Boom-lift imports need an order-level guarantee decision.

Establish the security required for each order.

The provisional measure has applied since 20 August 2026. Its maximum duration is six months from the day after publication, ending earlier if a definitive remedy is implemented. The security becomes payable only if definitive measures are imposed. Trade remedies notice 2026/23.

The notice covers specified boom lifts originating from China, including certain sections. The import or customs lead should establish the product, origin, classification, customs value and exporter treatment for the actual order. The country from which it is shipped cannot settle its origin.

Security equals customs value multiplied by the applicable provisional rate. The notice gives Zhejiang Dingli a 16.25% rate, listed non-sampled cooperating exporters 28.12%, Lingong 64.25% and the residual category 71.74%. A named-exporter treatment needs the prescribed invoice declaration and corresponding additional code. Missing the required invoice or declaration brings the residual treatment into play under the notice.

Finance also needs the instrument's actual terms. A cash deposit affects available cash; a bond or bank guarantee uses an agreed facility and may require collateral or fees. Obtain those terms from the provider before treating the instrument as available. HMRC guidance on provisional duties.

An order can be viable while the batch exceeds capacity.

A sales contribution figure and a guarantee amount answer different questions. Contribution shows the commercial return under the company's agreed assumptions. The security amount shows how much facility or cash must be committed while the order proceeds.

Calculate contribution after financing costs and the company's stated duty scenario, using evidenced customer recovery terms. Label the scenario and keep its assumptions visible. An expected refund or an informal promise to recover the amount from a customer provides a weak basis for approving scarce capacity.

The Finance Director should set the minimum acceptable contribution and the available security limit before considering the batch. Use one defined allocation period and cut-off time. Include every affected unreserved order known by that cut-off that expects to draw on the same facility during the period.

Carry existing active reservations forward once and exclude their orders from the unreserved list. Available capacity is total approved capacity less those reservations. A reserved order returns to the candidate list only when its reservation is formally released, with the amount removed from committed capacity at the same transition.

This prevents an order from receiving capacity twice and makes a later increase in the facility traceable. Adding an order, changing capacity or moving an order between periods requires a new snapshot.

Allocate only after evidence and economics pass.

This is a management allocation method. Customs and guarantee specialists establish the transaction treatment and instrument terms; the company controls contribution floors, commercial priorities and capacity approval.

First hold any order with unresolved product, origin, valuation, exporter or invoice evidence for the import lead to resolve. Next send an order below the contribution floor to the Commercial Director for revised terms. Equality with the floor passes.

Sort all remaining orders by earliest evidenced release deadline, then higher contribution, then lower secured amount. Place undated orders after every dated order. If all those values are equal, the Managing Director records a choice and rationale before the tied set or later orders receive capacity.

Walk that priority list once. If an order's security fits the remaining balance, Finance reserves it and deducts the amount. Equality with the balance passes and leaves zero available. If it exceeds the balance, leave the balance unchanged and send the order to a capacity decision. Continue to the next candidate, which may require a smaller amount.

For each capacity decision, the Finance Director records one action: request extra capacity, revise shipment timing, revise order shape or terms, or pause the order. A request authorises no extra security by itself. Written capacity approval, confirmed revised inputs or an evidenced change of period triggers the next snapshot.

Two passing orders can require different release dates.

This illustration uses invented order values, contributions and company limits. Assume £130,000 approved security capacity, no existing reservations and a £60,000 contribution floor. All three orders have confirmed customs evidence and the stated exporter treatment.

Every order passes evidence and economics. B receives the first reservation because it has the earliest deadline, leaving £59,700. A exceeds that balance by £5,300 and goes to a capacity decision. C fits the unchanged balance and proceeds, leaving £35,325.

Finance now selects an action for A using the actual facility and delivery evidence. Suppose it chooses to request additional capacity. With B and C reserved, A needs £29,675 more total approved capacity to proceed. A new total limit of £159,675 carries £94,675 of existing reservations once and leaves exactly £65,000 for A.

The £5,300 shortfall observed before C's allocation is no longer the current request amount. Recalculating against active reservations prevents an outdated request from appearing sufficient. Entering the original rows in a different order cannot change the published priority sequence.

Keep the release record beside the order.

Finance owns one snapshot record and a row for each order. Use the following fields to keep the next decision executable.

A final priority tie stays with the Managing Director until the written choice exists. A paused order stays outside new reservations until a recorded decision reopens it. Release each proceeding order only against its current evidence, approved economics and recorded reservation.