The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Swiss global shipments during 2017. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Switzerland. On the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, the number one Swiss exported product is gold.

1. Gems, precious metals: US$84.6 billion (28.2% of total exports)
2. Pharmaceuticals: $70.3 billion (23.5%)
3. Machinery including computers: $23.7 billion (7.9%)
4. Clocks, watches including parts: $20.2 billion (6.8%)
5. Organic chemicals: $19.8 billion (6.6%)
6. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $16.1 billion (5.4%)
7. Electrical machinery, equipment: $12.2 billion (4.1%)
8. Plastics, plastic articles: $5.1 billion (1.7%)
9. Perfumes, cosmetics: $3.3 billion (1.1%)
10. Articles of iron or steel: $3 billion (1%)

Switzerland’s top 10 exports accounted for 86.2% of the overall value of its global shipments.

Perfumes and cosmetics increased in value at the fastest pace, up by 11.9% in value year over year. This upward trend was largely led by beauty or makeup preparations and preparations for the care of skin (including sunscreen).

Tied in second place for improving export sales up 5.5% were iron or steel articles and machinery including computers.

Pharmaceuticals posted the next fastest gain in value via a 4.2% improvement since 2016.

Overall, Switzerland posted a $31.1 billion trade surplus for 2017. That dollar amount represents a -12.5% drop from the $35.5 billion deficit for 2016.

The following types of Swiss product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. 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 represent 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.

1. Pharmaceuticals: US$41.5 billion (Down by -2.9% since 2016)
2. Clocks , watches including parts: $16.7 billion (Up by 4.8%)
3. Organic chemicals: $8.8 billion (Up by 27.5%)
4. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $8.4 billion (Up by 4.4%)
5. Machinery including computers: $4.9 billion (Down by -3.8%)
6. Perfumes, cosmetics: $1.9 billion (Up by 18.1%)
7. Coffee, tea, spices: $1.4 billion (Up by 10.2%)
8. Base metal tools, cutlery: $845.4 million (Up by 12.8%)
9. Tanning, dyes, paints, varnishes, ink: $820 million (Up by 20.5%)
10. Miscellaneous food preparations: $362.6 million (Down by -1.7%)

Switzerland has highly positive net exports in the international trade of pharmaceuticals. In turn, these cashflows indicate Switzerland’s strong competitive advantages under the drugs and medicines product category.

Below are exports from Switzerland that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Switzerland’s goods trail Swiss importer spending on foreign products.

1. Vehicles: -US$12.6 billion (Up by 2.6% since 2016)
2. Mineral fuels including oil: -$6.1 billion (Up by 27.7%)
3. Gems, precious metals: -$5.3 billion (Up by 368.4%)
4. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: -$3.6 billion (Up by 0.8%)
5. Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): -$2.3 billion (Up by 4.9%)
6. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$2.0 billion (Up by 5.0%)
7. Electrical machinery, equipment: -$1.9 billion (Up by 33.2%)
8. Wood: -$1.3 billion (Up by 5.3%)
9. Plastics, plastic articles: -$1.3 billion (Up by 19.8%)
10. Fruits, nuts: -$1.3 billion (Up by 2.3%)

Switzerland has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for vehicles–notably imported automobiles.

These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Switzerland’s competitive disadvantages in the international vehicles market — no great surprise given its close proximity to neighboring automotive titans including Germany, France, UK and Italy.

Swiss Export Companies

Based on Forbes Global 2000 rankings, here are examples of large international trade players from Switzerland. Shown within parentheses are the types of products each company provides.

• Nestlé (food processing)
• Novartis (pharmaceuticals)
• Roche Holding (pharmaceuticals)
• ABB Group (automation technology)
• Holcim (construction materials)
• Glencore International (diversified metals)
• Syngenta (pesticides, specialized chemicals)
• TE Connectivity (electronics)
• Transocean (offshore drilling equipment)
• Swatch Group (clothing, watches)
• Weatherford International (oil field equipment)
• Schindler Group (escalators, elevators)

Global trade intelligence firm Zepol also documents the following companies as examples of Swiss exporters:

• Baselux Sa Lugano Branch (heterocyclic compounds, printed documents)
• Novametal Sa Switzerland (stainless steel wire, plastic bobbins, aluminum wire)
• Olivado Tanlay (vegetable oil, honey, coconut oil)
• Polarome Switzerland (ketones, acetic acid esthers, acyclic polyhyric acids)
• Starbucks Coffee Trading (coffee, tea, paper bags)