The UK Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has confirmed that anti-dumping tariffs on excavator imports from China will remain in place, following the conclusion of a formal reconsideration process.
In its final decision, published on 22 December 2025, the TRA said it found no grounds to amend its original recommendation. The measures, which took effect on 14 May 2025, will therefore continue unchanged.
The reconsideration was triggered by submissions from LiuGong Group and Caterpillar, both of which challenged elements of the original investigation.
LiuGong argued that battery-electric excavators should be excluded from the scope of the measure, while Caterpillar questioned the calculation of its individual anti-dumping margin and requested a reassessment of the injury and dumping calculations. After reviewing both submissions, the TRA concluded that neither justified a revision of its original findings.
The original investigation was launched following a complaint from JCB, which alleged that excavators imported from China were being sold in the UK at unfairly low prices, causing material injury to domestic manufacturers.
Under the final recommendation — accepted by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade — anti-dumping duties range from 18.81% for a sampled exporter to a residual rate of 40.08% for other suppliers.
What it means for the market
For UK dealers, the decision provides continued pricing protection and greater certainty when planning stock and forward orders. Distributors of Chinese-built machines will need to maintain higher list prices or absorb part of the tariff cost, potentially narrowing competitive gaps between brands.
For Irish dealers and importers, while the measures do not apply in the Republic of Ireland, the ruling is still relevant. Shared supply chains and cross-border distribution mean UK pricing pressure can influence availability, lead times and price positioning in the Irish market.
For plant hire companies, the continuation of the tariffs is expected to support residual values on existing fleets but may slow replacement cycles for some models, encouraging longer ownership periods or increased interest in used equipment.
Overall, the decision underlines the robustness of the UK’s trade remedies regime and signals limited scope for successful challenges once measures are in force.
