Sourcing resistance spot welders from China

Duty on resistance spot welders

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 October 2026, fully or partly automatic resistance welders under 8515 21 00 00 and other resistance welders under 8515 29 00 00 carried 0% duty for goods from China. Neither line records an anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control.

Heading 8515 covers a wider range of welding and soldering equipment. The table gives equipment examples sharing the resistance-welding codes, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. See the welding and soldering equipment guide for the wider heading.

Confirm the commodity code from the operating sequence and technical description, especially whether welding is fully or partly automatic. Import VAT is normally 20%; see import duty and VAT.

Specify the sheet stack and electrode force

Send the factory the actual sheet materials, coatings, thicknesses and joint drawings. Specify access to the joint, throat depth, electrode shape, clamping force, welding-current adjustment and timing controls. Agree whether operation is manual, pneumatic or automated, and identify the available electrical supply, compressed air and cooling arrangement.

Ask for trial welds using your production material and agree how weld strength will be checked. Record the settings, electrode condition and repeatability over a sustained run. Include replacement electrodes, dressing tools and cooling connections in the specification.

Confirm with the relevant authority which electrical safety and EMC rules apply to the mains welder, and which machinery safety and conformity marking requirements apply to any automatic or robotic welding cell. Machinery must be safe before it is placed on the Great Britain market or put into service. Ask for model-specific declarations and supporting reports through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 10 partly automatic resistance spot welders, illustrative order under 8515 21 00 00, invoiced at £75,000 free on board, with £4,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £79,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £79,500, so it is £15,900. 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

Weld quality: check trial joints on the agreed sheet stack, including destructive checks against the agreed acceptance criteria; retain labelled samples and machine settings.

Electrodes and force: check tip alignment, electrode condition, repeatable clamping force and access to the intended joint.

Cooling and operation: check hoses for leakage, cooling flow, sustained welding performance, controls, guards and emergency-stop operation where fitted.

Documents and arrival: match the model and rating plate to the ordered specification, check electrical connections and English instructions, and inspect arms, tips and coolant fittings for transport damage. Arrange quality inspection before dispatch.

What goes wrong

A machine selected only by advertised welding current can disappoint on coated sheets or difficult joint access. Misaligned electrodes, inconsistent clamping force and worn tips can produce variable joints. Ask the supplier to demonstrate repeatable welds on your material rather than relying on photographs of unrelated samples.

Cooling restrictions can cause overheating during repeated welding. Unsuitable supply connections delay installation, while damaged arms or loose fittings can change alignment after transport. Repeat the agreed weld trial on arrival and investigate changes before accepting the machine.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For components and parts, see sourcing for manufacturers.