Sourcing PEEK resin pellets from China

PEEK pellets and UK duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, heading 3911 covers specified resins and other polymers in primary forms. For PEEK pellets, 3911 90 19 90 is a candidate residual line for condensation or rearrangement polymerisation products. The supplied data does not name PEEK explicitly. The table shows purchasing variants sharing this candidate line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

The supplied China tariff data records 0% duty on this line, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no listed suspension. It attaches import and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste. For goods from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the attached control and any documents required, particularly for recovered or off-specification material.

Give your broker the polymer identity, filler and additive composition, and pellet form to confirm the commodity code. See the PPS resin guide for wider heading context. Import VAT is normally 20%; see UK import duty and VAT.

Specify the PEEK grade and processing behaviour

Specify unfilled, glass-fibre-filled or carbon-fibre-filled material, the exact grade, intended moulding or extrusion process, colour and whether recycled material is acceptable. Agree filler content, melt viscosity or melt flow test conditions, moisture acceptance, pellet dimensions and the supplier's drying instructions. Require approval before any formulation or manufacturing-site change.

Request a batch certificate of analysis and retain an approved sample. Trial the pellets using your own drying and processing conditions, then assess the resulting parts against the intended application. A matching colour does not establish matching polymer chemistry or performance.

Confirm the UK REACH registration position for the polymer, monomers and reactants with HSE. Obtain the monomer and additive information needed to assess your position before importing. Review the supplier's safety data sheet and hazard classification for the actual formulation.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative pilot order of unfilled PEEK pellets; values are illustrative under 3911 90 19 90, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £19,500, so it is £3,900. 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

Identity: check bag labels, grade designation and batch references against the order and certificate; investigate any mismatch before use.

Composition: check polymer identity and agreed filler content through suitable laboratory testing, especially when changing supplier or grade.

Condition: check for black specks, foreign pellets, excessive fines and moisture; inspect liners and seals for damage.

Processing: compare a retained sample with the approved material under agreed drying and moulding conditions; record flow behaviour and part defects.

What goes wrong

A supplier substitutes another polymer, blends in undeclared reprocessed material or changes the filler package. Pellets can look acceptable while viscosity, shrinkage or mechanical behaviour differs. Approve the formulation and compare batch results rather than accepting a generic PEEK datasheet.

Damaged liners, contamination and unsuitable drying can produce inconsistent parts. Hold suspect batches separately, preserve labelled samples and investigate the material alongside the processing settings. Agree the inspection scope using quality inspection explained.

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.