🇺🇸 United States imports of specialty metals: 2024 trade data
Imports of specialty metals by the United States reached $748.5 million in 2024 (21.7 thousand tonnes). That makes it the largest importer of this product worldwide, out of 168 countries. That is 43% more than in 2023. Over 2017-2024 the trade grew strongly, by about 10% a year on average.
Public statistics, latest reported year 2024. Values in US dollars.
Imports of specialty metals by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $748.5M | 21.7K t |
| 2023 | $524.1M | 14.2K t |
| 2022 | $506.6M | 18.3K t |
| 2021 | $298.9M | 12.8K t |
| 2020 | $301.0M | 11.7K t |
| 2019 | $470.2M | 17.3K t |
| 2018 | $460.8M | 14.8K t |
| 2017 | $382.8M | 13.7K t |
Where the United States imports specialty metals from
The largest suppliers were China (26%), Germany (22%), Brazil (16%). Among the main suppliers, Germany grew fastest (+83% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 China | $194.8M | 26% |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $161.6M | 22% |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | $119.7M | 16% |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $94.2M | 13% |
| 🇨🇱 Chile | $36.6M | 4.9% |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | $29.1M | 3.9% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $22.2M | 3% |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | $18.6M | 2.5% |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | $14.7M | 2% |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | $12.0M | 1.6% |
Types of specialty metals under HS 8112
| 8112.92 | Gallium, germanium, hafnium, indium, niobium (columbium), rhenium and vanadium: articles thereof, unwrought, including waste and scrap, powders | 44% |
| 8112.21 | Chromium and articles thereof: unwrought chromium, powders | 27% |
| 8112.99 | Gallium, germanium, hafnium, indium, niobium (columbium), rhenium and vanadium: articles thereof, other than unwrought including waste and scrap and… | 26% |
| 8112.29 | Chromium and articles thereof: wrought other than waste and scrap | 2.1% |
| 8112.22 | Chromium: waste and scrap | 0.4% |
| 8112.19 | Beryllium and articles thereof: wrought other than waste and scrap | 0.4% |
| 8112.12 | Beryllium and articles thereof: unwrought beryllium, powders | 0.2% |
| 8112.13 | Beryllium: waste and scrap | 0% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 8112.
Average import price of specialty metals
The average declared value was about $34.55 per kg, close to the world average of $32.23.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
The United States also exports specialty metals
Exports of specialty metals by the United States reached $287.6 million in 2024 (2.5 thousand tonnes). It ranks 3rd of 102 countries for exports of this product. Most of it went to Germany (30%), Malaysia (18%), Japan (12%). Among the main buyer markets, Taiwan grew fastest (+356% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $84.9M | 30% |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | $51.9M | 18% |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | $33.6M | 12% |
| Taiwan | $26.2M | 9.1% |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | $11.3M | 3.9% |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | $10.6M | 3.7% |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $10.0M | 3.5% |
| 🇨🇳 China | $7.9M | 2.8% |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | $7.5M | 2.6% |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | $5.5M | 1.9% |
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 8112: Beryllium, chromium, hafnium, rhenium, thallium, cadmium, germanium, vanadium, gallium, indium and niobium (columbium), articles of these metals, including waste and scrap.
Specialty metals trade in the United States: questions
What is the value of specialty metals imported by the United States?
The United States imported specialty metals worth $748.5 million in 2024 (21.7 thousand tonnes).
Where does the United States import specialty metals from?
The main supplier countries in 2024 were China (26%), Germany (22%), Brazil (16%).
What is the average import price of specialty metals in the United States?
The average declared import value was about $34.55 per kg in 2024, against a world average of $32.23 per kg.
Does the United States export specialty metals?
Yes. The United States exported specialty metals worth $287.6 million in 2024, mainly to Germany, Malaysia, Japan.
What is the HS code for specialty metals?
Specialty metals falls under HS heading 8112 (Beryllium, chromium, hafnium, rhenium, thallium, cadmium, germanium, vanadium, gallium, indium and niobium (columbium)). The six-digit codes under it split the product by type.
How can I find the companies trading specialty metals 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.
Specialty metals trade in other countries
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