Wire and thread-rolling machines from China
Machine tools that work metal without removing material, other than presses and benders, such as wire drawing machines, drawbenches for bars and tubes, thread-rolling machines, spring coilers and wire-forming machines, pay 2% UK duty from China on all 5 lines with no anti-dumping duty. They must meet the UK machinery supply rules. Cambridge China Bridge sources them.
Wire drawing machines, drawbenches, thread-rolling machines, spring coilers and wire-forming machines from China pay 2% UK duty. Safety, set-up and an example.
2% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, other machine tools for working metal without removing material, heading 8463, carried 2% on goods from China on all five lines: drawbenches for wire, other drawbenches for bars, tubes and profiles, thread-rolling machines, machines for working wire and other machines, with no anti-dumping measure.
Presses, bending, folding and shearing machines are in heading 8462 (see our press brakes guide). Confirm the commodity code from what the machine does to the metal.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drawbenches for wire | 8463 10 10 00 | 2% | None |
| Other drawbenches for bars, tubes and profiles | 8463 10 90 00 | 2% | None |
| Thread-rolling machines | 8463 20 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Machines for working wire (such as spring coilers and wire formers) | 8463 30 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Other | 8463 90 00 00 | 2% | None |
Machinery rules
Each machine placed on the UK market must meet the essential health and safety requirements of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, with a declaration of conformity, marking and instructions in English. With no dedicated type standard for most of these machines, the builder's risk assessment to BS EN ISO 12100 and guarding to BS EN ISO 14120 carry the weight, so ask to see them.
Wire and spring machines have fast-moving feed rolls and tooling that trap fingers, and wire under tension can whip if it breaks, so guards and interlocks around the feed and forming area matter most.
Specifying a machine
For wire drawing, specify inlet and finished wire diameter, material, number of dies, speed and take-up. For thread rolling, specify thread size and length range, die type and production rate. For spring and wire-forming machines, specify wire range, number of axes, the parts to be made and the control. Add the voltage and supply, and the tooling and spares to ship with the machine.
Worked duty example
An invented example rather than a quote: 3 flat-die thread-rolling machines, commodity code 8463 20 00 00, bought for £54,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance, so £58,000 is the value customs works from. Duty at the 2% rate for thread-rolling machines is £1,160. VAT at 20% applies to £59,160, so £11,832. A VAT-registered buyer usually recovers the VAT, so the border adds £1,160 to the landed cost. See calculating UK import duty and VAT for the method.
Inspection checklist
Production test: run the machine at the factory on your wire or blanks and check the output against your drawing, including thread gauging for rolled threads and dimensions and free length for springs, over a run long enough to show consistency.
Guarding: check fixed and interlocked guards around feed rolls, dies and forming tools against BS EN ISO 14120, test every emergency stop, and check the electrical panel against BS EN 60204-1.
Documents and tooling: check the declaration of conformity, risk assessment summary, English manual, wiring diagrams, dies and tooling list before crating, and check the machine is braced for shipping.
What goes wrong
These machines fail on output, tooling and guarding. Thread-rolling dies or drawing dies wear fast because of poor steel or hardness, springs vary in free length because the control or feed slips, export models ship without full guarding round the feed rolls, and tooling for your parts is missing or made to the wrong drawing.
Run a production test on your own material, agree the tooling list, and check guarding before crating. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources wire drawing, thread-rolling and spring machines for UK fastener, spring and wire makers, checking the builder's capability before an order. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on thread-rolling machines from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, thread-rolling machines (8463 20 00 00) carried 2% from China with no anti-dumping measure.
Are spring coiling machines in this heading?
Yes. Machines for working wire, including spring coilers, are 8463 30 00 00 at 2%.
Are presses the same heading?
No. Presses, bending, folding and shearing machines are in heading 8462.
What safety evidence should I ask for?
The declaration of conformity and the builder's risk assessment to BS EN ISO 12100, with guarding to BS EN ISO 14120.