Sourcing twin-roll strip casters from China
Twin-roll strip-casting machines and dedicated parts from China carry 0% UK duty under heading 8454, with no listed anti-dumping duty. Confirm machinery safety requirements, a declaration of conformity, marking and English instructions for machines supplied in Great Britain with the relevant authority. Cambridge China Bridge sources twin-roll strip-casting machines.
UK duty on twin-roll strip-casting machines
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8454 covers converters, ladles, ingot moulds and casting machines used in metallurgy or metal foundries. Twin-roll strip casters form strip from molten metal between cooled casting rolls. The table distinguishes machine variants and dedicated parts sharing the same tariff lines.
The recorded duty range is uniformly 0% for goods from China. The snapshot lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions, steel measure or attached import controls. Other casting machines are listed under 8454 30 90 00 and parts under 8454 90 00 00.
Treat these as candidate codes and confirm the commodity code from the casting process, drawings and shipment contents. Assess separately supplied equipment and replacement components individually. See continuous-casting machines for the wider product family.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other casting machines: twin-roll strip casters for aluminium alloys | 8454 30 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Dedicated casting-machine roll assemblies, subject to classification | 8454 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the strip, rolls and cooling circuit
Specify the alloy, melt delivery arrangement, strip width and thickness, thickness tolerance, surface condition and intended downstream process. Define casting speed and output against your alloy and acceptance trial. Describe roll material, surface finish, gap adjustment, drive synchronisation, side dams and strip extraction. Agree cooling-water quality, flow, pressure, temperature monitoring and leak detection.
Define the supply boundary around the caster, furnace, melt delivery, extraction and coiling equipment. Agree utilities, foundations, lifting arrangements, commissioning, training and spare rolls. Confirm with the relevant authority how the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 apply to machines supplied in Great Britain, including a declaration of conformity, marking and English instructions. CE marking remains recognised. The responsible person must ensure the technical file is compiled and available on request.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: An illustrative pilot-scale twin-roll strip-casting machine under 8454 30 90 00, invoiced at £230,000 free on board, with £14,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £244,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £244,000, so it is £48,800. 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
Strip trial: witness casting with the agreed alloy and record thickness across the strip and along its length, edge condition, cracks, surface defects and output. Agree sampling locations before the trial.
Rolls and cooling: check roll alignment, gap adjustment, surface condition, cooling connections and circuit leak-test records. After arrival, inspect for transport damage and repeat the agreed alignment and leakage checks before commissioning.
Safety and documents: check guarding around the roll nip and strip extraction, metal-splash protection, interlocks and emergency stops. Match the machine identity to its declaration, marking, English manuals, wiring diagrams and cooling drawings.
Packing and spares: check protection of roll surfaces, labelled connections, lifting points and the packing list. Verify side-dam consumables and spare components against drawings. Use quality inspection to agree inspection stages.
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What goes wrong
A trial with an easier alloy or narrower strip can conceal problems with your intended product. Look for uneven thickness, edge cracking, sticking, surface marks, unstable melt delivery and side-dam leakage. Ask the supplier to demonstrate the agreed strip specification rather than accepting a running-machine video.
Cooling leaks, damaged roll surfaces and lost alignment can delay commissioning after transport. Unclear boundaries between the caster and downstream equipment can leave controls or guarding unfinished. Agree interface drawings, acceptance records and responsibility for the completed installation before shipment.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on twin-roll strip-casting machines from China?
The tariff snapshot records 0% under 8454 30 90 00 for other casting machines and 8454 90 00 00 for parts, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Confirm classification for the actual shipment.
Can a Chinese twin-roll caster carry CE marking in Great Britain?
CE marking remains recognised for machinery in Great Britain. Confirm applicable machinery safety requirements and requirements for supplying a declaration of conformity and English instructions with the relevant authority.
What should the factory casting trial demonstrate?
Use your agreed alloy and strip specification. Check thickness variation, edges, surface defects, casting stability and output, with sampling locations and acceptance criteria agreed beforehand.
Are spare casting rolls covered by the machine's commodity code?
Do not assume they are. Confirm separately supplied rolls and assemblies from their drawings and function; the tariff snapshot lists a separate parts line under 8454 90 00 00.