
That dollar amount reflects an average 20.4% increase for global paint shippers from $21.6 billion 5 years earlier in 2020.
Year over year, overall international sales of exported paints flatlined via a 0.2% gain compared to $25.97 billion during 2023.
In 2024, the value of exported paint made from synthetic or chemically modified natural polymers amounted to $25.2 billion or 96.8% of the global total. Just 3.2% of the global total ($838.1 million) was specific to paints made from non-synthetic ingredients (down from 3.3% for the prior year).
The top 5 exporters encompassing all types of paint are Germany, United States of America, Italy, Japan and Belgium. Collectively, that cohort of suppliers approached half (45.8%) of exported paints sold during 2024.
Among continents, suppliers based in European countries sold the highest dollar worth of exported paint during 2024 with shipments totaling $15.6 billion or three-fifths (60%) of the overall total. In second place were paint exporters located in Asia at 22.7% while another 13.3% of worldwide paint shipments originated from North America.
Smaller percentages came from sellers in Latin America (2.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1.4%) then Oceania (0.5%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefixes are 3208 and 3209 for paints and varnishes including enamels and lacquers based on synthetic or chemically modified natural polymers. Paints from other materials fall under the 3210 code prefix. Excluded from this research are prepared pigments, opacifiers and colors classified under 3207.
Top Paint Exports by Country
Overall, the 20 countries below exported the highest dollar value worth of paint during 2024.
- Germany: US$4 billion (15.3% of total paint exports)
- United States: $2.8 billion (10.9%)
- Italy: $1.9 billion (7.4%)
- Japan: $1.8 billion (6.7%)
- Belgium: $1.44 billion (5.5%)
- Netherlands: $1.4 billion (5.4%)
- France: $1.2 billion (4.7%)
- mainland China: $1.1 billion (4.1%)
- United Kingdom: $1 billion (4%)
- Spain: $920.9 million (3.5%)
- South Korea: $761.7 million (2.93%)
- Poland: $734.6 million (2.82%)
- Sweden: $534 million (2.1%)
- Türkiye: $451 million (1.73%)
- Canada: $432 million (1.66%)
- Austria: $428.9 million (1.65%)
- Malaysia: $353.2 million (1.4%)
- Switzerland: $291.1 million (1.12%)
- Singapore: $287.1 million (1.1%)
- Thailand: $238.6 million (0.9%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 84.8% of all paint exported in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing paint exporters since 2020 were: Türkiye (up 98.2%), mainland China (up 68.2%), Belgium (up 59.1%) and Malaysia (up 48.3%).
A pair of major suppliers posted declines in their exported paint sales, namely Japan (down -9.9% from 2020) and Sweden (down -3.1%).
Exported Synthetic Paints by Country
Drilling down from the above totals, below are the 20 countries that exported in 2024 the highest dollar value worth of paint made from synthetic or chemically modified natural polymers.
- Germany: US$3.8 billion (15.3% of synthetic paint exports)
- United States: $2.8 billion (11%)
- Italy: $1.9 billion (7.4%)
- Japan: $1.7 billion (6.8%)
- Belgium: $1.4 billion (5.6%)
- Netherlands: $1.3 billion (5.3%)
- France: $1.2 billion (4.7%)
- mainland China: $1 billion (4.1%)
- United Kingdom: $994.1 million (3.9%)
- Spain: $903.5 million (3.6%)
- South Korea: $731.6 million (2.9%)
- Poland: $708.3 million (2.8%)
- Sweden: $510.1 million (2%)
- Canada: $427.7 million (1.7%)
- Türkiye: $426.9 million (1.7%)
- Austria: $419.9 million (1.7%)
- Malaysia: $348.6 million (1.4%)
- Singapore: $275.3 million (1.1%)
- Switzerland: $251.8 million (1%)
- Thailand: $233.4 million (0.9%)
By value, the listed countries shipped 84.9% of all synthetic paint exported in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of synthetic paint since 2020 were: Türkiye (up 103.2%), mainland China (up 66.7%), Belgium (up 58.2%) and Malaysia (up 49.2%).
The lone leading country to post a decline in its international sales of synthetic paint was Sweden, recording a -3.5% setback from 2020.
Exported Miscellaneous Paints by Country
Below are the 20 countries that exported in 2024 the highest dollar value worth of paint made from materials other than synthetic or chemically modified natural polymers.
- Germany: US$129.7 million (15.5% of exported miscellaneous paints)
- United States: $68.6 million (8.2%)
- Netherlands: $58.1 million (6.9%)
- Italy: $57.8 million (6.9%)
- mainland China: $41.2 million (4.9%)
- Switzerland: $39.3 million (4.7%)
- Taiwan: $39.2 million (4.7%)
- Vietnam: $36.4 million (4.3%)
- United Kingdom: $36.3 million (4.3%)
- Japan: $35.2 million (4.2%)
- Belgium: $30.7 million (3.7%)
- South Korea: $30.1 million (3.6%)
- Poland: $26.2 million (3.1%)
- France: $26 million (3.1%)
- Türkiye: $24.1 million (2.9%)
- Sweden: $23.8 million (2.8%)
- Spain: $17.4 million (2.1%)
- Singapore: $11.8 million (1.4%)
- Denmark: $10.2 million (1.2%)
- Austria: $8.9 million (1.1%)
By value, the listed countries shipped 89.6% of all miscellaneous paint exported in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing other paint exporters since 2020 were: Vietnam (up 517.8%), Austria (up 424.8%), Denmark (up 204.9%) and Netherlands (up 128%).
Those countries that posted declines in their international sales of miscellaneous paint were: Singapore (down -38.7% from 2020), South Korea (down -17.8%), Spain (down -15.3%) and Taiwan (down -14%).
Top Paint Manufacturers
According to the Coatings World’s Top Companies Report, below are the global leaders in manufacturing paints and coatings. Shown within parentheses is the city and country serving as home to the headquarters for each business.
- Aldera (Turkey)
- Cucku Enterprises Private Limited (India)
- Gervais Henri Florent (France)
- Ghoenert Verwaltungs GMBH (Germany)
- Healthy Food Ltd (Hong Kong)
- Intertransproduct LLC (Ukraine)
- Land Growers Chile Exportaciones Y Asesorias LtdA (Chile)
- Marandi Trading & Marketing SRL (Romania)
- Mave Enterprises Inc (United States)
- Qingdao Sunfine Co, Ltd (China)
The above companies are listed in descending order based on annual sales.
See also Jewelry Exports by Country, Diamond Exports by Country, Exported Paintings and Drawings by Country, Grapes Exports by Country and Top Soft Drinks Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on August 13, 2025
Coatings World, Top manufacturers of paints, coatings, adhesives, and sealants: 2024 Report, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on August 13, 2025
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on August 13, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 13, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 13, 2025
Wikipedia, Paint. Accessed on August 13, 2025