Sourcing fluxes and pickling pastes from China
Pickling pastes for stainless steel, solder pastes, soldering and brazing fluxes and welding electrode coatings from China pay 0% UK duty on all four lines of heading 3810, with no anti-dumping duty. Many are hazardous mixtures, pickling pastes especially, so they need GB CLP labels and safety data sheets, and solder paste needs cold storage and a shelf life.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 3810 covers pickling preparations for metal surfaces, fluxes and other auxiliary preparations for soldering, brazing or welding, soldering, brazing or welding powders and pastes of metal and other materials, and preparations used as cores or coatings for welding electrodes or rods. All four lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Solder wire and ingots are covered in our tin and solder guide; confirm the commodity code from the composition.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halide-free tin or zinc based solder paste for surface mount technology | 3810 10 00 10 | 0% | None |
| Other pickling preparations and soldering pastes and powders of metal and other materials | 3810 10 00 90 | 0% | None |
| Preparations used as cores or coatings for welding electrodes or rods | 3810 90 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other fluxes and auxiliary preparations for soldering, brazing or welding | 3810 90 90 00 | 0% | None |
Hazard labelling
Stainless steel pickling pastes usually contain strong acids and are classified as hazardous, and many fluxes are irritant or corrosive. Under the retained CLP Regulation, a mixture placed on the GB market must be classified, labelled and packaged accordingly, with a GB supplier on the label; the safety data sheet requirement falls under UK REACH. Settle labels before production, and check whether the product is dangerous goods in transport.
Specifying fluxes and pastes
For solder paste, specify alloy, particle size type, flux class, metal content, viscosity, halide content and shelf life under refrigeration. For fluxes, specify activity, residue and cleaning requirement. For pickling paste, specify the acid system, dwell time and the finish it gives on your grades.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,000 kg of stainless steel pickling paste in 2 kg tubs under 3810 10 00 90, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,900, so it is £1,980. 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
Documents: check the certificate of analysis, safety data sheet and GB labels per batch.
Performance: trial solder paste printing and reflow, or pickling on a test panel, before bulk orders.
Transport: check production dates, and cold chain for solder paste. See our quality inspection guide.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
Flux and paste orders fail on labels, age and consistency. Labels miss GB CLP requirements, solder paste arrives near expiry or warmed in transit, and batches vary in viscosity or activity.
Cambridge China Bridge sources process chemicals for UK electronics and fabrication shops with labels and documents agreed before production. See testing and certification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on solder paste from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, solder pastes and fluxes under heading 3810 carried 0% from China.
Does pickling paste need hazard labels?
Yes. Pickling pastes are usually hazardous mixtures and need GB CLP labels and a safety data sheet.
How should solder paste be shipped?
Refrigerated where the maker requires it, with production dates checked against the shelf life.
Is solder wire in heading 3810?
No. Solder wire and ingots are metal headings; heading 3810 is for pastes, powders and fluxes.