Sourcing empty steel grease cartridges from China

Duty and classification for empty cartridges

Heading 7310 covers iron or steel containers not exceeding 300 litres, excluding containers for compressed or liquefied gas and those fitted with mechanical or thermal equipment. The selected lines cover containers below 50 litres. For empty grease cartridges, distinguish cans intended for soldering or crimping from other containers, then distinguish walls below 0.5 mm from thicker walls.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the selected lines carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure or suspension recorded. Each attaches an import control of fluorinated greenhouse gases. Official guidance prohibits placing products containing banned fluorinated gases on the Great Britain market. For empty grease cartridges, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable requirement and declaration evidence.

Send the broker a drawing, material specification, capacity, wall thickness and closure details to confirm the commodity code. These are candidate lines rather than a classification for every cartridge design. See the wider metal container guide for other products in this heading.

Specify the cartridge around the grease gun

Specify the steel grade, wall thickness, body length, internal and external diameters, mouth profile and closure design. State whether the cartridge loads through a removable cap or uses a threaded connection. Supply an approved drawing and the intended grease gun or filling equipment for sample trials.

Agree the seam construction, internal finish and compatibility with the grease you will fill. Specify cleanliness, corrosion protection, closure retention and packing that protects the mouth and body from distortion. Trial filled samples for leakage and dispensing before approving production.

Check your obligations under packaging producer responsibility: producers must assess the packaging they supply or import. The published wider-heading guide also identifies these steel container lines as within the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism from 1 January 2027. Review the carbon border adjustment guide and request supplier emissions data.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20,000 empty thin-wall steel grease cartridges with removable closures under 7310 29 10 00, invoiced at £12,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £13,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £13,500, so it is £2,700. 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

Body and fit: measure wall thickness, diameter, length and mouth geometry against the approved drawing; trial cartridges in the intended grease gun.

Seams and closures: inspect seam consistency, sharp edges and cap seating; use filled samples to check leakage and closure retention.

Interior and finish: open samples to check rust, loose particles, forming residue and coating gaps; compare the internal finish with the approved sample.

Arrival condition: check crushed mouths, oval bodies, dents and moisture damage before filling. Use the agreed inspection procedure and retain samples linked to the production batch.

What goes wrong

A cartridge can match the stated capacity yet fail to fit the gun. An oval mouth, misplaced seam or incorrect threaded connection can prevent loading or sealing. Loose closures leak after filling, while rust or forming debris can contaminate the grease.

Approve the complete cartridge with its actual closures and intended gun, then repeat the fit and filling trials on production samples. If the intended contents are dangerous goods for transport, confirm the applicable packaging approval requirements and any exemptions with the relevant transport authority; settle that use before ordering.

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.