The overall value of insulated wire and cable exports increased by an average 26.7% for all exporting countries since 2017 when insulated wire and cable shipments were valued at $119.8 billion.
Year over year, the world’s exports of insulated wire and cable accelerated by 27.5% compared to $119.05 billion for 2020.
The 5 biggest exporters of insulated wire and cable are mainland China, Mexico, United States of America, Germany, and Vietnam. Collectively, that major cohort of suppliers were responsible 46.4% of overall sales for globally exported insulated wire and cable during 2021.
Among continents, countries in Asia exported 40.3% of the global total. In second place was Europe at 36.7% ahead of North America accounting for another 16.4%.
Smaller percentages came from Africa (4.4%), Latin America (1.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 8544 for insulated wire and cable.
Insulated Wire and Cable Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of insulated wires and cables during 2021.
- China: US$29.5 billion (19.4% of exported insulated wire or cable)
- Mexico: $14.1 billion (9.3%)
- United States: $10 billion (6.6%)
- Germany: $9.8 billion (6.5%)
- Vietnam: $6.9 billion (4.6%)
- Italy: $4.6 billion (3%)
- Romania: $4.2 billion (2.8%)
- Czech Republic: $3.95 billion (2.6%)
- Poland: $3.8 billion (2.5%)
- Hong Kong: $3.6 billion (2.4%)
- Morocco: $3.34 billion (2.2%)
- South Korea: $3.31 billion (2.2%)
- Turkey: $3.2 billion (2.1%)
- France: $2.8 billion (1.9%)
- Philippines: $2.7 billion (1.8%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped more than two-thirds (69.8%) of globally exported insulated wire and cable in 2021.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of insulated wire and cable since 2021 were: Italy (up 53.9%), Turkey (up 44%), Vietnam (up 39%) and France (up 33.7%).
Those countries that posted the most modest gains in their international sales of insulated wire and cable were Morocco (up 9.9%) and South Korea (up 13.7%).
Countries Generating Best Trade Surpluses from Insulated Wire and Cable
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for insulated wire and cable during 2021. 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 insulated wire and cable and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- China: US$23 billion (net export surplus up 34.4% since 2020)
- Mexico: $7.5 billion (up 22.7%)
- Vietnam: $4.3 billion (up 49.3%)
- Morocco: $2.2 billion (up 4.8%)
- Turkey: $2.1 billion (up 65%)
- Romania: $2.1 billion (up 8.6%)
- Italy: $2 billion (up 84%)
- Tunisia: $1.7 billion (up 30.2%)
- Philippines: $1.28 billion (up 18.6%)
- Serbia: $1.25 billion (up 26%)
- Poland: $1.21 billion (up 15.4%)
- Ukraine: $1 billion (up 19.8%)
- Honduras: $717.9 million (up 53.1%)
- Indonesia: $613.1 million (up 30.5%)
- Egypt: $533.3 million (up 117.2%)
The People’s Republic of China generated the highest surplus in the international trade of insulated wire and cable. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms strong Chinese competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Countries Causing Largest Trade Deficits from Insulated Wire and Cable
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for insulated wire and cable during 2021. 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 insulated wire and cable purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$14.9 billion (net export deficit up 33.8% since 2020)
- Japan: -$6.2 billion (up 18.4%)
- United Kingdom: -$3.3 billion (up 50.3%)
- Germany: -$3.1 billion (up 32.1%)
- Canada: -$2.7 billion (up 21.9%)
- France: -$2.1 billion (up 14.3%)
- Australia: -$1.4 billion (up 39%)
- Austria: -$946.3 million (up 53.1%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$794.8 million (up 60.7%)
- Russia: -$765.1 million (up 5.9%)
- Belgium: -$693 million (up 36.4%)
- Brazil: -$692.7 million (up 18.2%)
- Singapore: -$685.9 million (up 50.9%)
- Netherlands: -$601.8 million (down -0.3%)
- Iraq: -$536.3 million (down -3.6%)
The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of insulated wire and cable. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for insulated wire and cable-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
International Wire and Cable Manufacturers
Below are companies that represent established players engaged in the international trade of insulated wire and cable. The home country for each business is shown within parenthesis.
- 4cabling (Australia)
- Clearfield, Inc (United States)
- Cords Cable Industries Limited (India)
- Finolex Cables (India)
- Furukawa Electric (Japan)
- General Cable (United States)
- Havells (India)
- Hengtong (China)
- Leoni AG (Germany)
- LS Cable & System (South Korea)
- Middle East Specialized Cables Company (Jordan)
- Nexans SA (France)
- Prysmian Group (Italy)
- Sumitomo Electric Industries (Japan)
- Superior Essex (United States)
- Torrent Cables (India)
Searchable List of Insulated Wire and Cable Exporting Countries in 2021
The 100 key countries showcased in the automated database below generated 99.95% of the overall value for insulated wire and cable exported during 2021.
| Rank | Exporter | Ins. Wire/Cable Exports | 2020-1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | China | $29,507,512,000 | +29.8% |
| 2. | Mexico | $14,106,066,000 | +28.7% |
| 3. | United States | $9,988,153,000 | +20.3% |
| 4. | Germany | $9,819,078,000 | +24.5% |
| 5. | Vietnam | $6,945,994,000 | +39% |
| 6. | Italy | $4,575,007,000 | +53.9% |
| 7. | Romania | $4,192,953,000 | +15.2% |
| 8. | Czech Republic | $3,950,607,000 | +28.3% |
| 9. | Poland | $3,824,226,000 | +28% |
| 10. | Hong Kong | $3,615,409,000 | +19.5% |
| 11. | Morocco | $3,342,335,000 | +9.9% |
| 12. | South Korea | $3,309,395,000 | +13.7% |
| 13. | Turkey | $3,184,129,000 | +44% |
| 14. | France | $2,820,178,000 | +33.7% |
| 15. | Philippines | $2,691,627,000 | +26.7% |
| 16. | Hungary | $2,642,654,000 | +23.4% |
| 17. | Spain | $2,492,206,000 | +18.3% |
| 18. | Japan | $2,210,822,000 | +16.4% |
| 19. | Tunisia | $2,188,152,000 | +30.8% |
| 20. | Netherlands | $2,059,648,000 | +28.2% |
| 21. | Slovakia | $1,812,620,000 | +29.5% |
| 22. | Serbia | $1,785,687,000 | +27.1% |
| 23. | Thailand | $1,763,000,000 | +50.1% |
| 24. | Indonesia | $1,692,331,000 | +28.4% |
| 25. | Sweden | $1,650,034,000 | +65.4% |
| 26. | United Kingdom | $1,641,533,000 | +5.5% |
| 27. | Ukraine | $1,625,403,000 | +20.3% |
| 28. | Austria | $1,470,826,000 | +49.9% |
| 29. | India | $1,274,305,000 | +27.1% |
| 30. | Taiwan | $1,244,772,000 | +35.3% |
| 31. | Belgium | $1,154,144,000 | +27.1% |
| 32. | Singapore | $1,152,267,000 | +15.9% |
| 33. | Malaysia | $1,022,246,000 | +36.6% |
| 34. | Portugal | $864,832,000 | +54.2% |
| 35. | Switzerland | $838,308,000 | +26.6% |
| 36. | Canada | $826,062,000 | +18.3% |
| 37. | Honduras | $812,336,000 | +54.5% |
| 38. | Egypt | $762,827,000 | +50.4% |
| 39. | North Macedonia | $724,342,000 | +26.6% |
| 40. | Bulgaria | $644,127,000 | +22.6% |
| 41. | Nicaragua | $590,831,000 | +51.2% |
| 42. | Norway | $585,503,000 | +56.8% |
| 43. | Russia | $541,681,000 | +36.2% |
| 44. | Greece | $538,992,000 | +61% |
| 45. | Moldova | $462,517,000 | +10.2% |
| 46. | Saudi Arabia | $458,430,000 | -3.6% |
| 47. | Brazil | $437,926,000 | +48.6% |
| 48. | Cambodia | $425,430,000 | +34.3% |
| 49. | Croatia | $423,262,000 | +78% |
| 50. | Finland | $398,859,000 | +21.2% |
| 51. | Denmark | $387,492,000 | +29.5% |
| 52. | United Arab Emirates | $383,111,000 | -48.9% |
| 53. | Belarus | $329,997,000 | +37.9% |
| 54. | Lithuania | $298,624,000 | -0.3% |
| 55. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $286,692,000 | +55.7% |
| 56. | Costa Rica | $248,943,000 | +66.5% |
| 57. | Slovenia | $239,067,000 | +35.4% |
| 58. | Paraguay | $233,760,000 | +30.1% |
| 59. | South Africa | $209,986,000 | +29.5% |
| 60. | Ireland | $207,676,000 | -4.6% |
| 61. | Estonia | $192,182,000 | +19.7% |
| 62. | Australia | $150,430,000 | +13.1% |
| 63. | Israel | $132,633,000 | +29.5% |
| 64. | Iran | $125,430,000 | +61.7% |
| 65. | Colombia | $110,262,000 | +78.2% |
| 66. | Botswana | $105,113,000 | +28.8% |
| 67. | Albania | $97,743,000 | +2412% |
| 68. | Panama | $82,336,000 | +36.9% |
| 69. | Sri Lanka | $76,094,000 | +48.5% |
| 70. | Latvia | $56,940,000 | +33.2% |
| 71. | Uruguay | $44,824,000 | +52.2% |
| 72. | Argentina | $43,313,000 | +93.3% |
| 73. | Malta | $42,152,000 | +183.4% |
| 74. | Chile | $41,485,000 | +19.6% |
| 75. | Ecuador | $41,055,000 | +7.6% |
| 76. | Myanmar | $38,236,000 | -28.8% |
| 77. | Venezuela | $37,864,000 | +123.6% |
| 78. | Uzbekistan | $33,033,000 | -5.7% |
| 79. | Zambia | $32,863,000 | +135.2% |
| 80. | Oman | $31,954,000 | -81.8% |
| 81. | Luxembourg | $27,405,000 | +28.6% |
| 82. | Lebanon | $27,002,000 | +19.8% |
| 83. | El Salvador | $26,894,000 | +123% |
| 84. | Laos | $24,910,000 | -27.7% |
| 85. | Senegal | $21,610,000 | +51.8% |
| 86. | Trinidad/Tobago | $19,317,000 | +73.6% |
| 87. | Peru | $18,955,000 | +123.9% |
| 88. | Dominican Republic | $15,115,000 | -19.9% |
| 89. | Kazakhstan | $11,497,000 | +5.2% |
| 90. | Jordan | $10,327,000 | -87.1% |
| 91. | New Zealand | $10,090,000 | +23.2% |
| 92. | Fiji | $9,469,000 | +70.7% |
| 93. | Kenya | $5,930,000 | +26.6% |
| 94. | Tanzania | $5,107,000 | +208% |
| 95. | Azerbaijan | $5,010,000 | +116.5% |
| 96. | Guatemala | $4,718,000 | +196.7% |
| 97. | Zimbabwe | $4,334,000 | +35.7% |
| 98. | Angola | $4,148,000 | -61.7% |
| 99. | Qatar | $3,794,000 | -6.8% |
| 100. | Algeria | $3,525,000 | +124.4% |
Focusing on the top 100 exporters, the fastest growing suppliers of insulated wire and cable were Albania (up 2,412% from 2020), Tanzania (up 208%), Guatemala (up 196.7%), Malta (up 183.4%) then Zambia (up 136.2%).
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the above table’s columns. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2020 data was available.
See also Electricity Exports by Country, Electronic Circuit Component Exports by Country, Computer Device Exports by Country and Top Industrial Robots Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 31, 2022
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on July 31, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 31, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 31, 2022
Wikipedia, Category:Wire and cable manufacturers. Accessed on July 31, 2022
