Sourcing tungsten tubes from China

Tungsten tube duty and waste controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8101 covers tungsten and its articles, including waste and scrap. Finished tungsten tubes are candidates for the other-articles line, 8101 99 90 00. The table also distinguishes solid stock bought for machining tubes and discarded tube material; these are different goods, not alternative codes for the same finished tube.

All listed lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied facts record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for the finished-article line, but attach import and export waste controls to it and the scrap line. For waste imported into England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent. Confirm waste status and the applicable procedure with your customs broker before shipping from China.

Provide composition, manufacturing condition, drawings and intended use when confirming the commodity code. The solid worked-stock line has an anti-dumping registration control; the published background identifies its application to consignments from Laos and Thailand, rather than direct consignments from China. Check routing if buying that stock. See the tungsten rods guide for wider heading coverage.

Specify the bore, wall and tungsten composition

State whether you need pure tungsten or a tungsten alloy, with composition and density acceptance criteria. Define outside diameter, bore diameter, wall thickness, length, straightness, concentricity and surface finish on the drawing. Describe the operating temperature, atmosphere and mating parts so the supplier can identify manufacturing or machining concerns.

Agree whether the tube is supplied as sintered, further worked or finish machined, and whether any seam is acceptable. Define bore cleanliness, end preparation and inspection access. Request batch certificates and agree how composition and density will be independently checked.

UK REACH registration applies to substances and, in certain limited cases, substances in articles. Assess the supplied form and composition rather than assuming a tube has the same registration position as tungsten powder. Agree any end-use documentation with the customer before ordering.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 kg of tungsten tubes; values are illustrative, not a quotation under 8101 99 90 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £30,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,800, so it is £6,160. 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

Dimensions: measure outside diameter, bore and wall thickness against the drawing; check variation along the tube, straightness and concentricity.

Material: match batch markings to the certificate, verify composition by laboratory analysis and check density against the agreed specification.

Soundness: inspect ends and bore for chips, cracks and machining damage; agree a suitable method for checking internal defects with the testing laboratory.

Packing and cleanliness: check for blocked bores, loose machining debris and chipped ends; confirm supports prevent tubes striking each other. Define the checks in your inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A tube can meet its outside diameter while having an eccentric bore or uneven wall. Porosity, an alloy substitution or cracks at machined ends can also defeat the intended use. A material certificate alone does not establish that the finished tube meets the drawing.

Agree acceptance criteria for bore geometry, density and defects before production. Keep the approved sample, drawing and batch records together, and resolve discrepancies before shipment. Ask the laboratory to confirm that its proposed inspection method suits the tube's geometry.

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.