Sourcing steel weld nuts from China

UK duty and classification for steel weld nuts

Heading 7318 covers iron or steel fasteners, including nuts. Steel weld nuts are attached to the receiving component by welding. The table distinguishes stainless steel, other steel nuts by inside diameter, and self-locking designs. The self-locking row applies only where the actual construction matches that description. See the steel threaded inserts guide for wider heading context. For castellated designs, see our castellated nut sourcing guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, all selected lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel trade measure, suspension or attached import control on these lines.

Confirm the commodity code using the drawing, material, inside diameter and any locking feature. Send these details to your customs broker rather than relying on the supplier's description alone. The commodity code is used on the import declaration.

Specify the nut and the welded assembly

Specify steel grade, thread form and pitch, body shape, nut height, locating pilot and weld-projection geometry. Define the receiving-panel material, thickness, hole dimensions and surface condition. State whether the nuts arrive bare, plated or with another finish, and agree which surfaces must remain suitable for welding.

Approve samples welded to the intended panel using the intended equipment. Agree thread gauging after welding, alignment checks and weld-strength acceptance criteria. Request material and finish records linked to the production batch. UK REACH restrictions can limit, ban or set conditions on substances in articles; obtain alloy, plating and passivation details to check applicable restrictions.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative batch of steel weld nuts for sheet-metal assemblies; FOB value and freight are illustrative under 7318 16 92 90, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,300. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,300, so it is £860. 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

Threads: check with agreed gauges before and after welding; look for spatter, damaged starts and distortion.

Geometry: measure body, pilot and projection dimensions against the drawing; check seating and thread alignment in the panel.

Weld performance: trial samples on the intended panel and check attachment strength against the agreed method and acceptance criteria.

Finish and traceability: check rust, burrs, coating coverage and mixed variants on arrival; match carton labels to batch records. Use the quality inspection guide to plan checks.

What goes wrong

Uneven projections can produce inconsistent welds, while the wrong pilot or panel hole can leave the nut misaligned. A nut may accept a screw before welding but fail afterwards because heat or spatter obstructs the thread. Changes to coating or panel surface can also change weld performance.

Retain approved welded samples and record the panel preparation and welding settings. Recheck the assembly when material, finish or projection geometry changes. Separate mismatched batches before releasing them to production.

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.