Sourcing stainless steel EDM wire from China

UK duty and composition branches

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7223 covers wire of stainless steel. Every listed line carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure or suspension. The table is a composition selector; EDM suitability needs separate confirmation. See the wider stainless steel wire guide.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply only if the material is waste. For waste from China entering England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent. Confirm the applicable waste procedure with your customs broker and the competent authorities before shipping used or discarded wire.

Confirm the commodity code using the mill's composition certificate. Ask HMRC or your customs broker to confirm whether heading 7223 falls within the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism and when any obligations apply; consult our UK carbon border guide when planning. Ask the supplier for emissions data alongside the material records.

Specify wire for the actual EDM machine

Give the factory the machine make and model, intended workpiece material and cutting task. Confirm that the machine supplier accepts stainless steel electrode wire for that application. Agree grade, diameter and tolerance, tensile strength, elongation, surface condition and any coating. Approve a cutting trial using the proposed wire before accepting the production specification.

Specify spool bore, flange dimensions, winding direction, usable wire weight and how the wire end is secured. Ask for a mill certificate tied to each heat and spool batch. Record the trial settings, wire feeding behaviour, breakages, cut accuracy and surface finish so the production batch can be compared with the approved sample.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial batch of stainless steel EDM wire on machine-compatible spools under 7223 00 19 00, invoiced at £2,000 free on board, with £1,100 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,100. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,100, so it is £620. 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

Material identity: match spool labels and heat numbers to the composition certificate; check sampled wire against the ordered grade.

Diameter and strength: measure diameter and ovality along sampled lengths; compare tensile strength and elongation results with the agreed specification.

Spools and surface: check bore and flange fit, winding, tangles, loose turns, damaged flanges, scratches and corrosion on arrival.

Machine trial: test feeding, tension stability, wire breakage and cut results using the agreed workpiece and settings. Use the inspection guide to define acceptance checks.

What goes wrong

A description such as stainless EDM wire leaves the machine application unresolved. A matching alloy certificate does not establish feeding or cutting performance. Wrong spool geometry, uneven winding, diameter drift or unsuitable strength can interrupt feeding or cause breakages. Keep the approved sample and trial record available when checking the delivered batch.

UK REACH generally applies to substances on their own, in mixtures or in articles. Review your supply-chain role and intended use to determine the applicable obligations. Ask the factory to identify coatings and surface treatments so the compliance review covers the delivered wire.

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.