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, suppliers in Asia sold the highest dollar worth of exported glass and glassware during 2019 with shipments valued at $34.3 billion or 44.8% of the global total. Close behind in second place were European exporters at 42.9% while 10.3% of worldwide glass and glassware shipments originated from suppliers in North America. Smaller percentages came from Latin America (1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.9%) 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 sheets (17.3% of the overall total)
- Glass fibers, glass wool and related articles (16%)
- Tempered and laminated safety glass (13.9%)
- Household glassware including tableware, kitchenware, bathroom items, indoor decorations (11.2%)
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 2019.
- China: US$17.9 billion (23.4% of total glass/glassware exports)
- Germany: $7.2 billion (9.4%)
- United States: $5.5 billion (7.2%)
- France: $3.4 billion (4.4%)
- Japan: $3.2 billion (4.2%)
- Hong Kong: $3.1 billion (4.1%)
- Belgium: $2.78 billion (3.6%)
- Italy: $2.76 billion (3.6%)
- Poland: $2.3 billion (3%)
- Czech Republic: $1.9 billion (2.5%)
- Mexico: $1.78 billion (2.3%)
- South Korea: $1.78 billion (2.3%)
- Taiwan: $1.78 billion (2.3%)
- Spain: $1.6 billion (2.1%)
- Netherlands: $1.4 billion (1.9%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 76.2% of global glass/glassware exported in 2019 by value.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing glass/glassware exporters since 2015 were: Belgium (up 40.9%), Poland (up 31.3%), Hong Kong (up 30.6%) and South Korea (up 21.7%).
Two countries posted international sales declines in their exported glass/glassware: Taiwan (down -8.1%) and the United States (down -4.2%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for glass and glassware during 2019. 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$10.3 billion (net export surplus up 11.6% since 2015)
- Germany: $1.4 billion (up 35.2%)
- Hong Kong: $1 billion (up 161.4%)
- Japan: $897.1 million (up 49.2%)
- Czech Republic: $867.7 million (down -9.2%)
- Poland: $789 million (up 13.6%)
- Belgium: $770.8 million (up 136.2%)
- Italy: $580.5 million (down -5.2%)
- Turkey: $408.1 million (up 55.9%)
- Malaysia: $365.4 million (down -583.4%)
- Taiwan: $309 million (up 80.7%)
- Bulgaria: $291.9 million (up 13.5%)
- Luxembourg: $221.3 million (up 19.1%)
- Mexico: $177.6 million (down -17.5%)
- Hungary: $171.9 million (up 13.2%)
China generated 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 2019. 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$2.6 billion (net export deficit up 24.8% since 2015)
- Canada: -$2 billion (up 0.6%)
- Nigeria: -$1.5 billion (up 1395.7%)
- United Kingdom: -$1.1 billion (down -11.9%)
- Singapore: -$717.1 million (up 30%)
- Australia: -$673.8 million (up 8.4%)
- Vietnam: -$534.8 million (reversing a $329.2 million surplus)
- Switzerland: -$525.8 million (up 50.9%)
- Sweden: -$509.1 million (up 72.9%)
- South Korea: -$472.8 million (down -51%)
- Netherlands: -$374.3 million (up 167.4%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$373.3 million (up 210.3%)
- India: -$362.7 million (up 83%)
- France: -$359.9 million (up 189.8%)
- Romania: -$359.3 million (up 68.6%)
The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of glass and glassware. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for glass and glassware-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Companies
Glass-Related Exporters
Below are global producers that represent established players engaged in the international trade of glass and glassware ranging from crystal glassware, glass ceramics, tempered glass and Venetian glass. Shown within parenthesis is the home country where the headquarters is located.
- AGC Inc. (Japan)
- Barovier & Toso (Italy)
- Corning Incorporated (United States)
- Duralex (France)
- Fuyao Glass Industry Group (China)
- Moser AS (Poland)
- Schott AG (Germany)
- Val Saint Lambert (Belgium)
According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers are examples of companies engaged in the international trade of glass sheets. The home-country location for each business is shown within parentheses.
- Emerge Glass India Private Ltd. (India)
- MP Ventures (United States)
- Rheix Italia SRL (Italy)
- Sun Aluminium Holdings (Hong Kong)
- Sungil Innotech (South Korea)
- Tsy Fong Glass Co. (Taiwan)
- Wakodo Co. (Japan)
- Zouping Daixi Industry And Trade Co. (China)
Searchable List of Glass and Glassware Exporters in 2019
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the columns. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2018 data was available.
| Rank | Exporter | Glass/Glassware Exports (US$) | 2018-9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | China | $17,905,612,000 | +6.2% |
| 2. | Germany | $7,175,540,000 | -7.8% |
| 3. | United States | $5,540,935,000 | -4.6% |
| 4. | France | $3,366,871,000 | -3.9% |
| 5. | Japan | $3,193,822,000 | -2.5% |
| 6. | Hong Kong | $3,121,018,000 | +1.4% |
| 7. | Belgium | $2,783,459,000 | +17.6% |
| 8. | Italy | $2,759,815,000 | -1.4% |
| 9. | Poland | $2,269,277,000 | -1% |
| 10. | Czech Republic | $1,883,529,000 | -5.5% |
| 11. | Mexico | $1,779,676,000 | +8.3% |
| 12. | South Korea | $1,778,227,000 | -0.9% |
| 13. | Taiwan | $1,775,695,000 | -10.7% |
| 14. | Spain | $1,625,877,000 | +0.8% |
| 15. | Netherlands | $1,446,780,000 | -1.7% |
| 16. | Malaysia | $1,314,308,000 | +9.8% |
| 17. | United Kingdom | $1,293,347,000 | +0.1% |
| 18. | Austria | $1,115,926,000 | -1% |
| 19. | Turkey | $1,099,777,000 | +13.8% |
| 20. | India | $910,753,000 | +1.7% |
| 21. | Hungary | $842,619,000 | -5.2% |
| 22. | Vietnam | $837,995,000 | -16.3% |
| 23. | Russia | $755,462,000 | +1.5% |
| 24. | Thailand | $748,175,000 | +3.1% |
| 25. | Portugal | $626,525,000 | -7.7% |
| 26. | Slovakia | $622,018,000 | +0.6% |
| 27. | Canada | $568,394,000 | -6.3% |
| 28. | Switzerland | $488,063,000 | -4% |
| 29. | Bulgaria | $462,132,000 | -1.6% |
| 30. | Sweden | $421,916,000 | -9.7% |
| 31. | Denmark | $378,381,000 | -5% |
| 32. | Egypt | $354,184,000 | -23.6% |
| 33. | United Arab Emirates | $348,991,000 | -46.9% |
| 34. | Luxembourg | $344,031,000 | -8.8% |
| 35. | Singapore | $299,722,000 | +0.9% |
| 36. | Saudi Arabia | $268,309,000 | -8.1% |
| 37. | Finland | $257,715,000 | -8.3% |
| 38. | Slovenia | $234,941,000 | +10.4% |
| 39. | Indonesia | $231,969,000 | -23.6% |
| 40. | Croatia | $221,369,000 | +3.4% |
| 41. | Romania | $211,152,000 | -3.1% |
| 42. | Brazil | $204,686,000 | -20.7% |
| 43. | Belarus | $186,749,000 | -29% |
| 44. | Lithuania | $175,556,000 | -4.2% |
| 45. | Ukraine | $170,882,000 | +6.6% |
| 46. | Latvia | $168,792,000 | -5.2% |
| 47. | South Africa | $147,218,000 | -17.4% |
| 48. | Colombia | $140,464,000 | -20.8% |
| 49. | Estonia | $138,901,000 | -2.5% |
| 50. | Ireland | $118,053,000 | -1.4% |
| 51. | Costa Rica | $106,643,000 | -5% |
| 52. | Philippines | $103,667,000 | +2.4% |
| 53. | Peru | $93,705,000 | +4% |
| 54. | Serbia | $91,265,000 | +26.1% |
| 55. | Bahrain | $87,092,000 | -13.9% |
| 56. | Morocco | $85,346,000 | +28.3% |
| 57. | Iran | $81,550,000 | -77.1% |
| 58. | Norway | $78,592,000 | +4.4% |
| 59. | Argentina | $78,003,000 | +111.8% |
| 60. | Australia | $64,656,000 | -1.6% |
| 61. | Israel | $61,508,000 | -8.6% |
| 62. | Guatemala | $58,088,000 | +3.6% |
| 63. | Moldova | $56,325,000 | +10.2% |
| 64. | Chile | $48,099,000 | +6.2% |
| 65. | Greece | $42,603,000 | -2.1% |
| 66. | Tunisia | $37,731,000 | -20.7% |
| 67. | Kyrgyzstan | $30,398,000 | -4.9% |
| 68. | Algeria | $24,778,000 | -31.8% |
| 69. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $21,468,000 | +46.8% |
| 70. | Oman | $20,472,000 | -57.8% |
| 71. | Kuwait | $17,402,000 | -78.1% |
| 72. | Sri Lanka | $16,752,000 | -30.3% |
| 73. | North Macedonia | $16,449,000 | +4.5% |
| 74. | New Zealand | $15,918,000 | -15.6% |
| 75. | Ecuador | $12,225,000 | +4.2% |
| 76. | Tanzania | $10,738,000 | -54.9% |
| 77. | Pakistan | $9,999,000 | -30.2% |
| 78. | Armenia | $9,916,000 | -14.6% |
| 79. | Paraguay | $9,896,000 | -26.6% |
| 80. | Nigeria | $9,296,000 | +41.2% |
| 81. | Malta | $8,259,000 | -31.8% |
| 82. | Uzbekistan | $8,005,000 | -17% |
| 83. | Georgia | $7,340,000 | -39% |
| 84. | North Korea | $5,206,000 | -16.3% |
| 85. | Bangladesh | $5,077,000 | +111.8% |
| 86. | Venezuela | $5,007,000 | -13.9% |
| 87. | Kazakhstan | $4,811,000 | -11.6% |
| 88. | Uruguay | $4,618,000 | +215.9% |
| 89. | Myanmar (Burma) | $4,298,000 | +219.3% |
| 90. | Panama | $3,992,000 | -32.2% |
| 91. | Namibia | $3,643,000 | +22.7% |
| 92. | Bolivia | $3,430,000 | +270.4% |
| 93. | Albania | $3,293,000 | +15.1% |
| 94. | Jordan | $2,211,000 | -62.6% |
| 95. | Dominican Republic | $2,055,000 | -32% |
| 96. | Senegal | $1,870,000 | -5.9% |
| 97. | Eswatini | $1,745,000 | +34.2% |
| 98. | Honduras | $1,659,000 | +6.8% |
| 99. | El Salvador | $1,643,000 | -40.6% |
| 100. | Lebanon | $1,602,000 | -78.6% |
| 101. | Nepal | $1,509,000 | +30.4% |
| 102. | Kenya | $1,436,000 | -88.2% |
| 103. | Macao | $1,393,000 | 0% |
| 104. | Mongolia | $971,000 | +4,755% |
| 105. | Barbados | $908,000 | -22% |
| 106. | Gibraltar | $882,000 | +173.9% |
| 107. | Azerbaijan | $846,000 | +98.6% |
| 108. | Cambodia | $786,000 | +783.1% |
| 109. | Trinidad/Tobago | $727,000 | -90.7% |
| 110. | Togo | $682,000 | -45.3% |
| 111. | Cabo Verde | $614,000 | 0% |
| 112. | Jamaica | $588,000 | -54.8% |
| 113. | Mauritius | $545,000 | -35% |
| 114. | Nicaragua | $526,000 | -65.1% |
| 115. | Qatar | $510,000 | -76.8% |
| 116. | Cameroon | $503,000 | -93.1% |
| 117. | Haiti | $486,000 | -23.1% |
| 118. | Belize | $485,000 | +0.8% |
| 119. | Cyprus | $461,000 | -7.4% |
| 120. | Zambia | $405,000 | -36.7% |
| 121. | Zimbabwe | $373,000 | -1.6% |
| 122. | Côte d'Ivoire | $371,000 | -58.8% |
| 123. | Turkmenistan | $358,000 | -89.8% |
| 124. | Mozambique | $335,000 | -46% |
| 125. | Botswana | $333,000 | -48.7% |
| 126. | Sierra Leone | $307,000 | +244.9% |
| 127. | Ghana | $288,000 | -77.3% |
| 128. | Antigua/Barbuda | $285,000 | +21.8% |
| 129. | Syria | $252,000 | -95.8% |
| 130. | Laos | $250,000 | -66.8% |
| 131. | Andorra | $167,000 | +3.1% |
| 132. | French S./Antarctic Terr | $130,000 | +2,067% |
| 133. | Ethiopia | $129,000 | +81.7% |
| 134. | Congo | $108,000 | +468.4% |
| 135. | Burkina Faso | $97,000 | +340.9% |
| 136. | Montenegro | $78,000 | -94.6% |
| 137. | Iceland | $77,000 | +45.3% |
| 138. | Lesotho | $75,000 | +97.4% |
| 139. | Democr. Rep. Congo | $74,000 | -33.3% |
| 140. | Niger | $70,000 | +40% |
| 141. | Madagascar | $61,000 | +24.5% |
| 142. | Marshall Islands | $60,000 | +361.5% |
| 143. | US Minor Outlying Is | $54,000 | +3.8% |
| 144. | Seychelles | $53,000 | +5,200% |
| 145. | Mali | $53,000 | +60.6% |
| 146. | Bahamas | $51,000 | -77.8% |
| 147. | Cocos (Keeling) Is | $50,000 | 0% |
| 148. | Benin | $43,000 | -92.8% |
| 149. | Brunei Darussalam | $42,000 | -88.2% |
| 150. | Curaçao | $40,000 | -57.9% |
| 151. | British Virgin Is | $39,000 | +14.7% |
| 152. | Rwanda | $38,000 | -97% |
| 153. | Afghanistan | $33,000 | +135.7% |
| 154. | Cuba | $27,000 | +285.7% |
| 155. | New Caledonia | $25,000 | -39% |
| 156. | Samoa | $25,000 | +1,150% |
| 157. | Aruba | $23,000 | +91.7% |
| 158. | Libya | $21,000 | +40% |
| 159. | Fiji | $21,000 | -83.3% |
| 160. | American Samoa | $21,000 | +2,000% |
| 161. | Anguilla | $20,000 | +1,900% |
| 162. | French Polynesia | $18,000 | -48.6% |
| 163. | Suriname | $16,000 | +14.3% |
| 164. | Bermuda | $15,000 | +400% |
| 165. | Somalia | $13,000 | +160% |
| 166. | Niue | $13,000 | -40.9% |
| 167. | Malawi | $11,000 | -91.7% |
| 168. | Maldives | $10,000 | 0% |
| 169. | Faroe Islands | $9,000 | -18.2% |
| 170. | Tokelau | $9,000 | -80% |
| 171. | Turks/Caicos Is | $8,000 | +700% |
| 172. | Greenland | $7,000 | +133.3% |
| 173. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $6,000 | -89.3% |
| 174. | Sao Tome/Principe | $6,000 | +100% |
| 175. | Northern Mariana Is | $5,000 | +400% |
| 176. | Saint Lucia | $4,000 | -91.8% |
| 177. | Tuvalu | $4,000 | -66.7% |
| 178. | Guinea | $4,000 | -89.2% |
| 179. | Palestine | $4,000 | -100% |
| 180. | Liberia | $4,000 | -90.5% |
| 181. | Burundi | $4,000 | -98.2% |
| 182. | Cayman Islands | $4,000 | -63.6% |
| 183. | Angola | $3,000 | -99.2% |
| 184. | Falkland Is (Malvinas) | $3,000 | +50% |
| 185. | Iraq | $3,000 | -88.5% |
| 186. | Sudan | $3,000 | -95.4% |
| 187. | Saint Kitts/Nevis | $3,000 | -76.9% |
| 188. | Montserrat | $2,000 | 0% |
| 189. | Dominica | $2,000 | -94.7% |
| 190. | Chad | $2,000 | -92.3% |
| 191. | Solomon Islands | $2,000 | 0% |
| 192. | Bhutan | $1,000 | 0% |
| 193. | Christmas Island | $1,000 | -95.5% |
| 194. | Eritrea | $1,000 | 0% |
| 195. | Gabon | $1,000 | -90% |
| 196. | Gambia | $1,000 | -96.6% |
| 197. | Guyana | $1,000 | -99.4% |
| 198. | Grenada | $1,000 | -66.7% |
| 199. | Saint Helena | $1,000 | 0% |
| 200. | Palau | $1,000 | 0% |
| 201. | Tonga | $1,000 | 0% |
| 202. | Uganda | $1,000 | -99.8% |
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 May 12, 2020
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 12, 2020
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 12, 2020
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 12, 2020
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 12, 2020
Wikipedia, Category:Glassmaking companies by country. Accessed on September 18, 2019
Wikipedia, Glass. Accessed on May 12, 2020