Sourcing Okoume plywood from China

Okoume faces, coatings and cores determine the code

Heading 4412 covers plywood, veneered panels and similar laminated wood. This guide covers Okoume plywood, including panels with Okoume faces or core veneers. The selected plywood lines require each wood ply to be no thicker than 6 mm. Face species, core construction and permanent film coverings distinguish the rows; they are possible classifications, not interchangeable codes. See the marine plywood guide for the wider heading. For eucalyptus panels, see our eucalyptus plywood sourcing guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the selected China lines carry standard duty of 6% or 10%. Code 4412 31 10 10 has a suspension to 0%, with a footnote excluding mixtures, preparations or products made up of different components containing these products. The other selected lines have no suspension. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded for these rows.

The tariff attaches CITES import and export controls to the selected tropical-faced and conifer-faced lines. If any veneer is a CITES-listed specimen, applicable permits are required for movement into or out of Great Britain. Have your customs broker confirm the species coverage and documents for the China shipment. Confirm the commodity code from the actual construction and coating before ordering; do not assume a suspension from the Okoume trade name.

Specify Okoume throughout or only on the faces

State whether every veneer must be Okoume or whether a named alternative core is acceptable. Specify sheet dimensions, thickness tolerance, face and back appearance, veneer thicknesses, permissible repairs, core voids and overlaps. Record any permanent film coating separately. Retain an approved cut sample so the factory and inspector can compare the internal construction. For balsa panel specifications, see our balsa plywood sourcing guide.

Agree the intended dry, humid or wet application, bond test method, acceptance criteria and formaldehyde performance. For construction use, confirm with the relevant construction-products authority which declarations, wood-based-panel standards and formaldehyde checks apply. Match test reports to the ordered construction and batch through testing and certification. A marine or exterior label alone does not establish performance. For fire-performance specifications, see our fire-retardant plywood sourcing guide.

The business first placing plywood on the Great Britain market must exercise timber legality due diligence and must not place illegally harvested timber on that market. Obtain species, harvest country and legality evidence for every veneer layer. A Chinese factory address identifies the manufacturing location, not the forest where the timber was harvested.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 50 cubic metres of permanently film-coated Okoume-faced plywood under 4412 31 10 85, invoiced at £22,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £25,500. Duty at 10% is £2,550. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £28,050, so it is £5,610. Import taxes total £8,160; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,550 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Construction: cut sample sheets from different bundles and compare face thickness, core veneers, voids, overlaps and repairs with the approved sample.

Bond: check batch-linked test reports and inspect cut edges for separation; arrange the agreed bond test rather than relying on a grade stamp.

Dimensions and moisture: measure thickness across each sampled sheet, check squareness and flatness, and compare loading and arrival moisture with the agreed specification.

Arrival: check wrapping, wet edges, mould, crushed corners, coating damage and bundle identification. Photograph affected packs and retain samples for quality inspection.

What goes wrong

An Okoume face can conceal an alternative core, thin veneers, voids or overlapping layers. The delivered panel may differ from an all-Okoume sample even when its surface looks similar. Weak bonding can cause separation during machining or wet exposure. Compare cut sections and batch test evidence before shipment.

Wet bundles can arrive warped or mouldy. Keep affected packs identifiable and record their condition before unpacking. Missing harvest records leave gaps in the timber legality file, while an undisclosed permanent film can change the applicable tariff line. Resolve construction, coating and document discrepancies before accepting the batch.

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.