Sourcing stainless aircraft cable from China

Stainless control cable: 0% customs duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7312 covers iron or steel stranded wire, ropes and cables that are not electrically insulated, alongside plaited bands and slings. Stainless steel stranded wire, ropes and cables fall under 7312 10 20 00. The table shows supply forms within that same commodity line.

For goods from China, this stainless line carries 0% customs duty. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure or suspension on it. It attaches import and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste; for scrap or discarded cable from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable requirement before shipment.

Confirm the commodity code using the material, construction, insulation and condition supplied. Ask the broker to assess finished assemblies with end fittings separately. The wider wire rope and cable guide explains other products within the heading.

Specify the cable for the aircraft application

Give the factory the aircraft application and the cable specification agreed with the installer. State stainless grade, strand construction, diameter and tolerance, lay direction, surface finish, lubrication, minimum breaking force and supplied length. Distinguish reel stock from a finished assembly, and identify any intended terminal fittings.

Ask for material certificates, batch identification and breaking-force results linked to the supplied reels. Agree with the installer which documents and tests are acceptable before ordering. Under aircraft maintenance organisation rules, a certificate of release to service must be issued before flight after maintenance.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small-business batch of stainless steel aircraft control cable reels under 7312 10 20 00, invoiced at £22,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £24,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £24,000, so it is £4,800. 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 reel labels, batch references and material certificates to the order; investigate missing or inconsistent traceability.

Construction: measure diameter at agreed positions and check strand construction, lay direction and cut length against the specification.

Condition: inspect for broken wires, kinks, flattened strands, corrosion and contamination; check lubrication against the agreed finish.

Performance: match breaking-force results to the supplied batch and arrange agreed sample testing. Assess any terminal assembly against its drawing and agreed test method.

What goes wrong

An industrial cable described as aircraft cable may have the wrong strand construction, lubrication or material evidence. A breaking-force result alone does not establish suitability for the intended control system. Resolve substitutions with the installer before accepting the batch.

Poor winding and handling can leave kinks or flattened sections. Cutting reels without transferring batch identity breaks the connection between the cable and its test records. Keep suspect material separate and document the defect before arranging a replacement.

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.