Sourcing underwater pelletisers from China
Underwater pelletising systems from China have a UK duty range of 0% to 0% across the relevant heading 8477 lines, with no recorded trade remedy. Machinery must be safe before it is placed on the Great Britain market or put into service. Cambridge China Bridge sources underwater pelletising systems.
Duty and classification for underwater systems
Heading 8477 covers machinery for working rubber or plastics and manufacturing products from them. An underwater pelletising system cuts polymer melt at the die face in a water-filled chamber, then separates and dries the pellets. The table shows candidate machinery lines and parts, rather than a definitive classification for every assembled system.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the selected lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control was recorded for these lines. The worked order is illustrative, with classification subject to confirmation.
Give your customs broker the process diagram, component list and shipment configuration to confirm the commodity code. Describe whether the shipment is a complete system, a cutting unit or replacement parts. See the plastic strand pelletiser guide for another pelletising configuration within the wider heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutting machinery, a candidate line for underwater pelletisers | 8477 80 95 00 | 0% | None |
| Other plastics machinery, subject to the system's function | 8477 80 99 90 | 0% | None |
| Machinery parts of cast iron or cast steel | 8477 90 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other parts of rubber or plastics machinery | 8477 90 80 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the resin, die face and water circuit
State the polymer grades, melt behaviour, filler content and target pellet shape. Agree a trial using your material and record output, pellet size distribution, fines, agglomerates and residual moisture. Specify the die plate material, hole layout, heating arrangement, cutter adjustment and blade replacement method.
Define the supply boundary: cutting chamber, water circulation, filtration, heat exchange, pellet separation, dryer and controls. Confirm the interfaces with your extruder, available cooling water, electrical supply, drainage and maintenance access. Agree spare blades, seals, screens and die plate drawings.
Machinery must be safe before being placed on the Great Britain market or put into service. Ask for the declaration of conformity, conformity marking, English manuals, wiring diagrams and the safety assessment covering the supplied configuration. Arrange testing and certification support around the actual equipment.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Two underwater pelletising units, illustrative only; classification to be confirmed under 8477 80 95 00, invoiced at £64,000 free on board, with £5,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £69,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £69,000, so it is £13,800. 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
Resin trial: compare retained pellets and process records with the agreed acceptance criteria, including fines, clumping and moisture after drying.
Cutting assembly: inspect the die face, blade condition, adjustment mechanism, chamber seals and alignment; check for leakage during the trial.
Water and drying: check filtration access, circulation, temperature control, pellet separation and dryer vibration; inspect arrival condition for corrosion and transport damage.
Safety and documents: check guards, interlocks, emergency stops, English controls and manuals, nameplates, wiring diagrams and the declaration against the delivered configuration.
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What goes wrong
A trial with an easy-flowing resin can conceal problems with your filled or sticky material. Die holes may freeze during start-up, uneven blade contact can create fines, and poor water control can leave clumped pellets. A dryer that handles the trial resin may leave your product too wet.
Treat the pelletiser, water circuit and dryer as a matched process. Agree start-up, shutdown and cleaning demonstrations with your material, retain trial samples and record settings. Resolve responsibility for connecting the system to your existing line 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 underwater pelletisers from China?
The relevant machinery and parts lines in heading 8477 carry 0% duty in the supplied tariff snapshot, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Confirm the code for your shipment.
Which commodity code covers an underwater pelletising system?
Cutting machinery and other plastics machinery are candidate lines. Give your broker the process diagram, component list and shipment configuration rather than relying on the supplier's product name.
Can the factory trial its own resin instead of mine?
Use your specified material for acceptance. Agree pellet size distribution, fines, agglomerates, output and residual moisture, then retain samples and the corresponding operating settings.
What safety paperwork should I request?
Ask for the declaration of conformity, conformity marking, English manuals, wiring diagrams and safety assessment for the supplied configuration. Check guards, interlocks and emergency stops during acceptance.