That dollar amount reflects an average 25.9% increase for all international shippers of pianos over the five-year period starting in 2017 when piano exports were worth $776.3 million.
Year over year, the value of globally exported pianos accelerated by 25.1% compared to $781.6 million during 2020.
The top 5 most valuable exporters of pianos are Japan, Germany, Indonesia, mainland China, and the United States of America. Combined, that quintet of major piano suppliers accounted for well over four-fifths (83.1%) of all exported pianos sold in 2021.
From a continental perspective, exporters from Asian countries sold the highest dollar worth of exported pianos during 2021 with shipments valued at $613.3 million or approaching two-thirds (62.7%) of the global total. In second place were European exporters at 33.8% while another 3.1% of worldwide piano shipments originated from North America.
Tinier percentages came from Latin America (0.24%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (0.05%) Australia only, and Africa (also 0.05%).
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 9201 for pianos which also encompasses automatic pianos, harpsichords and similar keyboard stringed instruments.
Piano Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of pianos during 2021.
- Japan: US$374.1 million (38.3% of total exported pianos)
- Germany: $211.4 million (21.6%)
- Indonesia: $133.6 million (13.7%)
- China: $63.2 million (6.5%)
- United States: $30.3 million (3.1%)
- Czech Republic: $29.9 million (3.1%)
- Poland: $16 million (1.6%)
- South Korea: $13.5 million (1.4%)
- Italy: $13.4 million (1.4%)
- Austria: $13.1 million (1.3%)
- United Kingdom: $10.7 million (1.1%)
- France: $10.7 million (1.1%)
- Malaysia: $9.6 million (1%)
- Hong Kong: $7.1 million (0.7%)
- Belgium: $6.3 million (0.6%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 96.4% of globally exported pianos in 2021.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of pianos since 2017 were: Hong Kong (up 167.7%), South Korea (up 108.4%), Austria (up 55.5%), then the United Kingdom (up 46.6%).
Malaysia was the lone major supplier to post a decline in its international sales of pianos, weighed down by a -16.7% reduction over the 5-year period.
Countries Generating Best Trade Surpluses from Pianos
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for pianos 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 pianos and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Japan: US$350.8 million (net export surplus up 36.1% since 2017)
- Germany: $146.3 million (up 50.4%)
- Indonesia: $132.7 million (up 1%)
- Czech Republic: $24.6 million (up 36%)
- Austria: $2.2 million (down -131%)
- Estonia: $2 million (up 21.6%)
- Belarus: $592,000 (reversing a -$58,000 deficit)
- Panama: $379,000 (up 132.5%)
- Slovakia: $43,000 (reversing a -$1.8 million deficit)
- Uruguay: $5,000 (reversing an -$8,000 deficit)
- Laos: $1,000 (reversing an -$11,000 deficit)
Japan generated the highest surplus in the international trade of pianos. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms strong Japanese competitive advantages for this specific product category.
Countries Incurring Worst Trade Deficits from Pianos
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for pianos 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 pianos purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- China: -US$209.3 million (net export deficit up 42% since 2017)
- United States: -$87.5 million (down -6.7%)
- Canada: -$37.6 million (up 34.7%)
- Australia: -$32.8 million (up 17.7%)
- France: -$29 million (up 51.5%)
- United Kingdom: -$21.7 million (up 2.1%)
- Switzerland: -$18.8 million (up 25.6%)
- Russia: -$14.8 million (up 62.7%)
- Vietnam: -$14.3 million (up 251.7%)
- Singapore: -$13.9 million (up 40.3%)
- Hong Kong: -$12.9 million (up 21.8%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$8.8 million (down -214.7%)
- Belgium: -$8.7 million (up 14.5%)
- New Zealand: -$7.8 million (up 61.7%)
- Taiwan: -$7.7 million (up 6.2%)
The People’s Republic of China incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of pianos. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights China’s competitive disadvantages for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for pianos-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Piano Exporting Companies
Below are global manufacturers of pianos that represent established players engaged in the international trade of pianos. Their home country is shown within parenthesis.
- Bösendorfer (Austria)
- Fazioli (Italy)
- Kawai Musical Instruments (Japan)
- Luigi Borgato (Italy)
- Maene (Belgium)
- Pearl River Piano Group (China)
- Petrof (Czech Republic)
- Samick Musical Instruments Co, Ltd (South Korea)
- Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation (Japan)
- Wilhelm Schimmel (Germany)
- Wurlitzer (United States)
- Yamaha Corporation (Japan)
Samick is one of the world’s largest musical instrument makers including pianos. The Pearl River Piano Group is the largest Chinese piano producer, and purports to own the world’s biggest piano factory. The above list also includes the Czech piano manufacturer Petrof, Europe’s leading piano maker.
See also Top Sheet Music Exporting Countries, Japan’s Top Trading Partners and Diamond Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on September 19, 2022
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 19, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 19, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 19, 2022
Wikipedia, List of piano manufacturers. Accessed on September 19, 2022
