Coated steel sheets imports in South Africa: data, top suppliers and prices
South Africa imported $454.6 million of coated steel sheets in 2024 (444.7 thousand tonnes). Its share of world imports was 1%. Value rose 11% on 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $454.6M | 444.7K t |
| 2023 | $409.9M | 351.5K t |
| 2022 | $466.3M | 370.1K t |
| 2021 | $557.8M | 533.0K t |
| 2020 | $244.4M | 306.2K t |
| 2019 | $309.2M | 339.8K t |
| 2018 | $294.6M | 299.2K t |
| 2017 | $266.5M | 293.3K t |
Where South Africa imports coated steel sheets from
China alone supplied 62% of it. Among the main suppliers, China grew fastest (+39% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | $279.6M | 62% |
| Germany | $62.6M | 14% |
| Belgium | $26.0M | 5.7% |
| France | $20.3M | 4.5% |
| Japan | $18.2M | 4% |
| Malaysia | $14.4M | 3.2% |
| South Korea | $10.0M | 2.2% |
| Netherlands | $8.7M | 1.9% |
| Austria | $4.2M | 0.9% |
| Spain | $2.3M | 0.5% |
Product types under HS 7210
| 7210.49 | Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, (not corrugated), plated or coated with zinc (not electrolytically) | 35% |
| 7210.12 | Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, plated or coated with tin, thickness of less than 0.5mm | 27% |
| 7210.70 | Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, painted, varnished or coated with plastics | 19% |
| 7210.61 | Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, plated or coated with aluminium zinc-alloys | 11% |
| 7210.50 | Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, plated or coated with chromium oxides or with chromium and chromium oxides | 4% |
| 7210.30 | Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, electrolytically plated or coated with zinc | 2.5% |
| 7210.90 | Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, plated or coated with materials n.e.c. in heading no. 7210 | 0.7% |
| 7210.41 | Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, corrugated, plated or coated with zinc (not electrolytically) | 0.5% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 7210.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $1.02 per kg, close to the world average of $0.99.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Coated steel sheets exports from South Africa
In 2024, South Africa exported coated steel sheets worth $230.8 million (214.4 thousand tonnes). The largest buyer markets were United States (43%), Zimbabwe (14%), Eswatini (7%). Among the main buyer markets, United States grew fastest (+46% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $98.5M | 43% |
| Zimbabwe | $31.6M | 14% |
| Eswatini | $15.1M | 6.5% |
| Botswana | $13.2M | 5.7% |
| Tanzania | $12.3M | 5.4% |
| Namibia | $12.2M | 5.3% |
| Zambia | $10.7M | 4.6% |
| Canada | $8.4M | 3.6% |
| Pakistan | $4.8M | 2.1% |
| Mozambique | $3.7M | 1.6% |
Who is behind these numbers in South Africa?
Public statistics stop at country totals and the last published year. EximDataX shows the shipment records underneath: the companies, dates, quantities and declared values, updated weekly.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Mirror data: built from the shipment records of the countries that trade with it.
Updated weekly on EximDataX (some markets daily), while public statistics stop at 2024.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 7210: Iron or non-alloy steel; flat-rolled products, width 600mm or more, clad, plated or coated.
Common questions
What is the value of coated steel sheets imported by South Africa?
South Africa imported coated steel sheets worth $454.6 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 444.7 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 33rd of 221 countries worldwide, with 1% of world imports. The value was up 11% on 2023.
Which countries supply coated steel sheets to South Africa?
China was the largest supplier with 62% of the value ($279.6 million), followed by Germany (14%) and Belgium (6%). The top three together account for 81%, out of 48 supplier countries in total. South Korea grew fastest among the top ten, up 51% on the year.
What is the average import price of coated steel sheets per kg?
The average declared import value was about $1.02 per kg in 2024, close to the world average of $0.99 per kg. It is total declared value divided by total weight, so it blends every grade and size; use it as a benchmark, not a quote. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
How have imports of coated steel sheets to South Africa changed since 2017?
Imports went from $266.5 million in 2017 to $454.6 million in 2024, an increase of 71%. The peak was 2021 at $557.8 million. Monthly and weekly movements since then are in EximDataX.
Does South Africa also export coated steel sheets?
Yes. South Africa exported $230.8 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to the United States, Zimbabwe and Eswatini. On balance South Africa is a net importer of this product, by about $223.8 million a year.
What is the HS code for coated steel sheets?
The HS code for coated steel sheets is heading 7210. In South Africa the largest six-digit codes were 7210.49 (35% of the value) and 7210.12 (27%). It sits in HS chapter 72 (iron and steel). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 7210 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
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