Sourcing stainless steel precision foil from China

Duty and classification for precision foil

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 October 2026, heading 7220 covers flat-rolled stainless steel less than 600 mm wide. Cold-rolled precision foil not exceeding 0.35 mm thick is divided by whether nickel content reaches 2.5%. The table also includes perforated and otherwise worked foil; those lines depend on the actual processing.

The supplied tariff snapshot records 0% duty for goods from China, no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, no steel measure, no suspensions and no attached import controls. This does not remove separate sanctions checks: certain Russian steel processed in a third country is subject to an import prohibition. Obtain supply-chain evidence before ordering.

Confirm the commodity code using the mill chemistry, dimensions, processing description and consignment route. See the wider stainless steel strip guide. Ask your customs broker to confirm whether the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism will apply to your shipment; ask the mill for emissions data and consult the UK carbon border adjustment guide.

Specify foil gauge, temper and winding

Specify the alloy chemistry, nominal thickness and permitted variation across the width and along the coil. Agree width, edge burr, camber, flatness and surface acceptance criteria. Choose annealed or hardened material according to forming and spring behaviour, rather than accepting a supplier's description of 'precision foil'.

State the winding direction, coil core dimensions, permissible joints and how joints must be identified. Agree protective interleaving and packing that prevents creases and crushed edges. Request a mill certificate linking chemistry and mechanical results to each heat and coil, and trial the foil through your actual slitting, stamping or forming process.

If the foil will become a food-contact component, confirm the applicable food-contact requirements with the relevant authority, including how to assess substance transfer and effects on the food's composition, taste or smell. Agree suitable testing for the finished application through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of narrow cold-rolled precision foil coils for a small component maker under 7220 20 81 90, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £19,800, so it is £3,960. 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 coil labels and heat references to the mill certificate, purchase specification and chemistry test results. Collect verifiable steel supply-chain records; official guidance says traders should be prepared to provide them.

Gauge and edges: measure thickness across the width and along sampled coil lengths with equipment suited to thin foil. Check slit width, camber, burrs and edge cracks against agreed limits.

Temper and surface: compare hardness and forming behaviour with the approved sample. Inspect for pinholes, scratches, roll marks, creases and oil residues before accepting material for sensitive components.

Winding and packing: check core condition, loose or telescoped winding, crushed edges and moisture damage. Confirm that joints are marked and coil identity remains traceable after unpacking.

What goes wrong

A thickness average can hide local thin areas that tear during stamping. Uneven temper causes variable spring response or forming cracks, while burrs and camber disrupt feeding. A clean-looking outer wrap can conceal creases, scratches or unmarked joints deeper in the coil. Agree a sampling and acceptance method before production.

A certificate without a matching coil reference leaves both material identity and steel origin unresolved. A Chinese finishing operation does not by itself settle sanctions compliance. Hold disputed coils apart from accepted stock and obtain the missing evidence before shipment or use.

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.