Imported structural steel for UK projects

Why UK projects import structural steel

International factories offer capacity and capability that can be hard to secure domestically — large fabrication volumes, steel and aluminium under one roof, and competitive production costs. The trade-off is complexity: supplier selection, certification checks, documentation, customs and freight all sit between the factory and your site.

That complexity is why many UK buyers avoid importing directly — and why a managed route exists. KLY gives UK buyers access to international manufacturing capability through a UK-managed, documented route: one UK-accountable company from requirement to site delivery.

Who is the importer?

Every import into the UK has an importer of record — the party responsible for customs declarations, import duties and compliance. Buy directly from an overseas factory and that party is usually you: your business needs an EORI number, customs entries and a freight chain, and carries the border risk.

KLY acts as the UK importer for its standard supply route, managing import coordination, customs documentation and delivery to site. The customer contracts with KLY in the UK — one company accountable for the building from factory to site. KLY offers DDP, with landed cost and delivery terms clear before order.

EN 1090 for imported steelwork

EN 1090 covers execution and conformity-assessment requirements for structural steel and aluminium components. Factory location alone does not prove or disprove suitability: buyers must check the applicable certificate, scope and project requirements.

What matters is scope. Execution classes run from EXC 1 to EXC 4, set by the structure’s consequence class — and a factory’s certificate covers specific classes, materials and welding processes. Every KLY structural package is manufactured through an EN 1090-certified factory and includes EN 1090 evidence. Our global factory capability extends up to EXC4, matched to the actual structure and project requirements.

The documentation pack

Documentation is where imported steel most often goes wrong — and where a managed route earns its keep. The pack should be agreed at quotation and prepared alongside production. Depending on the agreed scope, it typically includes:

• —Declaration of Performance (DoP)
• —CE / UKCA marking documentation
• —Material test certificates (EN 10204 3.1)
• —Welding procedure and welder qualification records
• —Inspection and dimensional check reports
• —Coating and galvanising records
• —Packing lists and delivery documentation
• —Third-party inspection reports where agreed

What buyers should confirm before ordering

Whether you import directly or through a managed route, these are the questions that separate a documented package from an expensive surprise:

• —Factory EN 1090 certification — sight the certificate, not just the claim
• —Execution class required by your structure's consequence class, and whether the factory certificate covers it
• —Welding scope: processes and materials covered by the factory's qualifications
• —The documentation pack — agreed in writing at quotation, not after production
• —Who acts as the importer of record, and who handles customs and duties
• —Delivery terms: DDP or otherwise, and what the landed cost includes
• —Site access, offload responsibility and delivery programme

Under KLY’s route these points are handled as standard — see engineering & documentation for the full process.

Official guidance

The applicable product, customs and project requirements should be confirmed for each order. The following official sources inform this guide:

• GOV.UK — Construction Products Regulation in Great Britain
• GOV.UK — Customs valuation and Incoterms
• GOV.UK — Product marking, conformity and documentation

This page is practical procurement guidance, not project-specific engineering, customs or legal advice.