Sourcing Rock-bolting Rigs from China

UK duty on rock-bolting rigs

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8430 covers earth, mineral and ore working machinery, including boring machinery. The supplied lines all carry 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls are recorded in the supplied facts.

For a rig that drills bolt holes, compare the self-propelled and non-self-propelled boring lines. The other machinery lines in the table are alternatives to investigate where the machine's functions differ, rather than confirmed classifications for every bolter. Give your broker the drilling and bolt-installation functions, propulsion details and assembly drawings to confirm the commodity code. For wider heading coverage, see mining roadheaders.

Specify drilling reach and the bolting cycle

Specify tunnel clearance, roof and sidewall reach, boom articulation, hole diameter and depth, drill feed and torque, and the bolt types the machine will install. Define whether it drills only or also inserts resin cartridges, feeds bolts and tightens nuts. Agree hydraulic connections, electrical supply, flushing water, dust collection, transport configuration and access for maintenance.

For new machinery supplied in Great Britain, confirm the applicable essential health and safety requirements, conformity marking, declaration of conformity and English instruction requirements with the relevant authority. Confirm whether CE or UKCA marking is appropriate under the machinery rules. The responsible person must compile a technical file and make it available on request. Equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres must be designed and constructed to eliminate or reduce ignition risks. Settle the intended underground environment before choosing the rig.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: One self-propelled rock-bolting rig, illustrative only under 8430 41 00 00, invoiced at £260,000 free on board, with £18,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £278,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £278,000, so it is £55,600. 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

Drilling and bolting: witness the agreed cycle using your specified rods, bits, bolts and consumables before shipment. Check alignment, hole depth control, bolt feeding and tightening against the purchase specification.

Boom and hydraulics: inspect welds, pins, bushes, hose routing and guards. Test the working envelope, positioning accuracy, hydraulic leaks and drift with the boom extended.

Controls and arrival condition: test emergency stops and interlocks against the agreed test procedure. On arrival, inspect shipping damage, loose connections, corrosion, fluid loss and missing guards before commissioning.

Documents and spares: match the model and serial number to the declaration, English manual and drawings. Check the supplied consumables, seals, filters and replacement parts against the packing list. Arrange quality inspection around the actual bolting cycle.

What goes wrong

A drilling demonstration can conceal problems in bolt installation. Feed mechanisms may jam with the buyer's cartridges or bolts, the boom may miss sidewall positions, and hoses may rub when fully articulated. Include those operations in factory acceptance rather than accepting an unloaded demonstration.

A rig can also arrive with documents for a different configuration or parts that cannot be identified for replacement. Freeze the approved build, record component identities and agree drawings and spares before shipment. Use factory verification to check whether the supplier builds and tests the complete rig.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.