by Flagpictures.org
From January to September 2018, Germany’s exported goods were valued at $1.181 trillion. This 9-month metric puts German exports on track for an annualized $1.56 trillion estimated for all 2018 and a projected 7.6% year-over-year gain.
Based on estimates from the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook, Germany’s exported goods plus services represent 47.3% of total German economic output or Gross Domestic Product. Please note that the overall value of exported goods and services includes a sizable share of re-exports. The analysis below focuses on exported products only.
From a continental perspective, 65.9% of German exports by value were delivered to other European countries while 18.3% were sold to Asian importers. Germany shipped another 10.5% worth of goods to North America. Smaller percentages went to customers in Africa (2%) and Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean (1.6%).
Given Germany’s population of 80.6 million people, its total $1.445 trillion in 2017 exports translates to roughly $17,900 for every resident in the European economic hub.
Germany’s unemployment rate was 3.3% as of November 2018 — an improvement from the 3.6% jobless rate as reported by Trading Economics 12 months earlier.
Germany’s Top 10 Exports
Top 10
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in German global shipments during 2017. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Germany.
- Vehicles: US$257.2 billion (17.8% of total exports)
- Machinery including computers: $245.4 billion (17%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $148.8 billion (10.3%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $84.1 billion (5.8%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $72.8 billion (5%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $63.6 billion (4.4%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $41.8 billion (2.9%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $30.5 billion (2.1%)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $26.8 billion (1.9%)
- Iron, steel: $26.4 billion (1.8%)
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section Searchable List of Germany’s Most Valuable Export Products further down near the bottom of this article.
Germany’s top 10 exports accounted for over two-thirds (69%) of the overall value of its global shipments.
Iron and steel represent the fastest-growing among the top 10 export categories, up 21.4% from 2016 to 2017.
In second place for improving export sales was the optical, technical and medical apparatus category which gained 11.5% in value.
Machinery including computers appreciated by 9.9%, trailed by the pharmaceuticals category up 9.1% year over year.
Two top categories declined, namely aircraft or spacecraft (down -6.1%) and mineral fuels including oil (down -8.4%).
Advantages
Overall, Germany posted a trade surplus equal to $276.6 billion in 2017. That dollar amount of black ink represents a 4.9% uptick from the $263.6-billion surplus during 2010 but a -1.2% dip from Germany’s $280.1-billion trade surplus during 2016.
As of June 2018, Germany’s trade surplus stood at $147 billion up 11.8% compared to the first 6 months of 2017.
The following types of German product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus for 2017. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. In a nutshell, net exports reflect the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Vehicles: US$134 billion (Up by 0.7% since 2016)
- Machinery including computers: $96.8 billion (Up by 12.1%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $32.5 billion (Up by 20.1%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $30.5 billion (Up by 8.9%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $24.6 billion (Down by -0.1%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $19.1 billion (Down by -12.5%)
- Other chemical goods: $10.2 billion (Up by 4.7%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $7.2 billion (Down by -0.9%)
- Paper, paper items: $6.2 billion (Up by 5.4%)
- Tanning, dyes, paints, varnishes, ink: $6 billion (Up by 4.6%)
Germany has highly positive net exports in the international trade of cars and automotive parts. In turn, these cashflows indicate Germany’s strong competitive advantages and engineering excellence under the vehicles product category.
Opportunities
Below are exports from Germany that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Germany’s goods trail German importer spending on foreign products.
- Mineral fuels including oil: -US$69.4 billion (Up by 41% since 2016)
- Organic chemicals: -$9.1 billion (Up by 86.6%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$9.1 billion (Down by -3.4%)
- Fruits, nuts: -$8.9 billion (Up by 10.6%)
- Ores, slag, ash: -$7.8 billion (Up by 27.7%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): -$7.7 billion (Down by -11.9%)
- Gems, precious metals: -$5.6 billion (Up by 214.6%)
- Vegetables: -$5.6 billion (Up by 5.4%)
- Footwear: -$4.9 billion (Down by -5.6%)
- Oil seeds: -$4.3 billion (Up by 4.6%)
Germany has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for both crude oil and refined petroleum.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Germany’s competitive disadvantages in the international oil market, but also represent key opportunities for Germany to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations in alternative energy sources.
Companies
German Export Companies
Fifty-two German corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. Below is a sample of major German export companies:
- Adidas (apparel/accessories)
- Allianz (diversified insurance)
- BASF (diversified chemicals)
- Bayer (diversified chemicals)
- BMW Group (cars, trucks)
- Continental (automotive parts)
- Daimler (cars, trucks)
- Fresenius (medical equipment, supplies)
- Heidelberg Cement (construction materials)
- Henkel (household/personal care items)
- Linde (diversified chemicals)
- Merck (pharmaceuticals)
- Siemens (conglomerate, engineering)
- Volkswagen Group (cars, trucks)
Searchable List of Germany’s Most Valuable Export Products
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, Germany’s top export products are cars followed by automotive parts and accessories then therapeutic or prophylactic drugs and medicines.
The following searchable table displays 200 of the most in-demand goods shipped from Germany during 2017. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2016.
| Rank | German Export Product | 2017 Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cars | $157.4 billion | +3.6% |
| 2 | Automobile parts/accessories | $62.5 billion | +10.9% |
| 3 | Medication mixes in dosage | $52.7 billion | +8.5% |
| 4 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $30.8 billion | -12.3% |
| 5 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $24.9 billion | +8.9% |
| 6 | Miscellaneous machinery | $16.1 billion | +18.9% |
| 7 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $15.1 billion | +23.2% |
| 8 | Computers, optical readers | $14.9 billion | +22.7% |
| 9 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $14.1 billion | +7.9% |
| 10 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $14 billion | +12.6% |
| 11 | Piston engine parts | $13.7 billion | +5.1% |
| 12 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $12.8 billion | +13.7% |
| 13 | Mobile phones, other phone devices | $12.4 billion | -5.3% |
| 14 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $12.4 billion | +5.7% |
| 15 | Processed petroleum oils | $12.3 billion | +12.5% |
| 16 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $12 billion | +14.1% |
| 17 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $11.8 billion | +10.1% |
| 18 | Aircraft parts | $10.9 billion | +17.2% |
| 19 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $10.6 billion | +10.3% |
| 20 | Trucks | $10.3 billion | -0.1% |
| 21 | Printing machinery | $9.7 billion | +9.8% |
| 22 | Air or vacuum pumps | $9.6 billion | +6.8% |
| 23 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $9 billion | +9.5% |
| 24 | Other measuring/testing machines | $8.9 billion | +10.5% |
| 25 | Tractors | $8.9 billion | +6.4% |
| 26 | Electrical converters/power units | $8.7 billion | +12.5% |
| 27 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $8.5 billion | +15.9% |
| 28 | Turbo-jets | $7.8 billion | -4% |
| 29 | Insulated wire/cable | $7.8 billion | +11.9% |
| 30 | Dishwashing, clean/dry/fill machines | $7.7 billion | +5.2% |
| 31 | Electric motors, generators | $7.6 billion | +9% |
| 32 | Miscellaneous furniture | $7.5 billion | +3.2% |
| 33 | Petroleum gases | $7.3 billion | +27.6% |
| 34 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $6.7 billion | +7.4% |
| 35 | Engines (diesel) | $6.6 billion | +10.4% |
| 36 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $6.3 billion | +7.8% |
| 37 | Trailers | $6.3 billion | +10.6% |
| 38 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $6.2 billion | +13.3% |
| 39 | Rubber/plastic article making machines | $6 billion | +10.2% |
| 40 | Regulate/control instruments | $5.9 billion | +17% |
| 41 | Rubber tires (new) | $5.9 billion | +7% |
| 42 | Temperature-change machines | $5.7 billion | +19.4% |
| 43 | Orthopedic appliances | $5.6 billion | +0.1% |
| 44 | Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches | $5.5 billion | +13.8% |
| 45 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $5.2 billion | +11.4% |
| 46 | Aluminum plates, sheets, strips | $5.2 billion | +6.9% |
| 47 | Ball, roller bearings | $5.1 billion | +16.4% |
| 48 | X-ray equipment | $5.1 billion | +8.2% |
| 49 | Base metal mountings, fittings | $5 billion | +5.4% |
| 50 | Piston engines | $5 billion | +4.3% |
| 51 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $4.9 billion | +11.4% |
| 52 | Chocolate, other cocoa preparations | $4.8 billion | +7.1% |
| 53 | Swine meat | $4.8 billion | +9.5% |
| 54 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $4.7 billion | +8.3% |
| 55 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $4.7 billion | +13.6% |
| 56 | Gold (unwrought) | $4.7 billion | -8.9% |
| 57 | Lifting/loading machinery | $4.7 billion | +17.6% |
| 58 | Liquid/gas checking instruments | $4.7 billion | +16.3% |
| 59 | Machinery parts | $4.6 billion | +13.3% |
| 60 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $4.6 billion | +7% |
| 61 | Cheese, curd | $4.4 billion | +20.3% |
| 62 | Cruise/cargo ships, barges | $4.4 billion | +17.3% |
| 63 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $4.3 billion | +5.7% |
| 64 | Interchangeable hand/machine tools | $4.3 billion | +9.3% |
| 65 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $4.3 billion | +8.3% |
| 66 | Plastic tubes, pipes, fittings | $4.2 billion | +13.2% |
| 67 | Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides | $4.2 billion | +4.4% |
| 68 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $4.1 billion | +6.7% |
| 69 | Vulcanized rubber items | $3.9 billion | +10.1% |
| 70 | Electrical lighting/signaling equpment, defrosters | $3.9 billion | +10.7% |
| 71 | Computer parts, accessories | $3.9 billion | +52.9% |
| 72 | Other organic cleaning preparations | $3.8 billion | +6.7% |
| 73 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $3.8 billion | +6.1% |
| 74 | Harvest/threshing machinery | $3.8 billion | +16.2% |
| 75 | Electrical machinery | $3.8 billion | +6.4% |
| 76 | Other machine parts, accessories | $3.8 billion | +12% |
| 77 | Unrecorded sound media | $3.7 billion | -15.7% |
| 78 | Ethylene polymers | $3.7 billion | +6% |
| 79 | Initiators/accelerators, catalytic preps | $3.7 billion | -1.6% |
| 80 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $3.7 billion | +7.2% |
| 81 | Special purpose vehicles | $3.6 billion | +9.7% |
| 82 | Iron or steel scrap | $3.6 billion | +29.7% |
| 83 | Coated paper | $3.6 billion | +4.8% |
| 84 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $3.5 billion | +8.3% |
| 85 | Fork-lift trucks | $3.4 billion | +14.8% |
| 86 | Heterocyclics, nucleic acids | $3.4 billion | +1.4% |
| 87 | Other food preparations | $3.4 billion | +9.2% |
| 88 | Lamps, lighting, illuminated signs | $3.4 billion | +3.3% |
| 89 | Radar, radio communication items | $3.4 billion | +17.3% |
| 90 | Cellulose fiber paper | $3.3 billion | +4.4% |
| 91 | Spray/dispersing mechanical appliances | $3.3 billion | +13.4% |
| 92 | Footwear (leather) | $3.3 billion | +24.1% |
| 93 | Cigars/cigarellos, cigarettes | $3.3 billion | -12.1% |
| 94 | Propylene/olefin polymers | $3.3 billion | +16.2% |
| 95 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $3.3 billion | +22.5% |
| 96 | Electrical energy | $3.2 billion | +5.3% |
| 97 | Paper containers, cellulose wadding | $3.2 billion | +8.1% |
| 98 | Electric storage batteries | $3.1 billion | +29% |
| 99 | Miscellaneous engines, motors | $3.1 billion | +11.6% |
| 100 | Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods | $3.1 billion | -2.6% |
| 101 | Pneumatic hand tool | $3 billion | +8.3% |
| 102 | Amino-resins | $3 billion | +18.6% |
| 103 | Print/write/draw inks | $3 billion | +0.9% |
| 104 | Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools | $3 billion | +36.6% |
| 105 | Men's suits, trousers (not knit or crochet) | $2.9 billion | +20.2% |
| 106 | Flat-rolled other alloy steel products | $2.9 billion | +21.5% |
| 107 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $2.8 billion | +11.6% |
| 108 | Metal-working machinery | $2.8 billion | +18.3% |
| 109 | Self-adhesive plastic in rolls | $2.8 billion | +11.3% |
| 110 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $2.8 billion | +18.5% |
| 111 | Polyamides | $2.7 billion | +20.7% |
| 112 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $2.7 billion | +40.5% |
| 113 | Copper plates, sheets, strips | $2.7 billion | +20.2% |
| 114 | Coffee | $2.6 billion | +13.8% |
| 115 | Women's clothing (not knit or crochet) | $2.6 billion | +26.1% |
| 116 | Uncoated paper | $2.5 billion | +2.5% |
| 117 | Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers | $2.5 billion | +10% |
| 118 | Industrialpreparation machinery | $2.5 billion | +4.7% |
| 119 | Electric generating sets, converters | $2.4 billion | -26.8% |
| 120 | Metal soldering/hot-spray equipment | $2.4 billion | +21.5% |
| 121 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $2.4 billion | +19.5% |
| 122 | Refrigerators, freezers | $2.4 billion | +5.1% |
| 123 | Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet) | $2.4 billion | +22.2% |
| 124 | Copper wire | $2.3 billion | +11.9% |
| 125 | T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet) | $2.3 billion | +18.8% |
| 126 | Sort/screen/washing machinery | $2.2 billion | +8.1% |
| 127 | TV/radio/radar device parts | $2.2 billion | +7.3% |
| 128 | Models, puzzles, miscellaneous toys | $2.2 billion | +9.4% |
| 129 | Machinery for making semi-conductors | $2.2 billion | +25.3% |
| 130 | Motorcycles | $2.2 billion | +20.7% |
| 131 | Yachts, other pleasure/sports vessels | $2.2 billion | +53.3% |
| 132 | Flour/meal/starch/malt extract food preparations | $2.2 billion | +22% |
| 133 | Sawn wood | $2.1 billion | +15.1% |
| 134 | Lubricant preparations | $2.1 billion | +12.7% |
| 135 | Footwear (textile) | $2.1 billion | +48.2% |
| 136 | Paint/varnish non-aqueous solution | $2.1 billion | +5.5% |
| 137 | Iron or steel tubes, pipes | $2.1 billion | +11.6% |
| 138 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $2.1 billion | -0.01% |
| 139 | Lenses, prisms, mirrors | $2.1 billion | +21.6% |
| 140 | Prepared glues, other adhesives | $2.1 billion | +18.1% |
| 141 | Coated/laminated non-wovens | $2.1 billion | +8.2% |
| 142 | Acrylic polymers | $2 billion | +9.7% |
| 143 | Electric ignition/start equipment | $2 billion | +11.4% |
| 144 | Platinum (unwrought) | $2 billion | +40.3% |
| 145 | Scents used for beverage or industrial manufacturing | $2 billion | +8.8% |
| 146 | Filament/discharge lamps | $2 billion | +26.5% |
| 147 | Jewelry | $2 billion | +8.1% |
| 148 | Fiberboard | $1.9 billion | +6.6% |
| 149 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $1.9 billion | +23.7% |
| 150 | Railway/streetcar miscellaneous parts | $1.9 billion | +2.5% |
| 151 | Optical fiber cables, sheets, plates | $1.9 billion | +18.4% |
| 152 | Glaze/graft putty, cement, filling | $1.9 billion | +6.3% |
| 153 | Other coloring matter, luminophores | $1.9 billion | +21.4% |
| 154 | Vinyl chloride polymers | $1.9 billion | +13% |
| 155 | Miscellaneous aluminum items | $1.8 billion | +12.2% |
| 156 | Machine tools for assembling | $1.8 billion | +11.4% |
| 157 | Microphones/headphones/amps | $1.8 billion | +11.2% |
| 158 | Uncoated paper for writing/printing | $1.8 billion | +1.3% |
| 159 | Non-alcoholic drinks (not water/juice/milk) | $1.8 billion | +9.1% |
| 160 | Air conditioners | $1.8 billion | +12% |
| 161 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $1.8 billion | +12.9% |
| 162 | Perfumes, toilet waters | $1.8 billion | -1.8% |
| 163 | Acyclic alcohols | $1.8 billion | +21.2% |
| 164 | Monofilaments | $1.8 billion | +9.3% |
| 165 | Aluminum bars/rods | $1.7 billion | +17.4% |
| 166 | Printed matter including photos | $1.7 billion | -2% |
| 167 | Synthetic rubber | $1.7 billion | +22.7% |
| 168 | Copper waste, scrap | $1.7 billion | +29.3% |
| 169 | Insulating fitting | $1.7 billion | +25.8% |
| 170 | Railway/streetcar coaches, vans, trucks | $1.7 billion | +50.6% |
| 171 | Derricks, cranes | $1.7 billion | +12.1% |
| 172 | Miscellaneous iron or steel tubes, pipes | $1.7 billion | +16.4% |
| 173 | Footwear (rubber or plastic) | $1.6 billion | +14.9% |
| 174 | High-voltage switches, fuses | $1.6 billion | +1.6% |
| 175 | Women's clothing (knit or crochet) | $1.6 billion | +33.3% |
| 176 | Table games, bowling equipment | $1.6 billion | +53.9% |
| 177 | Plastic builders' items | $1.6 billion | +9.5% |
| 178 | Wheat | $1.6 billion | -16.9% |
| 179 | Printed books, brochures | $1.6 billion | +5.6% |
| 180 | Iron or steel springs, leaves | $1.6 billion | +13% |
| 181 | Aluminum foil (thin) | $1.6 billion | +7.6% |
| 182 | Moulding boxes/base | $1.6 billion | +16% |
| 183 | Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs) | $1.6 billion | +4.7% |
| 184 | Machine-tool for metal | $1.6 billion | +5.1% |
| 185 | Iron or steel pipe fittings | $1.6 billion | +7.3% |
| 186 | Biodiesel | $1.6 billion | +9.2% |
| 187 | Miscellaneous meat (preserved/prepared) | $1.5 billion | +8.9% |
| 188 | Electric motor parts | $1.5 billion | -2.6% |
| 189 | Precious metal compounds | $1.5 billion | +42.2% |
| 190 | Aluminum waste, scrap | $1.5 billion | +14.4% |
| 191 | Bridge structures, parts | $1.5 billion | +0.3% |
| 192 | Concentrated/sweetened milk, cream | $1.5 billion | +18.1% |
| 193 | Medication mixes not in dosage | $1.5 billion | +296.8% |
| 194 | Vacuum cleaners | $1.5 billion | +22.3% |
| 195 | Silver (unwrought) | $1.5 billion | +9.8% |
| 196 | Sanitary towels, baby napkins/liners | $1.5 billion | -4.1% |
| 197 | Public-transport vehicles | $1.5 billion | +12.4% |
| 198 | Not concentrated/unsweetened milk, cream | $1.5 billion | +14.6% |
| 199 | Vulcanized rubber tubes, pipes | $1.5 billion | +12.9% |
| 200 | Central heating boilers | $1.5 billion | +10.1% |
These 200 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$1.109 trillion or over three-quarters (76.5%) by value for all products exported from Deutschland during 2017.
See also Germany’s Top 10 Imports, Germany’s Top Trading Partners, Top German Trade Balances and Germany’s Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on July 30, 2018
The World Factbook, Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on July 30, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on December 31, 2018
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 30, 2018
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Germany. Accessed on July 30, 2018
Forbes 2015 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on July 30, 2018
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