatness or curl acceptance. Ask the factory to describe its rolling and annealing route and provide a mill certificate traceable to each batch.

For foil that will be bent or formed, approve a sample using the intended operation. Agree acceptance for edge cracks, burrs, creases and surface oxidation. Specify rigid support for flat foil and protection against moisture and bending during shipment.

UK REACH generally covers substances on their own, in mixtures and in articles. Registration applies to substances and, in limited cases, substances in articles. Have the importer review the foil's composition, supplied form and intended use before import or sale rather than assuming that a finished metal form settles the REACH position.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 kg of molybdenum foil, illustrative only under 8102 95 00 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £30,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,800, so it is £6,160. 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

Chemistry: match batch identifiers to mill certificates and independently check molybdenum content and agreed impurities on the first delivery.

Dimensions: measure thickness across the width and along the supplied material, then check width, length, flatness or curl against the order.

Surface and forming: inspect edges and faces for cracks, burrs, laminations, creases and oxidation; trial a sample in the intended bending or forming operation.

Packing: check moisture protection, desiccant and rigid support, then record damaged packs before unpacking. Use an agreed inspection brief.

What goes wrong

Foil can meet the nominal thickness yet vary across its width, making forming or assembly inconsistent. Poorly controlled working and annealing can leave material prone to cracking. A certificate without matching batch identification makes chemistry claims difficult to verify.

Thin material can arrive creased or bent if unsupported, while inadequate protection can leave oxidised surfaces. Agree dimensional checks, a forming trial and packing acceptance before dispatch. Keep suspect batches separate until the factory and buyer agree their disposition.

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.