Sourcing seamless bearing-steel tubes from China
Seamless bearing-steel tubes from China carry 0% UK duty across the relevant supplied lines, with no listed trade remedies. The dedicated cold-drawn code depends on alloy chemistry, straightness and uniform wall thickness, not the supplier's bearing-steel label. Cambridge China Bridge sources seamless bearing-steel tubes.
UK duty and bearing-steel classification
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7304 covers seamless tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of iron other than cast iron, or steel. For bearing-steel tube, 7304 51 10 00 covers circular, cold-drawn or cold-rolled alloy-steel tubes that are straight, have uniform wall thickness and meet its carbon, chromium and molybdenum limits. The other table rows are alternatives only where their full descriptions apply.
Every selected line carries 0% third-country duty for goods from China in the supplied tariff snapshot. None shows anti-dumping or countervailing duty, the steel trade measure, a suspension or an attached import control. This is a dated tariff position; ask your customs broker to recheck the exact line before shipment.
Confirm the commodity code using the mill chemistry, manufacturing route, dimensions and delivery condition. A bearing-steel description on an invoice does not establish the dedicated code. For the wider product family, see seamless mechanical steel tubing.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold-drawn or cold-rolled straight alloy tubes meeting the specified chemistry limits | 7304 51 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other cold-drawn or cold-rolled alloy-steel precision tubes | 7304 51 81 00 | 0% | None |
| Other cold-drawn or cold-rolled alloy-steel tubes, residual category | 7304 51 89 99 | 0% | None |
| Other alloy-steel tubes, not cold-drawn or cold-rolled, diameter up to 168,3 mm | 7304 59 82 99 | 0% | None |
Specify tube for bearing-ring machining
State the steel grade and agreed chemical composition, outside and inside diameters, wall tolerance, ovality, straightness and cut length. Specify machining allowance and whether the tube is supplied spheroidised annealed or in another agreed condition. Agree acceptance criteria for hardness, carbide distribution, non-metallic inclusions, decarburisation and surface defects. Ask the mill to explain which operations it performs and which it subcontracts.
Keep heat numbers linked to tube bundles, mill certificates and test samples. UK sanctions prohibit imports of relevant processed iron and steel products. Ask your broker to check any Russian-origin feedstock concerns; officials may request supply-chain evidence at the border.
The UK carbon border adjustment mechanism commences on 1 January 2027. Check the commodity-code scope and your registration position with your customs broker, and ask the producing mill what emissions information it can supply.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 6 tonnes of annealed straight seamless bearing-steel tubes under 7304 51 10 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £22,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £22,000, so it is £4,400. 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: match bundle tags and heat numbers to the order, mill certificates and chemistry results; keep different heats identifiable on arrival.
Geometry: measure outside diameter, bore, wall variation, ovality and straightness against the drawing, including the allowance needed to machine bearing rings.
Metallurgy: check agreed hardness and microstructure results, inclusion assessment and decarburisation depth; use independent samples where the mill's evidence is incomplete.
Surface and packing: inspect for cracks, laps, scoring, rust and handling dents; check bore protection and bundle restraint. Set the sampling plan through quality inspection.
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What goes wrong
A grade name can hide different chemistry or an unsuitable annealing condition. Uneven carbide distribution, excessive inclusions or decarburisation can undermine later hardening and bearing performance. Approve a machining and heat-treatment trial from the proposed production route before accepting repeat supply.
Eccentric walls leave insufficient machining allowance, while straightening damage and surface laps may appear only after cutting. Mixed heats and certificates detached from bundle identities make investigation difficult. Quarantine suspect material on arrival and retain marked samples before machining removes the original surface.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on seamless bearing-steel tubes from China?
The selected lines carry 0% duty in the supplied tariff snapshot, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty or steel trade measure. Recheck the exact commodity code before shipment.
Which commodity code covers seamless bearing-steel tubes?
7304 51 10 00 covers qualifying straight, uniform-wall, cold-drawn or cold-rolled alloy tubes. Check its chemistry limits against the mill analysis; other tube forms or compositions need separate classification.
What should I test before machining bearing rings?
Check chemistry, hardness, carbide distribution, inclusions, decarburisation and wall eccentricity against agreed acceptance criteria. Trial machining and heat treatment using samples traceable to the production heat.
Should I ask the Chinese mill for emissions data?
Yes, ask what it can supply. The UK carbon border adjustment mechanism commences on 1 January 2027; confirm your commodity-code scope and registration position with your customs broker.