Sourcing tabular alumina aggregate from China
Tabular alumina aggregate from China has a 4% base UK duty, with 0% available under a conditional suspension for qualifying artificial corundum. Confirm the code from composition and grain sizing, and check UK REACH registration before importing into Great Britain. Cambridge China Bridge sources tabular alumina aggregate.
4% base duty, with conditional relief
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2818 covers artificial corundum, aluminium oxide and aluminium hydroxide. For tabular alumina aggregate, confirm the artificial-corundum classification using the manufacturing description, composition and sieve results. The table compares composition and grain-size branches; these are not interchangeable grades. See the wider alumina guide and confirm your commodity code.
The selected lines carry 4% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty recorded. Code 2818 10 11 99 has a 0% suspension for applicable artificial corundum with aluminium oxide content greater than 98.5% by weight. Check the full suspension conditions before claiming relief. The other selected lines have no suspension recorded. Purity alone does not settle classification: the share by weight of particles above 10 mm also matters.
The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste. For Chinese waste subject to notification controls entering England, the exporter starts the consent application in China; shipment requires consent from the Environment Agency and other authorities involved. Confirm the applicable route with your customs broker before buying reclaimed aggregate. The attached export control also needs checking before returning waste overseas.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other corundum, alumina ≥98.5%; less than 50% by weight above 10 mm | 2818 10 11 99 | 4% | None |
| Corundum, alumina ≥98.5%; at least 50% by weight above 10 mm | 2818 10 19 00 | 4% | None |
| Other corundum, alumina <98.5%; less than 50% by weight above 10 mm | 2818 10 91 99 | 4% | None |
| Corundum, alumina <98.5%; at least 50% by weight above 10 mm | 2818 10 99 00 | 4% | None |
Specify sintered aggregate and grain fractions
Describe the product as tabular alumina aggregate made by sintering, and agree how the supplier will demonstrate that identity. Specify aluminium oxide content, sodium oxide and iron impurities, sieve fractions, permitted fines and oversize, grain density, apparent porosity and moisture. Distinguish grain density from loose bulk density and name the test method for each.
Ask for a batch certificate of analysis and a retained sample. Trial the agreed fractions in your refractory formulation before approving production. For Great Britain, check your UK REACH registration position at 1 tonne or more per year. If a new registration is required and downstream user notification provisions do not apply, complete it before reaching that quantity. Chemical suppliers, including importers, must determine hazard classification regardless of quantity.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of coarse tabular alumina aggregate meeting this line under 2818 10 19 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £2,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £20,200. Duty at 4% is £808. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,008, so it is £4,201.60. Import taxes total £5,009.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £808 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity and chemistry: match bag batch marks to the certificate and purchase specification; independently check aluminium oxide and agreed impurities.
Grain distribution: sieve samples from several bags and record fines and oversize against each ordered fraction.
Density and porosity: check the agreed measurements using the named methods; compare results with the approved sample.
Packing and arrival: check bag weights, liner damage, moisture, foreign particles and mixed fractions before releasing stock. Plan the checks with the quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
A supplier may offer fused alumina or another sintered grade against a tabular-alumina enquiry. Chemistry alone does not establish the agreed material identity. Excess fines, oversize grains, changed porosity or contamination can change packing and water demand in a refractory mix. Keep the approved sample, production certificate and arrival results linked to the same batch.
Wet bags and mixed grain fractions can make an otherwise acceptable batch unusable for the intended formulation. Hold suspect bags separately and sample them before blending. A shipment close to the tariff composition boundary can also lose the expected suspension; use the actual batch analysis and sieve results when checking the declaration.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on tabular alumina aggregate from China?
The selected tariff lines have 4% base duty. Qualifying artificial corundum under 2818 10 11 99 can receive a 0% suspension. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded in the supplied tariff data.
Which commodity code applies to tabular alumina aggregate?
Confirm classification from the manufacturing description, aluminium oxide content and share by weight above 10 mm. A supplier's product name alone does not establish the correct line.
Do I need UK REACH registration for tabular alumina?
For imports into Great Britain, check registration at 1 tonne or more per year. Where a new registration is required without applicable notification provisions, complete it before reaching that quantity.
What should I test before accepting tabular alumina aggregate?
Check material identity, chemistry, sieve distribution, grain density, apparent porosity and moisture against the agreed specification. Match results and bag markings to the batch certificate.