Sourcing POM resin pellets from China

POM duty and suspension conditions

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 3907 includes polyacetals in primary forms. POM resin pellets fall within the polyacetals line, 3907 10 00 00. The table shows purchasing variants sharing that commodity line. See the wider resin guide for other products within the heading.

The supplied tariff record gives 6% duty for goods from China, with a suspension to 0.00 % for listed products including polyoxymethylene. Its footnote excludes mixtures, preparations or products made up of different components containing those products. Do not assume every modified grade qualifies. No anti-dumping or countervailing measure is recorded for this line.

The tariff also attaches import and export waste controls. For imports from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the requirement against the material's waste status and route. In England, waste shipment controls apply only to waste; waste plastics outside the qualifying simplified category require notification and consent before shipment. Confirm the commodity code using the composition and technical data sheet.

Specify the POM grade and moulding behaviour

Specify homopolymer or copolymer, the producer's grade, injection moulding or extrusion use, natural or coloured material, and whether virgin or recycled content is acceptable. Record melt flow with its test conditions, mechanical properties, shrinkage, colour and any lubricant or reinforcement. Approve a sample in your own mould before accepting a substitute grade.

Confirm with HSE the UK REACH registration position for the polymer, monomers and other constituent substances, including any exemption or upstream registration coverage. Ask for a written registration position covering the supplied composition, alongside the technical data sheet and safety information. Treat grade changes as a reason to review those documents.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 20 tonnes of POM resin pellets; illustrative values, assuming the suspension is not claimed under 3907 10 00 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £20,000. Duty at 6% is £1,200. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,200, so it is £4,240. Import taxes total £5,440; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,200 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match bag labels, producer, grade and batch references to the order and certificate of analysis.

Performance: compare melt flow under the agreed test conditions and trial shrinkage, dimensions and surface finish against the approved sample.

Cleanliness: inspect pellets for black specks, fines, mixed colours and foreign material; retain a sample from each batch.

Packing: check seals, liners and signs of contamination or water ingress on arrival. Use the inspection guide to agree the reporting format.

What goes wrong

A substitute homopolymer or copolymer grade can change processing and finished dimensions. Undisclosed recycled content, mixed batches or a changed lubricant package can alter colour, flow and surface finish. A matching trade name alone is insufficient: compare the producer's grade documents and run a moulding trial.

Costing can also fail when a buyer assumes a modified blend qualifies for the suspension. Obtain the composition before ordering and have the broker check the exclusion wording. For reclaimed material, settle waste status and the applicable shipment controls before dispatch.

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.