That dollar amount reflects a 1.8% increase since 2016 but a -14.4% slip from 2019 to 2020.
Aluminum is the world’s second-most used metal behind only iron. Typically blended into an alloy, aluminum is most commonly combined with zinc, copper, silicon, magnesium and manganese. Pure aluminum is silvery-white, non-magnetic and is also notable for its low density, relatively light weight and resistance to corrosion.
America’s top 6 suppliers (Canada, China, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Germany, India) sold two-thirds worth of the aluminum provided to the US in 2020.
US import data presented below is at the two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level, specifically 76 for aluminum including articles made with aluminum.
Of the $19.1 billion in total American imports under HTS code 76 during 2020, 36.6% was for unwrought aluminum metal, 13.2% was aluminum plates and sheets, 9.5% was for aluminum structures such as towers or bridges, 9.3% was miscellaneous aluminum, 7.8% was aluminum tableware, kitchenware or other household items, 5.8% was aluminum foil, 5% was aluminum bars and rods, 3.9% was aluminum cans, boxes and similar containers, 3.5% was aluminum scrap, 3.3% was aluminum wire, while about 1.6% was aluminum tubes, pipes, powder and similar miscellaneous goods.
Countries Exporting Aluminum to America
Top 15
Below are the 15 countries from which the United States purchases the highest dollar value worth of aluminum. These suppliers accounted for over four-fifths (82.3%) of all US aluminum imports during 2020.
- Canada: US$6.9 billion (36.4% of total US imported aluminum)
- China: $2.5 billion (13.3%)
- Mexico: $1.3 billion (6.6%)
- United Arab Emirates: $905.3 million (4.7%)
- Germany: $626.5 million (3.3%)
- India: $423.1 million (2.2%)
- Russia: $419.4 million (2.2%)
- Bahrain: $370.1 million (1.9%)
- Thailand: $357 million (1.9%)
- Argentina: $329.1 million (1.7%)
- South Africa: $327.6 million (1.7%)
- South Korea: $318.7 million (1.7%)
- Italy: $301.3 million (1.6%)
- Saudi Arabia: $287.8 million (1.5%)
- Colombia: $284.5 million (1.5%)
Note that North American trade partners, Canada and Mexico, account for 43% of all US aluminum imports.
Fastest-Growing
The following list is sorted in ascending order presenting the top 15 suppliers based on the greatest percentage increases in the value of aluminum shipments to America from 2019 to 2020.
- Mexico: Up 21.5% from 2019
- Thailand: Up 15.5%
- Colombia: Up 11.4%
- China: Up 1.6%
- Canada: Down -1.3%
- Saudi Arabia: Down -4.8%
- Italy: Down -14.9%
- South Africa: Down -17.9%
- South Korea: Down -20.7%
- Argentina: Down -22.5%
- Germany: Down -25.8%
- Russia: Down -33.6%
- United Arab Emirates: Down -34.5%
- India: Down -36.9%
- Bahrain: Down -51.1%
Contrasted against the overall -14.4% decrease in the value of US imports of aluminum year over year, 4 top suppliers (Mexico, Thailand, Colombia, China) actually posted gains in their aluminum sales to the United States.
Mexico assumed the title of America’s fastest-growing top aluminum supplier in 2020.
Deficit Creators
America does produce and sell its own aluminum on international markets. In 2020, the United States shipped $9.4 billion worth of aluminum to its trade partners. However, American revenues from exported aluminum fall far short of the -$19.1 billion that the US spent on imported aluminum thus resulting in a -$11.4 billion product category deficit.
Below you will find the 15 countries that caused America’s highest deficits from buying and selling aluminum on international markets, incurring a subtotal deficit of -$10.95 billion for 2020.
- Canada: -US$4.5 billion (product deficit up 4.3% since 2019)
- China: -$2.1 billion (up 17%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$874.2 million (down -35.4%)
- Germany: -$481.7 million (down -31%)
- Russia: -$377.2 million (down -38.4%)
- Bahrain: -$369 million (down -51.2%)
- South Africa: -$324.5 million (down -17.5%)
- Argentina: -$321.6 million (down -22.8%)
- Colombia: -$271 million (up 12.7%)
- Saudi Arabia: -$265.1 million (up 1.4%)
- Italy: -$250.7 million (down -12.1%)
- Thailand: -$250.1 million (up 1.4%)
- Oman: -$199.9 million (down -30%)
- Vietnam: -$186.5 million (up 10.2%)
- Qatar: -$181.2 million (down -56.2%)
Among these top suppliers, aluminum deficits at America’s expense expanded in double-digits from 2019 to 2020 via trade with: China (up 17%), Colombia (up 12.7%), Vietnam (up 10.2%).
Searchable List of US Aluminum Suppliers
The table below shows the dollar amount for aluminum supplied to the US in 2020 by 100 key countries. Collectively, those countries represent 99.997% of America’s total aluminum imports.
Also shown is the percentage value change for each supplier since 2019.
| Rank | Supplier | Imported Aluminum (US$) | 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Canada | $6,941,707,000 | -1.3% |
| 2. | China | $2,540,645,000 | +1.6% |
| 3. | Mexico | $1,265,961,000 | +21.5% |
| 4. | United Arab Emirates | $905,292,000 | -34.5% |
| 5. | Germany | $626,524,000 | -25.8% |
| 6. | India | $423,114,000 | -36.9% |
| 7. | Russia | $419,385,000 | -33.6% |
| 8. | Bahrain | $370,066,000 | -51.1% |
| 9. | Thailand | $356,994,000 | +15.5% |
| 10. | Argentina | $329,130,000 | -22.5% |
| 11. | South Africa | $327,556,000 | -17.6% |
| 12. | South Korea | $318,685,000 | -20.7% |
| 13. | Italy | $301,317,000 | -14.9% |
| 14. | Saudi Arabia | $287,777,000 | -4.8% |
| 15. | Colombia | $284,450,000 | +11.4% |
| 16. | Taiwan | $266,092,000 | -27.5% |
| 17. | Turkey | $220,667,000 | -25% |
| 18. | Vietnam | $217,475,000 | +17.2% |
| 19. | Oman | $200,907,000 | -30.4% |
| 20. | France | $197,424,000 | -13.9% |
| 21. | Australia | $187,080,000 | -69.3% |
| 22. | Qatar | $185,917,000 | -55.6% |
| 23. | Brazil | $180,595,000 | -17.8% |
| 24. | Japan | $178,759,000 | -40% |
| 25. | United Kingdom | $177,576,000 | -18.4% |
| 26. | Austria | $152,152,000 | -24.1% |
| 27. | Indonesia | $118,675,000 | -53.7% |
| 28. | Spain | $110,325,000 | -4.1% |
| 29. | Malaysia | $102,712,000 | -11.3% |
| 30. | Greece | $88,597,000 | -47.4% |
| 31. | Netherlands | $76,045,000 | +10.9% |
| 32. | Switzerland | $67,304,000 | +3.7% |
| 33. | Belgium | $48,448,000 | -39.2% |
| 34. | Sweden | $45,043,000 | -34.8% |
| 35. | Poland | $44,752,000 | +3.8% |
| 36. | Luxembourg | $43,570,000 | -1.2% |
| 37. | Dominican Republic | $40,264,000 | +32.3% |
| 38. | Ecuador | $37,943,000 | +33.8% |
| 39. | Armenia | $33,198,000 | +47.4% |
| 40. | Slovenia | $31,564,000 | -40.9% |
| 41. | Israel | $26,528,000 | -11.3% |
| 42. | Romania | $23,086,000 | -52.8% |
| 43. | Honduras | $21,461,000 | +84.7% |
| 44. | Denmark | $21,082,000 | -17.7% |
| 45 | Singapore | $17,346,000 | +161.2% |
| 46 | Costa Rica | $14,896,000 | -36.6% |
| 47 | Norway | $14,832,000 | -66% |
| 48 | Hong Kong | $13,917,000 | -60.4% |
| 49 | Guatemala | $13,826,000 | +0.3% |
| 50 | New Zealand | $13,637,000 | -54.8% |
| 51 | Czech Republic | $13,578,000 | -52% |
| 52 | Croatia | $11,208,000 | -59.1% |
| 53 | Philippines | $10,545,000 | -16.4% |
| 54 | Cambodia | $9,858,000 | +2.4% |
| 55 | Chile | $9,503,000 | -17.7% |
| 56 | Azerbaijan | $8,305,000 | +157% |
| 57 | Hungary | $7,691,000 | +48.9% |
| 58 | Serbia | $6,743,000 | -42.1% |
| 59 | El Salvador | $5,427,000 | -21.6% |
| 60 | Bulgaria | $5,338,000 | +0.6% |
| 61 | Slovakia | $5,211,000 | -5.2% |
| 62 | Portugal | $5,069,000 | +2.9% |
| 63 | Myanmar | $4,966,000 | +94.4% |
| 64 | Egypt | $4,396,000 | -90.6% |
| 65 | Finland | $4,350,000 | -34.4% |
| 66 | Jordan | $4,255,000 | +540.8% |
| 67 | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $2,971,000 | -19.4% |
| 68 | Ireland | $2,779,000 | -37.3% |
| 69. | Pakistan | $2,016,000 | -6.4% |
| 70. | Panama | $1,755,000 | -47.6% |
| 71. | Belarus | $1,552,000 | +50.5% |
| 72. | Ukraine | $1,455,000 | +39.4% |
| 73. | Iceland | $1,184,000 | -74.7% |
| 74. | Albania | $863,000 | +36.3% |
| 75. | Lithuania | $736,000 | +1% |
| 76. | Peru | $623,000 | -67.9% |
| 77. | Bahamas | $585,000 | -21.5% |
| 78. | Bolivia | $553,000 | -58.3% |
| 79. | Brunei Darussalam | $552,000 | +7786% |
| 80. | Trinidad/Tobago | $530,000 | -10.9% |
| 81. | Curaçao | $461,000 | -43.5% |
| 82. | Tunisia | $393,000 | +68.7% |
| 83. | Barbados | $372,000 | +8.1% |
| 84. | Venezuela | $360,000 | -88.2% |
| 85. | Suriname | $322,000 | +6.6% |
| 86. | Estonia | $296,000 | +142.6% |
| 87. | Bangladesh | $292,000 | +102.8% |
| 88. | Paraguay | $256,000 | +9.9% |
| 89. | Haiti | $229,000 | -61.2% |
| 90. | Latvia | $217,000 | +130.9% |
| 91. | Cayman Islands | $175,000 | -37.1% |
| 92. | Uzbekistan | $143,000 | -25.9% |
| 93. | Lebanon | $140,000 | +105.9% |
| 94. | Jamaica | $139,000 | +24.1% |
| 95. | Morocco | $109,000 | +10.1% |
| 96. | Bermuda | $96,000 | -18.6% |
| 97. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $82,000 | +22.4% |
| 98. | Saint Lucia | $73,000 | -17% |
| 99. | Antigua/Barbuda | $72,000 | -30.1% |
| 100. | Namibia | $72,000 | 0% |
You can change presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the above columns. An entry in the right-most column means that 2020 data was unavailable.
See also US Iron and Steel Imports by Supplier Countries, America’s Top Trading Partners, United States Top 10 Imports and Top Aluminum Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 23, 2021
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 23, 2021
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 23, 2021
SoftSchools.com, Aluminum Facts, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on July 23, 2021
Wikipedia, Aluminium. Accessed on July 23, 2021
Wikipedia, Category:Aluminum companies by country. Accessed on July 23, 2021
