Sourcing weigh-belt feeders from China

Zero duty on conveyor weighing machinery

Heading 8423 covers weighing machinery and its parts. For a weigh-belt feeder that continuously weighs material on a conveyor, the relevant lines distinguish electronic weighing from other methods. The parts rows cover weighing machinery parts, rather than every component fitted to a feeder.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, all the selected lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff facts list no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or import controls for these lines. Import VAT is normally 20%; see import duty and VAT.

Confirm the commodity code from the weighing method, operating description and drawings. A conveyor that merely transports material should not be classified as weighing machinery solely because it has a belt. For the wider heading and batch weighing equipment, see weighing and bagging machines.

Specify the material and dosing behaviour

Specify the material, particle size, bulk density, moisture, abrasiveness and tendency to stick or bridge. Agree the required feed range and acceptable dosing variation, belt width and material, hopper outlet, discharge height, cleaning access and contact surfaces. Describe how the feeder connects to the upstream hopper and downstream process.

Name the load cells, belt-speed sensor, controller and drive in the purchase specification. Agree the site power supply, control signals, alarm behaviour, spare belt and calibration procedure. Require a material trial that compares collected discharge weight with the feeder's recorded total, across the agreed operating range.

A complete feeder placed on the Great Britain market must be safe. Confirm with the relevant authority how the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 apply, including any technical file, declaration of conformity and UKCA or CE marking requirements. Ask for the English manual and electrical schematic. State whether weighing determines payment or only controls process flow; use testing and certification to confirm the applicable metrology requirements.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: One electronic weigh-belt feeder for a small processing business; illustrative values under 8423 20 10 00, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,200, so it is £1,840. 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

Weighing performance: compare collected material with the displayed total, repeat the trial at different feed settings, and check empty-belt zero before and after running. Record the material and settings with the results.

Belt and material flow: check tracking, tension, scraper contact, hopper bridging, leakage and build-up around the weighing section. Repeat these checks on arrival after inspecting the frame and load-cell mounts for transport damage.

Controls and safety: test speed feedback, loss-of-feed alarms, emergency stops and the agreed restart behaviour. Check guards around rollers and drives, wiring identification and access for cleaning. Include these tasks in the inspection brief.

Documents: match the complete machine's declaration, marking and manual to the delivered configuration. Partly completed machinery should have assembly instructions and a declaration of incorporation. For a regulated weighing instrument, the supplementary metrology marking is required alongside CE or UKCA.

What goes wrong

A feeder can pass a static weight check yet give poor dosing with the buyer's material. Uneven hopper discharge, a slipping belt, incorrect speed feedback or material stuck to the belt can distort the relationship between indicated flow and actual discharge. A trial using substitute material may miss bridging and adhesion.

Transport damage, frame twist and changed belt tension can alter readings after installation. Preserve the factory trial records, repeat the material test at the site, and agree who will adjust tracking, recalibrate the feeder and resolve control integration problems before accepting it.

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.