Sourcing molybdenum tubes from China

Zero duty on molybdenum tubes

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8102 covers molybdenum and its articles, including waste and scrap. For finished molybdenum tubes, check the other-articles line, 8102 99 00 00. The table shows tube variants under that same line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

The supplied tariff record gives 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no listed suspension. It attaches import and export waste controls. Environment Agency guidance for England says waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste. For waste tubes from China, confirm the applicable requirement with your customs broker before shipment.

Confirm the commodity code using the composition, tubular form and extent of machining. For the wider heading, see molybdenum rods. The worked order is illustrative; see UK import duty and VAT for the calculation method.

Specify the tube wall, bore and material

State whether you want pure molybdenum or a named alloy, such as titanium-zirconium-molybdenum. Specify chemistry, density, outside diameter, inside diameter, wall thickness, length, straightness and roundness. Put tolerances on the drawing and define the bore finish, end preparation and permitted surface defects.

Ask the factory to describe the manufacturing and heat-treatment route. For furnace use, agree oxygen content and density checks. Require a batch-linked material certificate and an independently tested sample before accepting production. Settle the measuring method for the internal bore, especially where access is limited.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 kg of molybdenum tubes; values are illustrative, not a quotation under 8102 99 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

Material: match batch identification to the certificate, check chemistry and density against the order, and arrange independent confirmation for the first delivery.

Dimensions: measure outside and inside diameters, wall thickness around the circumference and along the tube, length, straightness and end geometry against the drawing.

Surfaces: inspect the bore and outside surface for cracks, scoring, chips and oxidation; agree a suitable crack-testing method where visual access is insufficient.

Packing: check individual separation, protected ends, dry sealed wrapping and rigid support. Record the condition during quality inspection and check it again on arrival.

What goes wrong

A tube can match the outside diameter while its bore is off-centre or its wall varies along the length. Measuring only the ends can miss defects farther inside. Agree where measurements will be taken and how the factory will record them before production.

Molybdenum is vulnerable to brittleness and oxidation. Poor processing can leave cracks, while insufficient support can damage tube ends during transport. Keep certificate discrepancies, cracked tubes and damaged packing separate from accepted stock while you investigate.

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.