Made principally from silica, glass is a hardened material that is typically transparent but can also be produced in many different colors and textures. Glass-related products include architectural glass, mirrors, stained glass windows, glass tiles, eyeglasses as well as many household glassware items such as bottles, jars and pitchers.
Among continents, Europe sold the highest dollar worth of exported glass and glassware during 2018 with shipments valued at $33.5 billion or 43.8% of the global total. Close behind in second place were Asian exporters at 43.4% while 10.5% of worldwide glass and glassware shipments originated from suppliers in North America. Smaller percentages came from Africa (1.1%), Latin America (1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
For research purposes, the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 70 for glass and glassware. There are many subcategories; a small sampling includes:
- Glass fibers, glass wool and related articles (16.6% of the overall total)
- Tempered and laminated safety glass (14%)
- Household glassware including tableware, kitchenware, bathroom items, indoor decorations (11%)
- Glass sheets (5.5%)
Top Glass and Glassware Exports by Country
Top 15
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of glass and glassware during 2018.
- China: US$16.9 billion (22% of total glass/glassware exports)
- Germany: $7.7 billion (10.1%)
- United States: $5.8 billion (7.6%)
- France: $3.5 billion (4.6%)
- Japan: $3.3 billion (4.3%)
- Hong Kong: $3.1 billion (4%)
- Italy: $2.8 billion (3.6%)
- Belgium: $2.4 billion (3.1%)
- Poland: $2.3 billion (3%)
- Taiwan: $2 billion (2.6%)
- Czech Republic: $2 billion (2.6%)
- South Korea: $1.8 billion (2.3%)
- Mexico: $1.6 billion (2.1%)
- Spain: $1.6 billion (2.1%)
- Netherlands: $1.5 billion (1.9%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped over three-quarters (76%) of all glass and glassware exports in 2018.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing glass/glassware exporters since 2014 were: South Korea (up 33%), Poland (up 15.8%), Hong Kong (up 9.6%) and Germany (up 5.3%).
Five countries posted declines in their exported glass/glassware sales namely: Japan (down -9.8%), Taiwan (down -5.2%), Italy (down -3.9%), France (down -1.6%) and Belgium (down -0.1%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for glass and glassware during 2018. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported glass and glassware and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- China: US$9.1 billion (net export surplus up 4.2% since 2014)
- Germany: $1.5 billion (up 15.4%)
- Hong Kong: $1.1 billion (up 764.9%)
- Czech Republic: $956.9 million (down -10.2%)
- Japan: $848 million (down -26%)
- Poland: $710.1 million (down -4.8%)
- Italy: $641.5 million (down -17.6%)
- Belgium: $428.4 million (up 4.4%)
- Taiwan: $409.7 million (up 238.4%)
- Bulgaria: $284.4 million (up 11.1%)
- Luxembourg: $256.2 million (up 32.3%)
- Egypt: $249.8 million (up 56%)
- Hungary: $225.2 million (up 1.9%)
- Turkey: $184.6 million (down -0.7%)
- Malaysia: $166.7 million (reversing a -$25.1 million deficit)
China has the highest surplus in the international trade of glass and glassware. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms China’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for glass and glassware during 2018. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported glass and glassware purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$2.9 billion (net export deficit up 75.9% since 2014)
- Canada: -$2 billion (up 4.1%)
- United Kingdom: -$1.1 billion (down -7.8%)
- Australia: -$730.6 million (up 15.8%)
- Switzerland: -$527.8 million (up 13.7%)
- Singapore: -$526.2 million (down -12.7%)
- South Korea: -$510 million (down -63.9%)
- India: -$450.7 million (up 297.6%)
- Sweden: -$430.4 million (up 64.4%)
- Spain: -$384.3 million (up 146.7%)
- Norway: -$360.1 million (up 5%)
- Netherlands: -$357.3 million (up 1,281%)
- France: -$355.5 million (up 184.4%)
- Romania: -$324.1 million (up 47.9%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$322.5 million (up 46.2%)
The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of glass and glassware. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for glass and glassware-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Companies
Glass-Related Exporters
Below are global producers that represent established players engaged in the international trade of glass and glassware ranging from crystal glassware, glass ceramics, tempered glass and Venetian glass. Shown within parenthesis is the home country where the headquarters is located.
- AGC Inc. (Japan)
- Barovier & Toso (Italy)
- Corning Incorporated (United States)
- Duralex (France)
- Fuyao Glass Industry Group (China)
- Moser AS (Poland)
- Schott AG (Germany)
- Val Saint Lambert (Belgium)
According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers are examples of companies engaged in the international trade of glass sheets. The home-country location for each business is shown within parentheses:
- Emerge Glass India Private Ltd. (India)
- MP Ventures (United States)
- Rheix Italia SRL (Italy)
- Sun Aluminium Holdings (Hong Kong)
- Sungil Innotech (South Korea)
- Tsy Fong Glass Co. (Taiwan)
- Wakodo Co. (Japan)
- Zouping Daixi Industry And Trade Co. (China)
Searchable List of Glass and Glassware Exporters in 2018
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the columns.
| Rank | Exporter | Glass/Glassware Exports (US$) | %World Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | China | $16.9 billion | 22% |
| 2. | Germany | $7.7 billion | 10.1% |
| 3. | United States | $5.8 billion | 7.6% |
| 4. | France | $3.5 billion | 4.6% |
| 5. | Japan | $3.3 billion | 4.3% |
| 6. | Hong Kong | $3.1 billion | 4% |
| 7. | Italy | $2.8 billion | 3.6% |
| 8. | Belgium | $2.4 billion | 3.1% |
| 9. | Poland | $2.3 billion | 3% |
| 10. | Taiwan | $2 billion | 2.6% |
| 11. | Czech Republic | $2 billion | 2.6% |
| 12. | South Korea | $1.8 billion | 2.3% |
| 13. | Mexico | $1.6 billion | 2.1% |
| 14. | Spain | $1.6 billion | 2.1% |
| 15. | Netherlands | $1.5 billion | 1.9% |
| 16. | United Kingdom | $1.3 billion | 1.7% |
| 17. | Malaysia | $1.2 billion | 1.6% |
| 18. | Austria | $1.1 billion | 1.5% |
| 19. | Turkey | $966.7 million | 1.3% |
| 20. | Vietnam | $908 million | 1.2% |
| 21. | Hungary | $892.7 million | 1.2% |
| 22. | India | $888.6 million | 1.2% |
| 23. | Russia | $744.4 million | 1% |
| 24. | Thailand | $724.3 million | 0.9% |
| 25. | Portugal | $689.7 million | 0.9% |
| 26. | Slovakia | $616.5 million | 0.8% |
| 27. | Canada | $608.3 million | 0.8% |
| 28. | Switzerland | $508.5 million | 0.7% |
| 29. | Egypt | $463.5 million | 0.6% |
| 30. | Bulgaria | $463.5 million | 0.6% |
| 31. | Sweden | $456.9 million | 0.6% |
| 32. | Denmark | $391.5 million | 0.5% |
| 33. | Luxembourg | $377.1 million | 0.5% |
| 34. | Indonesia | $303.5 million | 0.4% |
| 35. | United Arab Emirates | $302.5 million | 0.4% |
| 36. | Singapore | $296.7 million | 0.4% |
| 37. | Finland | $277.1 million | 0.4% |
| 38. | Belarus | $262.4 million | 0.3% |
| 39. | Brazil | $258.3 million | 0.3% |
| 40. | Romania | $217.4 million | 0.3% |
| 41. | Croatia | $215 million | 0.3% |
| 42. | Slovenia | $213.3 million | 0.3% |
| 43. | Colombia | $177.3 million | 0.2% |
| 44. | Lithuania | $177.3 million | 0.2% |
| 45. | South Africa | $177.3 million | 0.2% |
| 46. | Latvia | $171.3 million | 0.2% |
| 47. | Ukraine | $160.4 million | 0.2% |
| 48. | Estonia | $141.5 million | 0.2% |
| 49. | Ireland | $119 million | 0.2% |
| 50. | Saudi Arabia | $114 million | 0.1% |
| 51. | Costa Rica | $112.3 million | 0.1% |
| 52. | Philippines | $101.2 million | 0.1% |
| 53. | Peru | $90.1 million | 0.1% |
| 54. | Iran | $85.4 million | 0.1% |
| 55. | Norway | $75.2 million | 0.1% |
| 56. | Serbia | $74.6 million | 0.1% |
| 57. | Bahrain | $68.8 million | 0.1% |
| 58. | Israel | $67.4 million | 0.1% |
| 59. | Morocco | $66.5 million | 0.1% |
| 60. | Australia | $65.5 million | 0.1% |
| 61. | Moldova | $51.1 million | 0.1% |
| 62. | Chile | $50.4 million | 0.1% |
| 63. | Tunisia | $44.5 million | 0.1% |
| 64. | Greece | $43.5 million | 0.1% |
| 65. | Argentina | $38.9 million | 0.1% |
| 66. | Algeria | $36.3 million | 0.05% |
| 67. | Kyrgyzstan | $32 million | 0.04% |
| 68. | Guatemala | $24.5 million | 0.03% |
| 69. | Tanzania | $23.8 million | 0.03% |
| 70. | New Zealand | $20.7 million | 0.03% |
| 71. | Sri Lanka | $18.1 million | 0.02% |
| 72. | North Macedonia | $15.7 million | 0.02% |
| 73. | Kuwait | $15.7 million | 0.02% |
| 74. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $14.6 million | 0.02% |
| 75. | Pakistan | $14.2 million | 0.02% |
| 76. | Paraguay | $13.5 million | 0.02% |
| 77. | Ecuador | $11.7 million | 0.02% |
| 78. | Armenia | $11.6 million | 0.02% |
| 79. | Malta | $11.3 million | 0.01% |
| 80. | Oman | $11.2 million | 0.01% |
| 81. | Georgia | $10.2 million | 0.01% |
| 82. | Macao | $9.9 million | 0.01% |
| 83. | Kenya | $9 million | 0.01% |
| 84. | Uzbekistan | $8.1 million | 0.01% |
| 85. | Lebanon | $7.5 million | 0.01% |
| 86. | Nigeria | $6.6 million | 0.01% |
| 87. | Cameroon | $6.3 million | 0.01% |
| 88. | North Korea | $6.2 million | 0.01% |
| 89. | Jordan | $5.9 million | 0.01% |
| 90. | Syrian Arab Republic | $5.6 million | 0.01% |
| 91. | Kazakhstan | $5.4 million | 0.01% |
| 92. | Venezuela | $4.8 million | 0.01% |
| 93. | Myanmar (Burma) | $4.3 million | 0.01% |
| 94. | Panama | $3.8 million | 0.005% |
| 95. | Albania | $3.3 million | 0.004% |
| 96. | El Salvador | $2.8 million | 0.004% |
| 97. | Trinidad/Tobago | $2.5 million | 0.003% |
| 98. | Uruguay | $1.5 million | 0.002% |
| 99. | Ghana | $1.3 million | 0.002% |
| 100. | Dominican Republic | $1.2 million | 0.002% |
| 101. | Eswatini | $1.2 million | 0.002% |
| 102. | Barbados | $1.2 million | 0.002% |
| 103. | Namibia | $1.2 million | 0.002% |
| 104. | Honduras | $1.2 million | 0.002% |
| 105. | Nepal | $1.1 million | 0.001% |
| 106. | Bangladesh | $1 million | 0.001% |
| 107. | Bolivia | $926,000 | 0.001% |
| 108. | Ivory Coast | $913,000 | 0.001% |
| 109. | Nicaragua | $875,000 | 0.001% |
| 110. | Laos | $795,000 | 0.001% |
| 111. | Mauritius | $769,000 | 0.001% |
| 112. | Montenegro | $722,000 | 0.001% |
| 113. | Zambia | $647,000 | 0.001% |
| 114. | Cambodia | $636,000 | 0.001% |
| 115. | Cyprus | $632,000 | 0.001% |
| 116. | Mozambique | $620,000 | 0.001% |
| 117. | Haiti | $593,000 | 0.001% |
| 118. | Uganda | $558,000 | 0.001% |
| 119. | Belize | $481,000 | 0.001% |
| 120. | Sierra Leone | $460,000 | 0.001% |
| 121. | Jamaica | $451,000 | 0.001% |
| 122. | Turkmenistan | $426,000 | 0.001% |
| 123. | Senegal | $424,000 | 0.001% |
| 124. | Zimbabwe | $379,000 | 0.0005% |
| 125. | Gibraltar | $284,000 | 0.0004% |
| 126. | Botswana | $251,000 | 0.0003% |
| 127. | Andorra | $213,000 | 0.0003% |
| 128. | Qatar | $187,000 | 0.0002% |
| 129. | Guyana | $154,000 | 0.0002% |
| 130. | Fiji | $125,000 | 0.0002% |
| 131. | Azerbaijan | $119,000 | 0.0002% |
| 132. | Angola | $85,000 | 0.0001% |
| 133. | Mongolia | $84,000 | 0.0001% |
| 134. | Niger | $80,000 | 0.0001% |
| 135. | Curaçao | $69,000 | 0.0001% |
| 136. | Iceland | $54,000 | 0.0001% |
| 137. | Cook Islands | $54,000 | 0.0001% |
| 138. | Bahamas | $52,000 | 0.0001% |
| 139. | Madagascar | $49,000 | 0.0001% |
| 140. | Tokelau | $44,000 | 0.0001% |
| 141. | Pitcairn | $42,000 | 0.0001% |
| 142. | New Caledonia | $42,000 | 0.0001% |
| 143. | Ethiopia | $41,000 | 0.0001% |
| 144. | Saint Lucia | $41,000 | 0.0001% |
| 145. | Rwanda | $40,000 | 0.0001% |
| 146. | Maldives | $40,000 | 0.0001% |
| 147. | Togo | $36,000 | 0.00005% |
| 148. | Lesotho | $35,000 | 0.00005% |
| 149. | Malawi | $33,000 | 0.00004% |
| 150. | US Minor Outlying Is | $32,000 | 0.00004% |
| 151. | Mali | $31,000 | 0.00004% |
| 152. | Seychelles | $30,000 | 0.00004% |
| 153. | Serbia/Montenegro | $29,000 | 0.00004% |
| 154. | Gambia | $28,000 | 0.00004% |
| 155. | Afghanistan | $28,000 | 0.00004% |
| 156. | French Polynesia | $27,000 | 0.00004% |
| 157. | Guinea | $27,000 | 0.00004% |
| 158. | Chad | $26,000 | 0.00003% |
| 159. | Burkina Faso | $22,000 | 0.00003% |
| 160. | British Virgin Islands | $21,000 | 0.00003% |
| 161. | Gabon | $21,000 | 0.00003% |
| 162. | Benin | $17,000 | 0.00002% |
| 163. | Suriname | $17,000 | 0.00002% |
| 164. | Congo | $16,000 | 0.00002% |
| 165. | Antigua/Barbuda | $16,000 | 0.00002% |
| 166. | Sao Tome/Principe | $14,000 | 0.00002% |
| 167. | Marshall Islands | $13,000 | 0.00002% |
| 168. | Saint Kitts/Nevis | $12,000 | 0.00002% |
| 169. | Western Sahara | $12,000 | 0.00002% |
| 170. | Tuvalu | $12,000 | 0.00002% |
| 171. | Tajikistan | $11,000 | 0.00001% |
| 172. | Burundi | $11,000 | 0.00001% |
| 173. | Democr. Rep. Congo | $11,000 | 0.00001% |
| 174. | Niue | $11,000 | 0.00001% |
| 175. | Faroe Islands | $10,000 | 0.00001% |
| 176. | Liberia | $9,000 | 0.00001% |
| 177. | Papua New Guinea | $9,000 | 0.00001% |
| 178. | Br. Indian Ocean Terr | $8,000 | 0.00001% |
| 179. | Grenada | $6,000 | 0.00001% |
| 180. | Iraq | $6,000 | 0.00001% |
| 181. | Cayman Islands | $5,000 | 0.00001% |
| 182. | St Maarten (Dutch) | $5,000 | 0.00001% |
| 183. | Somalia | $5,000 | 0.00001% |
| 184. | Samoa | $5,000 | 0.00001% |
| 185. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $3,000 | 0.000004% |
| 186. | Solomon Islands | $3,000 | 0.000004% |
| 187. | Bermuda | $3,000 | 0.000004% |
| 188. | Brunei Darussalam | $3,000 | 0.000004% |
| 189. | Greenland | $3,000 | 0.000004% |
| 190. | Libya, State of | $3,000 | 0.000004% |
| 191. | Djibouti | $2,000 | 0.000003% |
| 192. | Central African Rep | $2,000 | 0.000003% |
| 193. | Falkland Is (Malvinas) | $2,000 | 0.000003% |
| 194. | Cuba | $1,000 | 0.000001% |
| 195. | American Samoa | $1,000 | 0.000001% |
| 196. | Palestine | $1,000 | 0.000001% |
| 197. | Aruba | $1,000 | 0.000001% |
| 198. | Northern Mariana Is | $1,000 | 0.000001% |
| 199. | Turks/Caicos Islands | $1,000 | 0.000001% |
| 200. | Yemen | $1,000 | 0.000001% |
See also Cement Exports by Country, Top Sand Exporters by Country and Top Nickel Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Supplier showroom for glass sheets. Accessed on September 18, 2018
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on June 4, 2019
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 4, 2019
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on June 4, 2019
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on June 4, 2019
Wikipedia, Category:Glassmaking companies by country. Accessed on September 18, 2018
Wikipedia, Glass. Accessed on September 18, 2018