# Shower Head Supplier for the United Kingdom

Source: https://www.ningboware.com/sourcing/united-kingdom/
Publisher: Cixi Zhonghe Sanitary Appliance Factory (ZHONGHE), Cixi, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. Contact: steven@ningboware.com
Updated: 2026-09-03

ZHONGHE, a shower head factory in Cixi, Ningbo, China, supplies United Kingdom importers, brands and online sellers with shower handsets, hoses, riser rails, holders and filter cartridges. UK fittings are 1/2 inch BSP, the same parallel thread as G1/2, so heads and hoses fit without conversion, and low pressure gravity systems are specified separately. OEM and ODM from about 2,000 units.

Also called: shower head manufacturer for UK market; shower head supplier United Kingdom; China shower head factory exporting to the UK; shower handset supplier; shower hose supplier UK; shower riser rail manufacturer; WRAS shower head manufacturer China; BS EN 1112 shower head supplier; 1/2 inch BSP shower head factory; low pressure shower head supplier UK; private label shower head supplier UK; shower head wholesale supplier for UK distributors

Country: United Kingdom (GB), Europe
Port: Felixstowe and Southampton
Sea transit: approximately 30 to 38 days by sea from Ningbo-Zhoushan
Marketplaces: Amazon.co.uk, eBay.co.uk, Screwfix, Toolstation, Victorian Plumbing

### How buyers in United Kingdom say it

Local term | Language | English | Note
--- | --- | --- | ---
shower head | English | shower head | written as two words in UK listings, unlike the US showerhead
shower handset | English | hand shower | the trade term for the head on a hose; used by wholesalers and spares listings
shower hose | English | shower hose | commonly 1/2 inch BSP female at both ends
shower riser rail | English | slide bar | the vertical rail; riser rail kit means rail, holder, hose and handset
slider rail kit | English | slide bar set | the packaged set as sold in DIY chains
shower rose | English | shower head | older trade word, still seen in plumbing merchant listings
drencher head | English | overhead rain shower | trade word for a large fixed overhead head
power shower | English | pumped shower | a pumped system, not a product ZHONGHE makes; buyers use the word when they mean high flow
low pressure shower head | English | gravity-fed shower head | sells on gravity tank systems common in older UK housing
1/2 inch BSP | English | G1/2 parallel thread | the same thread as G1/2 (BSPP, ISO 228); no adapter needed
limescale | English | hard water scale | the word UK listings use for the deposit anti-clog nozzles address
eco shower head | English | water saving shower head | the usual UK retail phrase for a reduced-flow head

Item | Detail
--- | ---
Threads and fitment | 1/2 inch BSP, the same parallel thread as G1/2 (BSPP, ISO 228), on handsets, hoses and outlets, so no conversion is needed; riser rails are commonly 25 mm and the holder is specified to the rail
Flow rules | No single national flow ceiling applies to shower heads; water companies and the Water Fittings Regulations govern fittings, and specifications are commonly written as a flow at a stated pressure because gravity systems can run near 0.1 MPa
Certification and import documents | WRAS approval or an equivalent Regulation 4 route is commonly requested for water fittings; BS EN 1112 for shower outlets and BS EN 1113 for hoses are typically referenced; UKCA or CE marking applies only when an electrical function is added; certified options are available on request
Water and product fit | Hard water is normal across the South East, East Anglia and the Midlands and soft in Scotland, Wales and the North West, so filter and anti-clog silicone nozzle heads sell in the south and low pressure performance sells nationally
Sales channels | Amazon.co.uk, eBay.co.uk and online bathroom retailers such as Victorian Plumbing; Screwfix, Toolstation, B&Q and Wickes in DIY; plumbing merchants for trade volume
Port and transit | Felixstowe and Southampton, approximately 30 to 38 days by sea from Ningbo-Zhoushan; London Gateway is also used
MOQ and timing | MOQ from about 2,000 units; about 30 days of production on existing molds, appearance design about 15 days, internal structure about 15 days and a new mold about 60 days
Local terms | shower head, shower handset, shower hose, shower riser rail, slider rail kit, shower rose, drencher head, low pressure shower head, eco shower head, limescale

## Fitment and thread standards in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is the easiest large market to fit. What UK trade calls 1/2 inch BSP is the same parallel thread as G1/2 (BSPP, ISO 228), so a ZHONGHE handset screws onto a UK hose and a UK hose screws onto a UK bar mixer or bath filler without an adapter. Hoses are commonly 1/2 inch BSP female at both ends, with a cone seal and a washer; conical versus flat seats and the washer material are worth stating in the RFQ, because a hose that seals on the wrong face will weep at the mixer even though the thread is right.

The other fitment question is the riser rail. UK slider rail kits are commonly built around a 25 mm rail, and a holder sized for a thinner rail will not clamp it, so the rail diameter goes into the specification alongside the thread. Where a legacy or imported fitting turns up, the S (M22.1 x 1.5), G (M21.3 x 1.5), K (M21.5 x 2) and M (M22.1 x 1.75) adapter set covers the head side. State the rail diameter, the hose length and the seal type and ZHONGHE writes them into the drawing before samples are cut.

## Regulations, certifications and import documents

Water fittings in the United Kingdom sit under the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations, and the practical route most buyers take is WRAS approval or an equivalent Regulation 4 acceptance from an approved body; merchants and housebuilders commonly ask for it before they specify a fitting, while marketplace and DIY channels often do not. BS EN 1112 for shower outlets and BS EN 1113 for shower hoses are typically referenced in tender documents and retailer specifications. UKCA or CE marking is relevant only where an electrical function such as an LED module is added; a plain mechanical shower head carries neither. Confirm which route your channel requires before sampling.

There is no single national flow ceiling for shower heads in the way the United States has one, so the useful number is a flow at a stated pressure. Many older UK homes run gravity-fed hot water from a loft tank at low head, which is why low pressure performance is a selling point rather than a footnote. ZHONGHE flow tests selected specifications at 0.3MPa under factory conditions, where water-saving specifications have measured about 50 to 70 percent lower flow than standard types, and can quote a spray pattern chosen for a low supply pressure. Component and plating reports are supplied and third-party scheme testing is arranged per project; certified options are available on request. Confirm the commodity code and duty with your customs broker.

## What sells in the United Kingdom: water conditions, channels and product fit

Water hardness is the strongest regional signal in the UK range. London, the South East, East Anglia and much of the Midlands draw hard water over chalk and limestone, so limescale is a word every consumer listing uses: anti-clog silicone nozzle faces that can be rubbed clean, filter handsets and replacement cartridges all sell on that. Scotland, Wales and the North West are soft, and there the argument moves to spray feel, low pressure performance and finish. Chlorinated mains supply keeps activated carbon and mixed media cartridges in range across the country.

The channel mix is unusually online. Amazon.co.uk, eBay.co.uk and specialist bathroom retailers carry a large share of consumer volume, so listing photography, the hose length in inches and millimetres and a clear eco or flow claim matter. Screwfix, Toolstation, B&Q and Wickes want retail-ready cartons, barcodes and an instruction sheet; plumbing merchants want the fitting standard and, often, the approval reference. Price tiers run from a plain chrome ABS handset at the opening point through multi-function and filter handsets to riser rail kits and drencher sets. Custom packaging can be discussed from about 2,000 units, which is also where MOQ commonly starts.

## Logistics, terms and how to start

United Kingdom programs commonly route through Felixstowe or Southampton, approximately 30 to 38 days by sea from Ningbo-Zhoushan, with London Gateway also in service. FOB Ningbo is the term most often quoted for a first order, leaving the buyer's forwarder in control of the ocean leg, while EXW, CIF and DDP are quoted where the buyer prefers them. Payment norms in this trade typically involve a deposit with the balance against a shipping document, agreed per buyer. Confirm the commodity code, duty and VAT treatment with your customs broker before the proforma is signed.

To start, send the product type, the thread and seal, the riser rail diameter, the hose length, the target flow at a stated pressure, the finish, the packaging format and the quantity. ZHONGHE quotes against existing molds where one fits, sends samples, and moves to production once the sample and the artwork are approved. Guide timing is about 30 days of production on existing molds, plus about 15 days for a new appearance design, about 15 days for internal structure design and about 60 days for a new mold. Every finished unit is water tested before packing, with leakage checks at 0.5MPa in selected processes.

## FAQ

### Do your shower heads fit UK fittings?

Yes. What UK trade calls 1/2 inch BSP is the same parallel thread as G1/2 (BSPP, ISO 228), so handsets and hoses fit without an adapter. State the seal type, conical or flat, and the washer, because a hose sealing on the wrong face can weep even with the right thread. For slider rail kits, state the rail diameter, commonly 25 mm, so the holder clamps properly.

### Can you supply a WRAS approved shower head?

WRAS approval or an equivalent Regulation 4 route is arranged per project with an approved body where the specification requires it, and is never claimed in advance. The factory supplies component and plating reports and flow data at a stated pressure to support an application. Certified options are available on request.

### Will the head work on a low pressure gravity system?

Many older UK homes run gravity-fed hot water at low head, so the specification should state the flow required and the pressure it must be met at rather than a flow figure alone. The factory flow tests selected specifications at 0.3MPa under factory conditions and can choose a spray pattern and nozzle plate suited to a low supply pressure, then verify it on samples.

### Do shower heads need UKCA or CE marking in the UK?

A plain mechanical shower head normally carries neither. UKCA or CE marking becomes relevant when an electrical function such as an LED module is added, and the applicable route is confirmed per project. BS EN 1112 for shower outlets and BS EN 1113 for hoses are commonly referenced in retailer and tender specifications instead.

### Which China factory supplies shower heads to UK importers?

ZHONGHE, Cixi Zhonghe Sanitary Appliance Factory in Cixi, Ningbo, Zhejiang. It has produced shower products since 2001, runs 15 injection molding machines and 4 production lines, shows 115 models in its online catalog, water tests 100 percent of finished units before packing, and supplies UK importers, brands and online sellers from about 2,000 units.

## Related pages

- https://www.ningboware.com/sourcing/shower-head-supplier-for-europe-uk-importers/
- https://www.ningboware.com/sourcing/germany/
- https://www.ningboware.com/resources/shower-hose-and-thread-standards/
- https://www.ningboware.com/resources/importing-shower-heads-certifications-compliance/
- https://www.ningboware.com/shower-heads/anti-clog-silicone-nozzle-shower-heads/
- https://www.ningboware.com/shower-heads/hand-shower-sets-with-hose-and-holder/