Sourcing nickel-titanium alloy bars from China

2% duty on nickel-titanium alloy bars

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7505 covers nickel bars, rods, profiles and wire. Nickel-titanium bars falling within the nickel-alloy bars, rods and profiles line use 7505 12 00 00. The table shows buying variants within this single commodity line.

The supplied tariff record gives 2% duty for goods from China under this line, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, tariff suspension or attached import control. This is the relevant rate for these alloy bars; the heading's 0% unalloyed-nickel rate does not describe nickel-titanium alloy bars.

Include the commodity code on the import declaration. Confirm the composition and supplied form with your customs broker using our commodity code guide. For the related wire form within this heading, see nickel-titanium wire.

Specify chemistry and transformation behaviour

State the nickel-titanium composition, permitted impurities, section, dimensional tolerances, straightness, cut length and surface finish. Specify the supplied condition and subsequent machining or heat treatment. Ask for a mill certificate tied to the actual heat, with chemical composition and mechanical test results.

Define whether the application needs shape-memory recovery or superelastic behaviour. Agree transformation temperatures, the test method, specimen preparation and acceptance criteria. Ask for results representing the supplied condition, then test samples through your intended process before approving stock.

UK REACH generally applies to individual substances on their own, in mixtures or in articles. Before importing, ask a chemical compliance adviser to assess the supplied bar's status and your obligations. Provide its composition, surface treatment and intended use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial stock batch of nickel-titanium alloy bars for an engineering business under 7505 12 00 00, invoiced at £36,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £36,900. Duty at 2% is £738. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £37,638, so it is £7,527.60. Import taxes total £8,265.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £738 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: compare independent composition testing with the ordered alloy and match the mill certificate, bundle tags and heat numbers.

Geometry: measure section and length against the drawing, check straightness and inspect cut ends, scratches and surface defects.

Behaviour: check transformation and recovery test records against the agreed method and test representative samples in the intended supplied condition.

Traceability: keep heats identifiable after opening bundles and check that protective packing prevents bars rubbing or bending in transit.

What goes wrong

A chemistry certificate alone does not demonstrate the recovery behaviour you ordered. Bars can match the alloy description yet fail your application because the supplied condition or transformation behaviour differs from the agreed specification. Mixed heats, generic certificates, bent bars and damaged surfaces also make acceptance difficult.

Agree chemistry, dimensional and functional acceptance checks before ordering. Keep disputed stock identifiable and compare results with the purchase specification before releasing it for machining. Use our inspection guide to write the inspection brief.

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.