Paints and coatings: Movement
Why paint is made near where it is used
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 320890
World exports $8.84 bn 129 reporting exporters · about 1.36 m t Largest exporter Germany 13.6% of world exports Largest importer China 12% of world imports India imports $175.1 mexports $48.4 m #15 importer · #27 exporter
Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024
Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 320890: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.HS 320890: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 13.6% | $1.20 bn | 168k |
| Japan | 10.6% | $934.7 m | 35k |
| United States | 9.9% | $877.2 m | 72k |
| Italy | 8.1% | $720.7 m | 145k |
| Netherlands | 5.9% | $523.7 m | 83k |
| South Korea | 5.3% | $472.6 m | 66k |
| China | 4.8% | $427.7 m | 127k |
| United Kingdom | 4.1% | $364.5 m | 59k |
HS 320890: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 12% | $968.4 m | 60k |
| United States | 5.1% | $414.2 m | 40k |
| Germany | 5% | $401.9 m | 64k |
| South Korea | 3.9% | $313.5 m | 16k |
| Netherlands | 3.8% | $305.6 m | 62k |
| Mexico | 3.8% | $302.8 m | 40k |
| Türkiye | 3.7% | $302.1 m | 57k |
| Poland | 3.6% | $290.8 m | 47k |
HS 320990: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 16.9% | $533.9 m | 80k |
| United States | 10.2% | $321.8 m | 74k |
| Italy | 7.3% | $229.9 m | 59k |
| France | 7% | $220.8 m | 61k |
| United Kingdom | 5.7% | $178.7 m | 58k |
| Netherlands | 5.1% | $160.3 m | 33k |
| China | 4.8% | $151.8 m | 66k |
| Spain | 4.8% | $150.9 m | 53k |
HS 320990: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 9% | $269.5 m | 31k |
| Germany | 7% | $210.7 m | 52k |
| Mexico | 6% | $180.9 m | 54k |
| China | 5.7% | $172.7 m | 24k |
| Poland | 4.9% | $147.2 m | 38k |
| Czechia | 4.6% | $139.2 m | 38k |
| France | 4.6% | $137.4 m | 30k |
| Canada | 4.4% | $130.9 m | 28k |
How it moves
| Measure | Figure | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Share traded | small, probably under 10% of output (indicative, basis: paint is about one-third water by weight and low value per kg, so it is made near customers) | ||
| How it moves | Cans, pails and drums by road; bulk totes for industrial users. Multinationals build local plants rather than export. | ||
| Routes and chokepoints | Mostly regional. Raw materials (TiO2, monomers) move by sea from China, Korea and the Gulf into South Asia; the Strait of Hormuz matters for Gulf monomers and solvents. | ||
| India | India makes almost all the paint it uses. HS 320890: India imported $175 million (2.2% of world imports, rank 15) and exported $48 million (0.5% of world exports, rank 27); HS 320990: India imported $51 million (1.7% of world imports, rank 16) and exported $6 million (0.2% of world exports, rank 39) (UN Comtrade 2024). | ||
| Handling in transit | Solvent-borne paint: UN1263, class 3 flammable liquid; water-borne paint is generally not regulated (indicative). |