# Fluoropolymers (PTFE, PVDF): Movement

A specialty plastic shipped worldwide in drums

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fluoropolymers/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 390461
 World exports $1.07 bn 59 reporting exporters · about 86k t Largest exporter China 26.3% of world exports Largest importer United States 13.4% of world imports India imports $39.9 m
exports $126.0 m #8 importer · #2 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 390461: 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 390461: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **China** | 26.3% | $282.5 m | 34k |
| **India** | 11.7% | $126.0 m | 12k |
| **United States** | 11.4% | $123.1 m | 6,736 |
| **Germany** | 11.3% | $121.7 m | 5,333 |
| **Italy** | 9.8% | $104.8 m | 6,893 |
| **Netherlands** | 9.3% | $99.6 m | 5,842 |
| **Japan** | 8.5% | $91.3 m | 4,863 |
| **United Kingdom** | 3.4% | $36.9 m | 1,524 |

#### HS 390461: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **United States** | 13.4% | $143.6 m | 11k |
| **Germany** | 12% | $128.5 m | 8,385 |
| **Italy** | 10.6% | $114.5 m | 14k |
| **China** | 7.9% | $85.1 m | 8,918 |
| **Japan** | 7.9% | $84.9 m | 5,401 |
| **South Korea** | 6.3% | $67.9 m | 6,821 |
| **France** | 4.7% | $50.5 m | 2,683 |
| **India** | 3.7% | $39.9 m | 5,299 |

#### HS 390469: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **United States** | 18.5% | $550.3 m | 19k |
| **Japan** | 17.6% | $524.6 m | 18k |
| **China** | 15.9% | $474.0 m | 32k |
| **France** | 14.3% | $424.8 m | 15k |
| **Italy** | 12.1% | $359.7 m | 7,608 |
| **Netherlands** | 5.9% | $174.4 m | 4,974 |
| **Germany** | 5.8% | $173.1 m | 4,638 |
| **India** | 3.5% | $104.0 m | 4,441 |

#### HS 390469: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **United States** | 18.7% | $522.1 m | 17k |
| **China** | 14.2% | $397.0 m | 15k |
| **Germany** | 12.7% | $355.1 m | 13k |
| **South Korea** | 9.2% | $256.6 m | 10k |
| **Japan** | 6.6% | $185.2 m | 5,307 |
| **Italy** | 4.8% | $133.0 m | 7,116 |
| **Austria** | 3.4% | $94.2 m | 2,904 |
| **Mexico** | 3.2% | $89.6 m | 3,631 |

 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; fluoropolymers are specialty products shipped worldwide (indicative, about 40-50% of output crosses borders) |  |  |
| **How it moves** | Powders, granules, pellets and aqueous dispersions in drums, bags and IBCs. Monomers (TFE, VDF) are not shipped and are polymerised on site. |  |  |
| **Routes and chokepoints** | China and Japan to Korea and China battery plants; India to Europe and the US; US and Europe intra-regional. |  |  |
| **India** | India is a net exporter of PTFE and other fluoropolymers led by GFCL (indicative). HS 390461: India imported $40 million (3.7% of world imports, rank 8) and exported $126 million (11.7% of world exports, rank 2); HS 390469: India imported $76 million (2.7% of world imports, rank 11) and exported $104 million (3.5% of world exports, rank 8) (UN Comtrade 2024). |  |  |
| **Handling in transit** | Polymers are not dangerous goods. Above about 400 C PTFE releases toxic fumes (polymer fume fever). Dispersions may contain residual fluorinated surfactants. |  |  |

## Other sections

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