Sourcing nickel foam from China

Nickel foam duty and waste controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 November 2026, heading 7508 covers other articles of nickel. Its supplied lines carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. For nickel foam, confirm whether the other-articles line, 7508 90 00 00, fits the actual material and form. The table shows purchasing forms under the same candidate code, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches import and export waste controls to the other-articles line. Ask your customs broker to confirm the requirement for the shipment, particularly for used, contaminated or discarded foam. For waste from China entering England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the competent authority in the country of dispatch for consent. This is a conditional waste procedure, rather than confirmation that any particular foam shipment is permitted.

Give your broker the composition, manufacturing description, photographs and intended use to confirm the commodity code. For the wider product family, see nickel bars, wire and mesh. Keep the illustrative order separate from a supplier quotation; see import duty and VAT for the calculation method.

Specify the foam structure and material

State whether you need a nickel skeleton or a nickel coating on another material. Specify composition, open pore structure, pore size and measurement method, porosity, thickness, mass per area, sheet dimensions or roll width, and tolerances. Describe whether the foam will be compressed, welded, coated or used as supplied.

Agree a reference sample and the test conditions for electrical resistance, compression behaviour or flow performance where these affect your application. Request batch-specific composition results and traceability. UK REACH generally applies to substances on their own, in mixtures and in articles; assess the supplied material and intended use with a testing and certification adviser.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative batch of cut nickel foam sheets for laboratory trials under 7508 90 00 00, invoiced at £1,200 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,100. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,100, so it is £420. 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: compare batch composition results with the order and inspect a cut section for an unexpected core or coating.

Structure: check pore consistency, blocked areas, broken ligaments and loose particles against the approved sample.

Dimensions: measure thickness without unintentionally crushing the foam; check width, cut shape and mass per area using the agreed method.

Packing: check for flattened edges, creases, contamination and moisture; match package labels to batch records. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A sample can look similar while differing in pore structure, mass per area or compression behaviour. Surface composition alone may not reveal an underlying material. Crushed packing changes thickness and handling, while cutting can leave loose particles. Compare the delivered foam with the approved sample before committing it to production.

Avoid buying solely by a pore designation or photograph. Agree how each property is measured and how damaged or non-conforming material will be handled. Keep new production material distinct from used or discarded stock in the purchasing documents, and resolve waste-control questions before dispatch.

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.