Sourcing phosphor bronze strip from China

0% duty on phosphor bronze strip

Heading 7409 covers copper plates, sheets and strip of a thickness exceeding 0.15 mm. Phosphor bronze strip with a copper-tin base falls within the bronze branches: 7409 31 00 00 for coils and 7409 39 00 00 for other forms. The table separates buying forms that share these codes.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, both bronze lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines. The suspensions elsewhere in heading 7409 concern specified refined-copper products.

Confirm composition, thickness and delivery form before choosing the commodity code. Copper foil of 0.15 mm or less falls under heading 7410. See the copper and brass sheet and strip guide for the wider heading.

Specify alloy, temper and strip geometry

Write the alloy designation and agreed copper, tin and phosphorus composition into the order. Specify temper, hardness, thickness and width tolerances, camber, edge condition and surface finish. For coils, agree coil weight, inner diameter and winding direction; for straight strip, agree length and flatness. Identify any plating separately.

Ask for a mill certificate tied to the supplied batch and approve samples using your forming or spring application. For sales in Great Britain, check applicable UK REACH restrictions against the alloy composition and any coating. These restrictions can limit, ban or set conditions on placing substances on the market or using them.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2 tonnes of phosphor bronze strip in coils, illustrative order under 7409 31 00 00, invoiced at £22,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £22,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £22,800, so it is £4,560. 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: match coil labels and batch identification to the mill certificate; test composition and hardness where performance is critical.

Dimensions: measure thickness across the width and along sampled strip; check width, camber, flatness and slit-edge burrs against the order.

Forming: trial the agreed bend or stamping operation and check for cracking, inconsistent spring response and surface damage.

Packing: check winding, secured coil ends, protected edges and moisture protection; photograph oxidation, scratches and crushed coils on arrival.

What goes wrong

A bronze description without a defined alloy leaves room for substitution. The wrong temper can cause forming cracks or inadequate spring response. Thickness variation changes part behaviour, while camber and slit-edge burrs can disrupt feeding and damage tooling.

Keep the approved sample, certificate and inspection results linked to the delivered batch. Record defects before processing the strip and agree disposition with the supplier. Use the quality inspection guide to prepare 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.