US tariffs on $200bn (£150bn) worth of Chinese goods could leave UK manufacturers caught in the crossfire.

Trump’s latest list of close to 6,000 items is the biggest round of US tariffs so far, and includes everything from handbags to rice. Crucially for British ceramic manufacturers, bricks, roof tiles and refractories also appear on the list.

Chinese imports of these goods to the US will be hit with this new 10 per cent tariff from September 24, increasing to 25 per cent in January.

China is expected to respond with retaliatory tariffs but America has threatened further escalation, and could place a blanket tariff on all Chinese manufactured goods.

Laura Cohen, Chief Executive of the British Ceramic Confederation, said: “If Chinese goods, originally intended for the US, are rerouted to Britain, many of our manufacturing sectors will become the unwitting casualties.

“Ceramic manufacturing is a British success story, growing out of the recession and creating jobs.  

“We need our politicians and the newly-formed Trade Remedies Authority to stand strong and act in the interests of British jobs and manufacturing.

“China’s state-sponsored industries have the potential to flood our market. We need to respond robustly to retain a level-playing field and prevent being caught in the crossfire.”

Some products included on the tariff list that are of interest to BCC members:

2507.00.00 Kaolin and other kaolinic clays, whether or not calcined

2508.10.00 Bentonite clay, whether or not calcined

2508.40.01 Clays, (not including expanded clays of heading 6806), nesoi, whether or not calcined

2508.50.00 Andalusite, kyanite and sillimanite, whether or not calcined

2508.60.00 Mullite

2508.70.00 Chamotte or dinas earths

2849.10.00 Calcium carbide

2849.90.10 Boron carbide

2849.90.20 Chromium carbide

2849.90.50 Carbides, nesoi

6901.00.00 Siliceous fossil meal or earth bricks, blocks, tiles and other ceramic goods

6902.10.10 Refractory bricks of magnesite, containing by weight o/50% MgO

6902.10.50 Refractory bricks, blocks, tiles and similar goods containing by weight o/50% MgO, CaO, or Cr2O3

6902.20.10 Refractory bricks containing by weight o/50% alumina (Al2O2) or silica (SiO2) or mixtures or compounds thereof

6902.20.50 Refractory blocks, tiles & similar goods (o/than bricks), cont. by wt. o/50% alumina (Al2O2) or silica (SiO2) or mixtures thereof

6902.90.10 Refractory bricks, nesoi

6902.90.50 Refractory blocks, tiles & similar goods (other than bricks), nesoi

6903.10.00 Refractory ceramic goods (o/than of siliceous fossil meals or earths), nesoi, cont. by wt. o/50% graphite or o/forms or mix. of carbon

6903.20.00 Refractory ceramic goods (o/than of siliceous fossil meals or earths), nesoi, cont. by wt. o/50% alumina or mix. or comp. of Al2O3 & SiO3

6903.90.00 Refractory ceramic goods (o/than of siliceous fossil meals or earths), nesoi

6904.10.00 Ceramic building bricks (o/than refractory bricks)

6904.90.00 Ceramic flooring blocks, support or filler tiles and the like (other than bricks)

6905.10.00 Ceramic roofing tiles

6905.90.00 Ceramic chimney pots, cowls, chimney liners, architectural ornaments and other construction goods

6906.00.00 Ceramic pipes, conduits, guttering and pipe fittings

6907.21.10 Unglazed ceramic tiles, other than those of subheading 6907.30 and 6907.40, of H2O absorp coeff by wt <=0.5%

6907.21.20 Glazed ceramic tiles having <=3229 tiles per m2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm, H2O absorp coeff by wt <=0.5%

6907.21.30 Glazed ceramic tiles having surface area <38.7cm2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm, of H2O absorp coeff by wt <=0.5%

6907.21.40 Glazed ceramic tiles having surface area >=38.7cm2, , surf area in sq w/ side <7cm, of a H2O absorp coeff by wt <=0.5%

6907.21.90 Glazed ceramic tiles nesoi, of a H2O absorp coeff by wt <=0.5%

6907.22.10 Unglazed ceramic tiles, other than those of subheading 6907.30 and 6907.40, of H2O absorp coeff by wt exceeding 0.5% but not exceeding 10%

6907.22.20 Glazed ceramic tiles having <=3229 tiles per m2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm, H2O absorp coeff by wt exceeding 0.5% but not exceeding 10%

6907.22.30 Glazed ceramic tiles having surface area <38.7cm2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm, of H2O absorp coeff by wt exceeding 0.5% but not exceeding 10%

6907.22.40 Glazed ceramic tiles having surface area >=38.7cm2, , surf area in sq w/ side <7cm, of a H2O absorp coeff by wt exceeding 0.5% but not exceeding 10%

6907.22.90 Glazed ceramic tiles nesoi, of a H2O absorp coeff by wt exceeding 0.5% but not exceeding 10%

6907.23.10 Unglazed ceramic tiles, other than those of subheading 6907.30 and 6907.40, of H2O absorp coeff by wt >10%

6907.23.20 Glazed ceramic tiles having <=3229 tiles per m2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm, H2O absorp coeff by wt >10%

6907.23.30 Glazed ceramic tiles having surface area <38.7cm2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm, of H2O absorp coeff by wt >10%

6907.23.40 Glazed ceramic tiles having surface area >=38.7cm2, , surf area in sq w/ side <7cm, of a H2O absorp coeff by wt >10%

6907.23.90 Glazed ceramic tiles nesoi, of a H2O absorp coeff by wt >10%

6907.30.10 Unglazed ceramic mosaic cubes, o/t subheading 6907.40

6907.30.20 Glazed ceramic mosaic cubes having <=3229 tiles per m2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm

6907.30.30 Glazed ceramic mosaic cubes having surface area <38.7cm2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm

6907.30.40 Glazed ceramic mosaic cubes having surface area >=38.7cm2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm

6907.30.90 Glazed ceramic mosaic cubes nesoi, o/t subheading 6907.40

6907.40.10 Unglazed finishing ceramics

6907.40.20 Glazed finishing ceramics having <=3229 tiles per m2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm

6907.40.30 Glazed finishing ceramics having surface area <38.7cm2, surf area in sq w/ side <7cm

6907.40.40 Glazed finishing ceramics having surface area >=38.7cm2, , surf area in sq w/ side <7cm

6907.40.90 Glazed finishing ceramics nesoi

6909.11.20 Porcelain or china ceramic machinery parts

6909.11.40 Porcelain or china ceramic wares for laboratory, chemical or other technical uses (other than machinery parts), nesoi

6909.12.00 Ceramic wares (o/than of porcelain or china) for laboratory, chemical or technical uses, w/hardness equivalent to 9 or more on Mohs scale

6909.19.10 Ceramic ferrite core memories

6909.19.50 Ceramic wares for laboratory, chemical or other technical uses (o/than of porcelain or china), nesoi

6909.90.00 Ceramic troughs, tubes & siml. receptacles for agriculture; ceramic pots, jars, & siml. arts. for conveyance or packing of goods

6914.10.40 Porcelain or china ceramic ferrules, n/o 3mm diam or 25mm long, w/fiber channel open. and/or ceramic mating sleeves of Al2O3 or zirconia

6914.10.80 Porcelain or china arts. (o/than tableware/kitchenware/household & ornament. arts),nesoi

6914.90.41 Ceramic (o/porcelain or china) ferrules, n/o 3mm or 25mm long, w/fiber channel open. and/or ceramic mating of sleeves of Al2O3 or zirconia

6914.90.80 Ceramic (o/than porcelain or china) arts. (o/than tableware/kitchenware/household & ornament. arts), nesoi

8505.19.20 Composite goods containing flexible permanent magnets, other than of metal

8505.19.30 Permanent magnets and articles intended to become permanent magnets after magnetization, other than of metal, nesoi

8546.20.00 Electrical insulators of ceramics

8547.10.40 Ceramic insulators to be used in the production of spark plugs for natural gas fueled, stationary, internal?combustion engines

8547.10.80 Insulating fittings for electrical machines, appliances or equipment, of ceramics nesoi

8547.90.00 Electrical conduit tubing and joints therefor, of base metal lined with insulating material; insulating fittings for electrical goods nesoi

As expected, the following codes are NOT on this list:

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Notes to editors

The British Ceramic Confederation is the trade association for the UK ceramic manufacturing industry, representing the common and collective interests of all sectors of the industry. Its member companies cover the full spectrum of ceramic manufacturing, including the supply of materials, and comprise over 90% of the industry’s manufacturing capacity.

For further information please contact: 

Ciara Jagger, Publicity and Project Officer, British Ceramic Confederation, Federation House, Station Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2SA.  

Tel:  01782 572851 M: 07812181872   E-mail:  ciaraj@ceramfed.co.uk    

www.ceramfed.co.uk
Twitter: @ceramfed
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