Stainless steel sheet exports from South Africa: data, top buyers and prices
Exports of stainless steel sheet by South Africa reached $251.4 million in 2024 (104.7 thousand tonnes). Its share of world exports was 1%. Value fell 22% from 2023. Over 2017-2024 it shrank by about 15% a year on average. The peak in this period was 2017, at $792.2 million.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Exports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $251.4M | 104.7K t |
| 2023 | $323.3M | 132.8K t |
| 2022 | $695.7M | 220.6K t |
| 2021 | $619.2M | 234.6K t |
| 2020 | $421.0M | 218.6K t |
| 2019 | $565.9M | 277.6K t |
| 2018 | $733.0M | 342.6K t |
| 2017 | $792.2M | 371.4K t |
Where South Africa exports stainless steel sheet to
Most of it went to Spain (23%), Italy (10%), United Kingdom (8%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 41%. Among the main buyer markets, Poland grew fastest (+162% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | $57.4M | 23% |
| Italy | $25.6M | 10% |
| United Kingdom | $20.9M | 8.3% |
| United States | $15.6M | 6.2% |
| Argentina | $13.4M | 5.3% |
| Netherlands | $12.8M | 5.1% |
| Sweden | $10.9M | 4.3% |
| Poland | $10.4M | 4.2% |
| Mexico | $10.1M | 4% |
| India | $6.7M | 2.7% |
Product types under HS 7219
| 7219.34 | Steel, stainless: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, cold-rolled, of a thickness of 0.5mm or more but not exceeding 1mm | 31% |
| 7219.33 | Steel, stainless: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, cold-rolled, of a thickness exceeding 1mm but less than 3mm | 30% |
| 7219.22 | Steel, stainless: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, hot-rolled, (not in coils), of a thickness of 4.75mm or more but not exceeding 10mm | 14% |
| 7219.21 | Steel, stainless: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, hot-rolled, (not in coils), of a thickness exceeding 10mm | 5.5% |
| 7219.32 | Steel, stainless: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, cold-rolled, of a thickness of 3mm or more but less than 4.75mm | 5.3% |
| 7219.23 | Steel, stainless: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, hot-rolled, (not in coils), of a thickness of 3mm or more but less than 4.75mm | 5.1% |
| 7219.31 | Steel, stainless: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, cold-rolled or cold-reduced, of a thickness of 4.75mm or more | 2.2% |
| 7219.13 | Steel, stainless: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, hot-rolled, in coils, of a thickness of 3mm or more but less than 4.75mm | 2.2% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 7219.
Average export price per kg
The average declared value was about $2.40 per kg, close to the world average of $2.30.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Stainless steel sheet imports to South Africa
South Africa imported $57.0 million of stainless steel sheet in 2024 (22.3 thousand tonnes). The largest suppliers were China (39%), Taiwan (23%), Sweden (13%). Among the main suppliers, Slovenia grew fastest (+356% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | $22.3M | 39% |
| Taiwan | $13.2M | 23% |
| Sweden | $7.7M | 14% |
| Finland | $6.3M | 11% |
| Italy | $1.5M | 2.6% |
| Slovenia | $1.4M | 2.5% |
| Belgium | $941K | 1.7% |
| France | $816K | 1.4% |
| Germany | $764K | 1.3% |
| Indonesia | $588K | 1% |
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
Tell us what you trade and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
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 7219: Stainless steel; flat-rolled products of width of 600mm or more.
Common questions
What is the value of stainless steel sheet exported by South Africa?
South Africa exported stainless steel sheet worth $251.4 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 104.7 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 18th of 133 countries worldwide, with 1% of world exports. The value was down 22% on 2023.
Which countries buy stainless steel sheet from South Africa?
Spain was the largest buyer with 23% of the value ($57.4 million), followed by Italy (10%) and the United Kingdom (8%). The top three together account for 41%, out of 89 buyer countries in total. Poland grew fastest among the top ten, up 162% on the year.
What is the average export price of stainless steel sheet per kg?
The average declared export value was about $2.40 per kg in 2024, close to the world average of $2.30 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 exports of stainless steel sheet from South Africa changed since 2017?
Exports went from $792.2 million in 2017 to $251.4 million in 2024, a fall of 68%. The peak was 2017 at $792.2 million. Monthly and weekly movements since then are in EximDataX.
Does South Africa also import stainless steel sheet?
Yes. South Africa imported $57.0 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly from China, Taiwan and Sweden. On balance South Africa is a net exporter of this product, by about $194.4 million a year.
What is the HS code for stainless steel sheet?
The HS code for stainless steel sheet is heading 7219. In South Africa the largest six-digit codes were 7219.34 (30% of the value) and 7219.33 (30%). It sits in HS chapter 72 (iron and steel). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 7219 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
Public statistics stop at country totals. EximDataX rebuilds South Africa trade from the customs records of its trading partners, updated weekly, so you can see the companies that ship to and from it. Tell us your product and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
Everything we show you comes from official customs filings — records, not claims. 30 minutes. Your shipment. Your HS code. Real platform. If you don’t see something new about your market by the end of the call, we walk away. No follow-ups.