Sourcing Roots vacuum boosters from China

Duty and classification for Roots boosters

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, the relevant Roots vacuum pump lines under heading 8414 carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied facts list no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines.

Ordinary Roots vacuum boosters sit within 8414 10 25 90. Pumps of a kind used for semiconductor manufacture, or solely or principally used for flat panel display manufacture, have the separate line 8414 10 15 00. The table repeats the ordinary code for different booster configurations; these are not separate tariff subdivisions.

Confirm the commodity code using the pump design, intended application and exact scope of supply. A complete pumping package needs its own classification assessment. See vacuum pumps for the wider family.

Specify the booster and backing-pump interface

State the process gas, inlet pressure range, required pumping speed at the operating pressure, permitted pressure difference, backing-pump model and capacity, cooling arrangement and start sequence. Agree whether the supply includes the motor, drive, bypass, guards, sensors and control cabinet.

Specify flange drawings, installation orientation, seal materials, lubricant, motor supply, rotation direction and spare seals and bearings. Ask for performance curves and a witnessed test using the agreed backing pump and gas conditions.

For complete machinery supplied in Great Britain, check the technical file, declaration of conformity and CE or UKCA marking, as described in the site's machinery guidance. Confirm whether an integration-only assembly is legally partly completed machinery. Where it is, assembly instructions and a declaration of incorporation must accompany it.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order, not a quote: one industrial Roots vacuum booster under 8414 10 25 90, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,900, so it is £1,380. 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

Identity: compare the model, serial number, motor, flanges and supplied accessories with the order, drawings and documentation.

Performance: record inlet and backing pressure, pumping speed, motor current and temperature under the agreed test conditions. Check the start sequence and protective trips.

Mechanical condition: check for seal leakage, abnormal vibration, rotor contact and shipping damage. Inspect the lubricant condition and verify the bypass operates as specified.

Arrival: inspect crate fixings, capped ports and corrosion protection before installation. Compare the English operating information with the supplied equipment. Use an agreed inspection plan.

What goes wrong

A headline pumping-speed figure can hide a mismatch with the backing pump or the working pressure. Treat performance at your operating point as the acceptance criterion. Excessive pressure difference, unsuitable start settings or inadequate cooling can produce overheating and trips.

An approval document for a different motor or pump model leaves the buyer unable to match the paperwork to the shipment. Freeze the component list and drawings before production, then check the shipped configuration. Agree who handles integration, commissioning and fault diagnosis.

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.