Sourcing Screw Conveyors from China
Screw conveyors from China carry 0% ordinary UK duty on the relevant lines shown here. Before supplying a complete machine in Great Britain, check machinery conformity, marking and English instructions. Specify the conveyed material and test the actual conveyor under load. Cambridge China Bridge sources screw conveyors.
UK duty on screw conveyors
Heading 8428 covers lifting, handling, loading and unloading machinery, including conveyors. Ordinary continuous-action screw conveyors are candidates for 8428 39 90 00. Equipment specially designed for underground use has a separate line. The table separates product configurations sharing a code; it does not imply a separate tariff classification for each design.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, the relevant lines shown here carry 0% ordinary duty for goods from China, with no trade remedies, suspensions or attached import controls recorded. Other machinery within the wider heading has different measures. See the belt conveyor guide for wider heading context.
Confirm the commodity code against the complete specification, application and supplied configuration before ordering. Do not assume a replacement screw, feeder assembly or machine incorporating other functions has the same classification as a complete conveyor.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enclosed tubular screw conveyors | 8428 39 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Screw conveyors specially designed for underground use | 8428 31 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the material and screw geometry
Describe the material, bulk density, moisture, particle size, abrasiveness and tendency to cake. State the required throughput at the installed angle, conveying distance and inlet arrangement. Agree whether the conveyor is shafted or shaftless, tubular or trough-mounted, and specify flight diameter, pitch, clearances, wear surfaces and discharge position.
Agree motor and gearbox selection, electrical supply, bearing positions, seal arrangement and access for cleaning. For food applications, specify contact materials and a cleaning method for the actual product. Trial representative material in the production configuration rather than accepting an empty-running demonstration.
For a complete machine supplied in Great Britain, confirm the applicable essential safety requirements, conformity assessment, declaration of conformity, marking and English instruction requirements with the relevant authority. A technical file must be compiled and made available on request. Put guarding, emergency stops and maintenance isolation into the purchase specification, and request the documentation before shipment.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: One enclosed screw conveyor; illustrative order only under 8428 39 90 00, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,200, so it is £1,840. 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
Build: check flight geometry, trough or tube dimensions, welds, straightness, inlet and outlet positions against the approved drawings.
Loaded trial: check throughput with representative material at the agreed angle; record plugging, leakage, vibration, rubbing and gearbox heating.
Safety and documents: check guards, access-cover arrangements, emergency stops and isolation; match the machine identity to its declaration, marking and English instructions.
Arrival: check transport distortion, loose couplings, damaged seals and moisture ingress before installation. Compare the supplied motor, gearbox and spare wear parts with the order. Use an agreed inspection brief.
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What goes wrong
A conveyor demonstrated with dry granules may plug when handling your damp powder. An incline, flooded inlet or changed flight pitch can also undermine the agreed output. Define the trial material and operating arrangement in the order so that acceptance rests on measured performance.
Long sections can arrive bent, leaving flights rubbing against the casing. Poor seals allow dust leakage, while inaccessible bearings and covers make maintenance difficult. Agree packing supports, assembly drawings and access requirements before the factory finalises the build.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on screw conveyors from China?
The relevant lines shown here carry 0% ordinary duty, with no trade remedies or suspensions recorded in the supplied tariff data. Confirm classification against the actual machine.
Do screw conveyors need CE or UKCA marking?
For a complete machine supplied in Great Britain, confirm the applicable conformity marking, declaration of conformity and English instruction requirements with the relevant authority. Confirm whether the CE or UKCA route is appropriate and verify the supporting assessment.
How do I check a screw conveyor's capacity?
Agree a loaded factory trial using representative material, the intended incline and the actual inlet arrangement. Check measured throughput alongside plugging, leakage and drive behaviour.
Should I buy a shaftless screw conveyor?
Ask the factory to justify the design for your material and cleaning needs. Compare wear surfaces, drive arrangement, access and a representative loaded trial before choosing.