# Chemical process catalysts: Movement

How catalyst pellets travel from Europe to Asian plants

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/process_catalysts/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 381590
 World exports $4.45 bn 95 reporting exporters · about 886k t Largest exporter United States 26.4% of world exports Largest importer Thailand 10% of world imports India imports $198.8 m
exports $105.1 m #8 importer · #9 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 381590: 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 381590: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **United States** | 26.4% | $1.17 bn | 250k |
| **Germany** | 23.8% | $1.06 bn | 313k |
| **Japan** | 7.7% | $343.4 m | 13k |
| **China** | 6.3% | $280.8 m | 53k |
| **Netherlands** | 5.7% | $255.5 m | 65k |
| **United Kingdom** | 4.9% | $219.0 m | – |
| **Denmark** | 2.8% | $124.4 m | 11k |
| **Italy** | 2.4% | $108.6 m | 15k |

#### HS 381590: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Thailand** | 10% | $454.0 m | 31k |
| **China** | 9.4% | $427.0 m | – |
| **United States** | 6.8% | $308.3 m | 60k |
| **South Korea** | 6.8% | $307.6 m | 62k |
| **Saudi Arabia** | 5.7% | $259.9 m | 16k |
| **Indonesia** | 5.5% | $251.1 m | – |
| **Germany** | 4.5% | $204.1 m | 39k |
| **India** | 4.4% | $198.8 m | – |

 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; manufacture concentrated in Europe, the US and China (indicative) |  |  |
| **How it moves** | Shaped pellets and rings in drums and big bags by container; precious-metal catalysts by secure freight |  |  |
| **Routes and chokepoints** | Denmark, Germany, UK and US to Asia and the Middle East. |  |  |
| **India** | HS 381590: India imported $199 million (4.4% of world imports, rank 8) and exported $105 million (2.4% of world exports, rank 9) (UN Comtrade 2024). |  |  |
| **Handling in transit** | Pre-reduced nickel and copper catalysts can be pyrophoric (UN2881, class 4.2); others not regulated. |  |  |

## Other sections

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