# Autocatalysts: Movement

Why precious metals fly while catalyst bricks go by road

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/movement/

What this tab covers How it moves between countries: share of output traded, physical form and transport, the largest exporters and importers, main routes, India's trade, and handling rules in transit.

#### Trade in 2024 UN Comtrade, HS 381512
 World exports $11.9 bn 63 reporting exporters · about 89k t Largest exporter Germany 22.7% of world exports Largest importer Germany 28.6% of world imports India imports $201.0 m
exports $35.2 m #12 importer · #23 exporter

#### Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024

Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
 Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 381512: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.

#### HS 381512: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Germany** | 22.7% | $2.70 bn | 14k |
| **United States** | 13.4% | $1.59 bn | 20k |
| **North Macedonia** | 13.2% | $1.57 bn | 8,240 |
| **Poland** | 12.3% | $1.46 bn | 11k |
| **Canada** | 4.8% | $571.6 m | 2,764 |
| **France** | 4.4% | $518.3 m | 8,821 |
| **Japan** | 4.2% | $504.1 m | 2,295 |
| **Sweden** | 4% | $470.9 m | 1,193 |

#### HS 381512: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Germany** | 28.6% | $3.25 bn | 19k |
| **Mexico** | 14.6% | $1.66 bn | 18k |
| **United States** | 7.8% | $884.0 m | 5,564 |
| **China** | 7.2% | $824.6 m | 4,478 |
| **Czechia** | 6.9% | $780.3 m | 6,350 |
| **Portugal** | 4.4% | $499.3 m | 5,896 |
| **Poland** | 3.9% | $440.6 m | 7,005 |
| **Japan** | 2.6% | $300.9 m | 1,399 |

 UN Comtrade 2024, reported by each country (exports by exporters, imports by importers), all partners. Some countries (for example Russia and Iran) do not report, so their shares are missing. HS codes can be broader than the tile: check the code before reading a share as the whole market.

#### How it moves

| Measure | Figure |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Share traded** | high for metal; coated bricks often made in the country of vehicle assembly (indicative) |  |  |
| **How it moves** | Coated bricks in crates by road and container; PGMs by secure air freight; spent converters as scrap |  |  |
| **Routes and chokepoints** | PGMs from South Africa and Russia to Europe, China, Japan, the US and India; scrap converters from the US and Europe to refiners in Belgium, the UK, Germany and the US. |  |  |
| **India** | India imports all PGMs and some coated catalysts. HS 381512: India imported $201 million (1.8% of world imports, rank 12) and exported $35 million (0.3% of world exports, rank 23) (UN Comtrade 2024). |  |  |
| **Handling in transit** | Coated catalysts not dangerous goods; theft risk for scrap converters. |  |  |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/trading/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/autocatalysts/links/index.md)