Sourcing titanium powder from China

Titanium powder duty and suspension

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8108 covers titanium metal, including powder. Fine powder and other powder have separate lines. Titanium dioxide pigment belongs elsewhere. The waste rows apply only where material is classified as waste or scrap, including discarded powder where appropriate. See the wider titanium products guide.

The supplied tariff facts show 4% duty for both powder lines from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty listed. Qualifying fine powder has a 0% suspension, excluding mixtures, preparations and products made up of different components containing it. The suspension on the other-powder line is restricted to named alloy ingots; it does not give ordinary powder zero duty.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches import waste control to both powder lines. Waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste. For powder from China, ask your customs broker to confirm whether prior written notification and consent are required, particularly for discarded or contaminated batches. Confirm the sieve aperture, passing mass fraction, composition and waste status when finding your commodity code.

Specify powder chemistry and particle behaviour

State whether you need pure titanium or an alloy, the intended process, particle size distribution, particle shape and acceptable oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and iron content. Agree the sampling and test methods, flowability, apparent density and acceptance criteria. Ask for a certificate of analysis tied to each production batch and clarify whether the powder is virgin or recovered.

For Great Britain, substances and mixtures placed on the market must be classified and labelled under the chemical classification, labelling and packaging rules. Before ordering, confirm with HSE how UK REACH registration applies to your planned annual powder imports. Registration is per substance, per legal entity. Request the safety data sheet for the exact powder and arrange dangerous goods handling, as titanium powder is flammable.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 200 kg of other titanium powder; illustrative FOB and freight values under 8108 20 00 90, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £30,800. Duty at 4% is £1,232. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £32,032, so it is £6,406.40. Import taxes total £7,638.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,232 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Chemistry: compare an independently tested batch sample with the ordered composition and certificate, including oxygen and other agreed impurities.

Particles: check the agreed size distribution and shape, visible agglomeration, flowability and apparent density; match sieve results to any suspension claim.

Traceability: match container batch numbers to the certificate, sampling record and retained sample. Use quality inspection to document acceptance against the purchase specification.

Packing: check seals, container damage, leakage, net weight and the agreed moisture protection. Have trained personnel assess suspect containers before sampling.

What goes wrong

A certificate can describe a different batch, while recovered powder may be supplied without its processing history. Oxygen or contamination can exceed the agreed limits, and an acceptable average particle size can hide too much fine or coarse material. Set acceptance criteria for the distribution and chemistry rather than approving a supplier's generic powder description.

A powder suitable for your process may still fail the tariff sieve criterion. Other-powder suspension wording can also be mistaken for blanket relief. Resolve classification and handling before dispatch, and agree independent testing and a process trial before accepting repeat supplies.

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.