Sourcing tungsten wire from China

Tungsten wire duty and waste controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, all tungsten wire lines within heading 8101 carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for these lines. The scrap row covers discarded wire, rather than usable production stock. See the wider tungsten products guide.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches import and export waste controls to the wire lines and the scrap line. Environment Agency guidance for England says waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste. The precise requirements for a tungsten-wire waste shipment from China are not established here; confirm them with your customs broker before shipment.

Use commodity-code guidance to distinguish the named wire descriptions from other tungsten wire. Supply composition, maximum cross-sectional dimension and, where relevant, resistance test results. Do not select a named line from the supplier's description alone.

Purity, diameter and winding specification

Specify tungsten content, permitted dopants or alloying additions, diameter and tolerance, surface condition and whether the wire is supplied annealed or as drawn. Agree spool dimensions, winding direction, continuous length, permitted joints and the handling needed for your forming or filament process.

For resistance-critical wire, agree the test length, temperature, contact method and acceptance limits before approving samples. Request batch composition records and link each spool to its production lot. UK REACH generally covers substances on their own, in mixtures and in articles; review the applicable position before importing and supplying the wire in Great Britain.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 kg of other tungsten wire on spools, illustrative order under 8101 96 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 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

Composition: compare batch analysis with the ordered tungsten content and permitted additions; investigate certificates that cannot be linked to the spools.

Diameter and resistance: measure diameter along sampled lengths and check ovality; test electrical resistance using the agreed method.

Surface and handling: inspect for cracks, scratches and contamination; trial unwinding and forming against the approved sample.

Spools and traceability: check winding, tangles, loose ends and spool damage; match labels, net mass and lot references to the packing list.

What goes wrong

Wire can match the nominal diameter but vary along its length, giving inconsistent resistance or forming behaviour. A substituted composition or different annealing condition can also change performance. Keep an approved sample and agree which measurements support acceptance.

Poor winding causes tangles and breakage during unwinding; surface damage can remain hidden beneath outer layers. Sample beneath the outer winding and trial the wire on the intended equipment. Keep rejected production stock separate from material offered as scrap, and resolve its waste status before arranging an international shipment.

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.