Sourcing SiMn spring steel wire from China

Zero duty and the waste-control distinction

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7229 covers wire of other alloy steel. For silicon-manganese spring wire, check 7229 20 00 90 against the mill chemistry. The separate 7229 20 00 10 line has tightly defined low-carbon chemistry and dimensions associated with welding wire. The table shows purchasing variants sharing the other silicon-manganese wire line, subject to classification.

The supplied tariff facts record 0% duty on goods from China, no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, no steel measure and no suspension. They attach import and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply only to waste. For Chinese material classed as waste and imported into England under notification controls, the exporter applies to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent. Confirm the applicable route with your customs broker before shipment.

Confirm the commodity code using composition, dimensions and delivery form. For related alloy spring wire within the wider heading, see the silicon-chromium spring steel wire guide. Import VAT is normally 20%; see UK import duty and VAT.

Specify chemistry and the spring-making condition

State the steel grade and agreed specification, full chemical composition, diameter tolerance, ovality, tensile strength, delivery condition and surface finish. Say whether your process needs annealed wire for forming and later heat treatment, or wire supplied with agreed mechanical properties. Specify coil dimensions, winding direction, permitted joins and protection against moisture.

Ask for heat-linked chemistry and mechanical test results, plus agreed checks for surface seams, decarburisation and bend performance. Trial the wire through your forming and heat-treatment process before accepting a production lot. Use factory verification to check the supplier's drawing, heat-treatment and testing capabilities.

Ask for information on alloy constituents and surface treatments for your UK REACH assessment. Where the wire is an article containing a Candidate List substance above 0.1% by weight, business recipients must receive sufficient safe-use information, including the substance's name.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 1 tonne of silicon-manganese spring steel wire in coils, illustrative under 7229 20 00 90, invoiced at £5,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,000, so it is £1,400. 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

Traceability: match each coil label to the heat number, grade, delivery condition and test report.

Dimensions: measure diameter and ovality across sampled coils; check coil shape and winding for your payoff equipment.

Surface: inspect for rust, seams, scoring and inconsistent lubricant; arrange the agreed decarburisation checks.

Process trial: compare forming behaviour, heat-treatment response and finished-spring load performance with the approved sample.

What goes wrong

A silicon-manganese description can hide a mismatch between the ordered spring grade and a welding-wire composition. Annealed wire supplied where stronger finished wire was expected, inconsistent heat treatment, surface seams and decarburisation can lead to forming failures or disappointing spring performance.

Rust and damaged coils can interrupt feeding before spring making begins. Agree acceptance criteria against the intended process, keep heat identities separate and check packing before dispatch. Plan the checks through the quality inspection guide.

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.