🇺🇸 United States imports of optical elements: 2024 trade data
In 2024, the United States imported optical elements worth $1.68 billion (2.4 thousand tonnes). That makes it the 2nd largest importer of this product worldwide, out of 220 countries. Value fell 5% from 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable.
Public statistics, latest reported year 2024. Values in US dollars.
Imports of optical elements by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1.68B | 2.4K t |
| 2023 | $1.77B | 2.6K t |
| 2022 | $1.83B | 3.1K t |
| 2021 | $1.74B | 2.5K t |
| 2020 | $1.28B | 2.1K t |
| 2019 | $1.49B | 2.5K t |
| 2018 | $1.56B | 2.6K t |
| 2017 | $1.48B | 2.9K t |
Where the United States imports optical elements from
The largest suppliers were Japan (40%), Germany (12%), China (12%). Among the main suppliers, Hong Kong grew fastest, more than tenfold on the year before.
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇯🇵 Japan | $668.6M | 40% |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $206.6M | 12% |
| 🇨🇳 China | $200.3M | 12% |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | $117.9M | 7% |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | $73.9M | 4.4% |
| Taiwan | $59.9M | 3.6% |
| 🇭🇰 Hong Kong | $44.5M | 2.7% |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | $39.8M | 2.4% |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | $33.0M | 2% |
| 🇮🇱 Israel | $30.7M | 1.8% |
Types of optical elements under HS 9002
| 9002.11 | Lenses: objective, for cameras, projectors or photographic enlargers or reducers, mounted, being parts or fittings for instruments or apparatus, of… | 55% |
| 9002.19 | Lenses: objective, (other than for cameras, projectors or photographic enlargers or reducers), mounted, of any material (excluding elements of glass… | 24% |
| 9002.90 | Optical elements: n.e.c. in heading no. 9002 (e.g. prisms and mirrors), mounted, being parts or fittings for instruments or apparatus, of any… | 18% |
| 9002.20 | Filters: mounted as parts or fittings for instruments or apparatus, of any material (excluding elements of glass not optically worked) | 3.3% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 9002.
Average import price of optical elements
The average declared value was about $686.69 per kg, 52% above the world average of $452.00. This usually points to higher-grade or processed goods.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
The United States also exports optical elements
The United States exported $730.9 million of optical elements in 2024 (1.2 thousand tonnes). That makes it the 6th largest exporter of this product worldwide, out of 172 countries. The largest buyer markets were Singapore (11%), Netherlands (11%), Germany (10%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 32%. Among the main buyer markets, Taiwan grew fastest (+48% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | $77.9M | 11% |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $77.4M | 11% |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $75.2M | 10% |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | $71.8M | 9.8% |
| Taiwan | $69.7M | 9.5% |
| 🇨🇳 China | $63.2M | 8.6% |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | $35.3M | 4.8% |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $33.9M | 4.6% |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | $29.6M | 4.1% |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | $28.1M | 3.9% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United States?
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.
Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
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 9002: Lenses, prisms, mirrors and other optical elements, of any material, mounted, being parts or fittings for instruments or apparatus, other than such elements of glass not optically worked.
Optical elements trade in the United States: questions
What is the value of optical elements imported by the United States?
The United States imported optical elements worth $1.68 billion in 2024 (2.4 thousand tonnes).
Where does the United States import optical elements from?
The main supplier countries in 2024 were Japan (40%), Germany (12%), China (12%).
What is the average import price of optical elements in the United States?
The average declared import value was about $686.69 per kg in 2024, against a world average of $452.00 per kg.
Does the United States export optical elements?
Yes. The United States exported optical elements worth $730.9 million in 2024, mainly to Singapore, Netherlands, Germany.
What is the HS code for optical elements?
Optical elements falls under HS heading 9002 (Lenses, prisms, mirrors and other optical elements, of any material, mounted, being parts or fittings for instruments or). The six-digit codes under it split the product by type.
How can I find the companies trading optical elements with the United States?
These public statistics stop at country level. EximDataX has a direct customs feed for the United States with shipment-level records, updated weekly, where you can see the importers and exporters by name.
Optical elements trade in other countries
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