Sourcing titanium forgings from China
Titanium forgings from China carry 6% ordinary UK duty, with conditional 0% suspensions for named bars and rods. Match the delivered form to the tariff description and agree grade, heat treatment, machining allowance and traceable certificates before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources titanium forgings.
Duty and classification for titanium forgings
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 October 2026, heading 8108 covers titanium and articles thereof, including waste and scrap. The relevant forging routes include bars and rods and other titanium articles. Their ordinary duty from China is 6%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty recorded in the supplied data.
Conditional 0% suspensions appear for named alloy rods and forged cylindrical bars. The latter line requires purity of at least 99,995% by weight, diameter from 140 mm to 200 mm and weight from 5 kg to 300 kg. The suspension excludes mixtures, preparations and products made up of different components containing these products. The named forged-bar line also carries a supplementary-unit import entry; confirm the declaration unit with your broker.
The relevant lines attach import and export waste controls. Confirm their application with your customs broker, particularly for rejected material or scrap. For waste from China entering England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent. Confirm the commodity code using the actual shape and processing stage. See the wider titanium round-bar guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forged cylindrical titanium bars meeting the named purity, diameter and weight limits | 8108 90 30 60 | 6% | None |
| Titanium alloy rods meeting the standards named in this tariff line | 8108 90 30 10 | 6% | None |
| Other titanium bars, rods and profiles, including qualifying forged stock | 8108 90 30 90 | 6% | None |
| Other titanium articles, including forgings where this classification applies | 8108 90 90 99 | 6% | None |
Specify the forging and its machining envelope
State the titanium grade, chemistry limits, forging shape, heat-treatment condition and drawing revision. Distinguish a forged bar for machining from a shaped forging. Define finished dimensions separately from the stock envelope, including machining allowance on faces, bores and critical sections.
Agree surface condition, removal of the oxygen-enriched surface layer, mechanical-property tests and any ultrasonic acceptance criteria before production. Ask for heat-linked material certificates and heat-treatment records. For medical or aerospace supply, settle the customer's material specification and traceability requirements before approving the factory.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of titanium forged bar stock for machining under 8108 90 30 90, invoiced at £58,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £60,000. Duty at 6% is £3,600. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £63,600, so it is £12,720. Import taxes total £16,320; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £3,600 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Material identity: match piece markings and heat numbers to certificates; independently check chemistry and agreed mechanical properties on the first delivery.
Machining allowance: measure the stock envelope, straightness and critical sections against the drawing, allowing for removal of surface defects.
Surface and soundness: inspect for laps, seams, cracks and residual oxygen-enriched surface; review ultrasonic results against the agreed acceptance criteria.
Packing and arrival: check piece counts, markings and transport damage; keep titanium apart from steel to avoid surface contamination. Set these checks in the inspection brief.
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What goes wrong
A forging can pass an outside-dimension check yet leave insufficient stock after a lap or oxygen-enriched surface layer is removed. Wrong grade, heat treatment or certificates copied from another heat can make an apparently suitable blank unusable. Keep inspection results linked to the actual pieces.
A supplier's description of 'titanium forging' does not establish a suspended tariff line. Compare the delivered shape, purity and dimensions with the exact description before budgeting zero duty. Hold material with unmatched heat numbers or unresolved defects apart from accepted stock.
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 titanium forgings from China?
Relevant forging lines carry 6% ordinary duty. Named bars and rods may qualify for conditional 0% suspensions. The supplied tariff data records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty on these lines.
Do all titanium forgings qualify for zero duty?
No. A suspension is tied to a named tariff description. Check the actual form and all applicable purity, dimensional, weight or standard conditions with your customs broker.
What paperwork should titanium forgings come with?
Ask for material certificates linked to each heat, chemistry and mechanical-property results, heat-treatment records and any agreed ultrasonic inspection reports.
What should I check before machining imported forgings?
Check grade, heat markings, stock dimensions, machining allowance and surface defects. Resolve certificate mismatches and soundness concerns before releasing the pieces for machining.