Sourcing SiCr spring steel wire from China

UK duty and classification for silicon-chromium wire

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 October 2026, heading 7229 covers wire of other alloy steel. The supplied lines all carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure or suspension recorded. The table repeats the other alloy steel wire line for different supply conditions; these are not separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the commodity code against the actual chemistry and form. See the wider alloy steel wire guide.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. For Chinese wire supplied as waste, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable requirement before shipment. For imports into England under notification controls, shipment can begin only after consent from the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved. Do not use this guide as clearance advice for scrap or rejected material.

Illustrative order, not a quotation: 20 tonnes of silicon-chromium spring steel wire under 7229 90 90 00, with £18,000 FOB value and £2,000 freight and insurance. Duty is 0%; import VAT is normally 20%. See UK import duty and VAT for the calculation. Confirm with HMRC or your customs broker whether and when this heading falls within the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism; request supplier emissions information when planning future imports.

Specify chemistry, condition and spring performance

Write the agreed grade and chemical composition into the purchase specification, including carbon, silicon and chromium. State diameter, tolerance, ovality, delivery condition, tensile strength range, surface finish, coil dimensions and permitted joints. Distinguish annealed wire for further processing from wire supplied ready for spring coiling.

Agree acceptance criteria for surface seams, decarburisation and inclusions, with test methods and sampling agreed before production. Ask for heat-linked chemistry and mechanical results, and trial the wire on your coiling equipment. For chemical compliance, UK REACH generally applies to substances on their own, in mixtures or in articles; review the wire and any coating or lubricant with your compliance adviser.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of silicon-chromium spring steel wire in coils under 7229 90 90 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £20,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £20,000, so it is £4,000. 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

Traceability: match coil labels and heat numbers to the chemistry, delivery condition and mechanical test results.

Dimensions: measure diameter and ovality across sampled coils, and check coil shape and payout on your equipment.

Surface and performance: inspect for rust, seams and scratches; check agreed decarburisation results and test-coil the wire for cracking.

Packing: check moisture protection, secured coil ends, lifting arrangements and labels that remain readable after transport.

What goes wrong

A supplier substitutes a similar alloy, mixes heats or delivers the wrong heat-treatment condition. The wire may coil differently or crack during forming. Surface seams, decarburisation and rust can undermine spring performance even when the diameter looks correct.

Approve a sample from the intended production route, retain its test results and compare incoming lots against the agreed specification. Resolve failed checks before releasing the wire to production. Use the quality inspection guide to organise the inspection record.

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.