Sourcing PEEK rods from China

PEEK rod duty: a flat 6%

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 3916 covers plastic rods, sticks and profiles, whether or not surface-worked but not otherwise worked. For unfilled PEEK rod stock, check the ordinary condensation-polymer line, 3916 90 10 90. The table repeats that line for different rod forms; these are not separate tariff codes.

That line carries 6% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for it. Suspensions elsewhere in the heading concern specified PVC profiles and cellular rods of other defined compositions, rather than ordinary PEEK rod stock.

Give your customs broker the formulation, manufacturing process and details of any machining before confirming the commodity code. Check filled grades separately rather than assuming that the same code applies. For the wider heading, see acetal engineering rods.

Specify the PEEK grade and machining allowance

State the resin manufacturer and grade, whether the material is unfilled or reinforced, pigment, permitted recycled content, extrusion or compression moulding, and annealing condition. Put diameter, ovality, straightness, length and machining allowance on the drawing. Request batch-linked material results and machine an approved sample using your intended process before accepting production.

UK REACH applies to substances on their own, in mixtures and in articles. Its restrictions can limit, ban or set conditions on placing substances on the market or using them. Obtain the exact formulation and assess applicable restrictions before supplying the rods in Great Britain; a generic resin brochure does not identify the delivered batch.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 20 unfilled extruded PEEK rods, illustrative only under 3916 90 10 90, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,500. Duty at 6% is £570. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,070, so it is £2,014. Import taxes total £2,584; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £570 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match resin grade, formulation and batch references to the order and material certificate; investigate substitutions before release.

Dimensions: measure diameter and ovality along each sampled rod, then check straightness, length and usable machining allowance.

Internal condition: examine sample cross-sections for voids, inclusions and cracks, and machine a sample to check movement after material removal.

Arrival and traceability: check end damage, abrasion and contamination, and keep rod or bundle identifiers linked to the batch documents. Agree the sampling brief through the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A substituted grade or undisclosed filler can change machining behaviour even when the rod looks acceptable. Internal voids may only appear after boring, while residual stress can leave a finished part distorted. Approval based only on colour and outside diameter misses these problems.

Keep an approved sample and batch records. If a rod moves during machining, compare its processing and annealing history with the approved material before changing your tooling or accepting the remaining stock.

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.