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Chemicals and Related Products

Change from 2015 to 2016:

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Table CH.1 Chemicals and related products: U.S. exports and general imports, by selected trading partners, 2012–16

 
Million $
  
           
Absolute change,
Percent change,
Item 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2015-16 2015-16
U.S. exports of domestic merchandise:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Canada
36,291
36,335
37,130
34,102
32,550
-1,551
-4.5
    China
14,191
14,242
14,426
14,052
13,975
-76
-0.5
    Mexico
30,599
31,705
33,481
31,557
30,171
-1,386
-4.4
    Ireland
2,192
2,439
2,752
3,237
3,266
29
0.9
    Germany
7,473
7,141
7,586
7,540
7,498
-42
-0.6
    Japan
12,193
10,743
11,319
10,773
10,830
57
0.5
    United Kingdom
8,419
6,835
7,212
8,488
7,417
-1,071
-12.6
    Belgium
12,259
13,053
14,709
15,519
13,411
-2,108
-13.6
    Switzerland
2,344
2,651
3,040
2,969
2,740
-229
-7.7
    South Korea
6,686
6,920
7,198
6,673
6,342
-331
-5.0
    All other
84,880
86,271
84,150
79,898
75,677
-4,221
-5.3
        Total domestic exports
217,529
218,333
223,002
214,808
203,878
-10,930
-5.1
Re-exports
11,394
13,089
11,952
13,074
14,265
1,191
9.1
Total U.S. exports (domestic and re-exports)
228,922
231,422
234,954
227,882
218,143
-9,739
-4.3
U.S. general imports:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Canada
33,540
33,299
33,518
32,211
29,694
-2,517
-7.8
    China
28,022
29,466
31,895
31,005
29,839
-1,166
-3.8
    Mexico
9,130
9,652
10,657
10,759
10,616
-143
-1.3
    Ireland
24,996
22,384
24,380
28,731
32,280
3,549
12.4
    Germany
20,843
21,856
25,186
24,854
23,291
-1,563
-6.3
    Japan
12,916
12,660
12,644
11,710
11,525
-185
-1.6
    United Kingdom
10,029
8,665
9,418
13,945
11,344
-2,601
-18.7
    Belgium
3,884
5,001
6,344
6,247
4,915
-1,332
-21.3
    Switzerland
10,005
10,978
12,107
11,939
14,343
2,404
20.1
    South Korea
5,555
5,030
5,858
6,225
8,511
2,286
36.7
    All other
78,322
77,687
79,534
82,653
83,551
899
1.1
        Total general imports
237,243
236,678
251,542
260,278
259,908
-370
-0.1

Source: Compiled from official statistics of the U.S. Department of Commerce. These reflect all official revisions of previously published data up to June 2016 (accessed March 27, 2017).

Note: Import values are based on customs value; export values are based on free along ship value, U.S. port of export. Calculations based on unrounded data. The countries shown are those with the largest total U.S. trade (U.S. general imports plus U.S. domestic exports) in these products in the current year.

Table CH.2 Chemicals and related products: Leading changes in U.S. exports and imports, 2012–16

 
Million $
  
           
Absolute change,
Percent change,
USITC code and industry/commodity group 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2015-16 2015-16
U.S. domestic exports:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Increases:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
        CH001       Major primary olefins
621
660
415
518
685
167
32.2
        CH020       Essential oils and other flavoring materials
2,356
2,519
2,563
2,632
2,753
120
4.6
        CH009       Chlor-alkali chemicals
2,397
2,347
2,267
2,255
2,370
115
5.1
        CH003       Primary aromatics
1,064
739
624
353
391
39
11.0
        CH002       Other olefins
629
518
621
542
559
17
3.1
        CH015       Natural tanning and dyeing materials
88
83
94
74
86
11
15.4
        CH008       Inorganic acids
849
890
759
668
677
8
1.2
    Decreases:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
        CH019       Medicinal chemicals
48,575
48,464
51,972
55,492
52,511
-2,981
-5.4
        CH006       Certain organic chemicals
19,643
19,690
18,984
16,370
15,073
-1,298
-7.9
        CH005       Organic specialty chemicals
9,202
8,722
8,691
8,224
7,218
-1,005
-12.2
        CH030       Other plastics in primary forms
15,779
16,232
16,701
15,467
14,589
-877
-5.7
        CH007       Miscellaneous inorganic chemicals
13,430
13,090
13,964
13,410
12,641
-769
-5.7
        CH010       Fertilizers
4,992
4,501
4,185
4,016
3,346
-670
-16.7
        CH032       Tires and tubes
5,885
5,481
5,466
4,771
4,137
-633
-13.3
        CH004       Organic commodity chemicals
6,528
7,253
6,244
4,245
3,750
-495
-11.7
        CH033       Miscellaneous plastic products
23,856
24,658
26,003
25,730
25,282
-448
-1.7
        CH017       Pesticide products and formulations
4,787
5,416
5,666
5,309
4,872
-438
-8.2
        CH025       Polyethylene resins in primary forms
7,380
7,782
7,880
7,695
7,325
-370
-4.8
        CH034       Miscellaneous rubber products
3,892
3,955
4,202
4,009
3,740
-269
-6.7
        CH023       Miscellaneous chemicals and specialties
6,854
7,040
6,892
6,717
6,473
-244
-3.6
        CH031       Synthetic rubber
4,671
4,051
3,976
3,393
3,243
-150
-4.4
        CH022       Soaps, detergents, and surface-active agents
5,817
5,929
6,201
5,849
5,731
-118
-2.0
        CH011       Paints, inks, and related items, and certain components thereof
7,555
7,177
7,239
6,813
6,699
-114
-1.7
        CH021       Perfumes, cosmetics, and toiletries
7,499
7,905
8,186
8,320
8,241
-79
-0.9
        CH026       Polypropylene resins in primary forms
3,126
3,183
3,168
2,598
2,524
-73
-2.8
        CH029       Saturated polyester resins
1,376
1,418
1,463
1,403
1,331
-72
-5.1
        CH013       Synthetic dyes and azoic couplers
390
450
525
576
509
-66
-11.5
        CH027       Polyvinyl chloride resins in primary forms
3,403
3,375
3,241
2,761
2,697
-64
-2.3
        CH028       Styrene polymers in primary forms
1,437
1,419
1,426
1,285
1,241
-45
-3.5
        CH024       Explosives, propellant powders, and related items
766
750
780
787
753
-34
-4.3
        CH012       Synthetic organic pigments
375
336
340
320
295
-25
-8.0
        CH018       Adhesives and glues
1,395
1,410
1,438
1,441
1,418
-23
-1.6
        CH035       Gelatin
100
110
100
82
60
-22
-26.5
        CH036       Natural rubber
87
67
69
60
47
-13
-22.3
        CH014       Synthetic tanning agents
23
24
25
21
11
-10
-47.8
        CH016       Photographic chemicals and preparations
700
691
635
602
601
-1
-0.2
U.S. general imports:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Increases:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
        CH019       Medicinal chemicals
89,365
85,436
93,442
109,717
113,142
3,425
3.1
        CH005       Organic specialty chemicals
11,661
12,785
13,662
11,923
14,613
2,690
22.6
        CH023       Miscellaneous chemicals and specialties
4,818
5,945
5,676
5,874
7,065
1,191
20.3
        CH033       Miscellaneous plastic products
27,713
29,259
31,202
32,355
33,044
689
2.1
        CH021       Perfumes, cosmetics, and toiletries
6,891
7,627
8,167
8,298
8,867
568
6.8
        CH026       Polypropylene resins in primary forms
363
414
522
556
761
205
36.8
        CH018       Adhesives and glues
356
385
401
413
439
26
6.2
        CH015       Natural tanning and dyeing materials
185
182
167
164
186
22
13.5
        CH029       Saturated polyester resins
1,391
1,454
1,637
1,418
1,421
3
0.2
        CH014       Synthetic tanning agents
9
10
16
11
14
3
27.0
    Decreases:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
        CH010       Fertilizers
13,218
12,050
11,335
10,926
7,219
-3,708
-33.9
        CH007       Miscellaneous inorganic chemicals
10,185
9,288
9,844
9,386
8,173
-1,212
-12.9
        CH032       Tires and tubes
14,835
14,758
15,018
14,561
13,652
-909
-6.2
        CH006       Certain organic chemicals
10,715
10,970
11,667
10,415
9,521
-894
-8.6
        CH003       Primary aromatics
1,844
2,238
2,698
1,689
1,178
-510
-30.2
        CH025       Polyethylene resins in primary forms
3,833
4,283
4,807
4,350
4,154
-196
-4.5
        CH030       Other plastics in primary forms
5,507
5,599
6,342
6,104
5,910
-194
-3.2
        CH034       Miscellaneous rubber products
5,854
5,983
6,458
6,445
6,253
-192
-3.0
        CH036       Natural rubber
3,382
2,559
1,955
1,499
1,308
-191
-12.7
        CH001       Major primary olefins
2,151
1,633
1,458
805
649
-156
-19.4
        CH031       Synthetic rubber
2,605
2,213
2,383
1,942
1,791
-151
-7.8
        CH017       Pesticide products and formulations
3,371
3,641
3,799
3,547
3,405
-142
-4.0
        CH011       Paints, inks, and related items, and certain components thereof
3,382
3,498
3,725
3,529
3,430
-99
-2.8
        CH008       Inorganic acids
721
664
711
676
583
-93
-13.7
        CH004       Organic commodity chemicals
1,910
2,383
2,583
1,916
1,826
-89
-4.7
        CH020       Essential oils and other flavoring materials
3,195
3,447
3,649
4,003
3,913
-89
-2.2
        CH028       Styrene polymers in primary forms
1,161
1,179
1,311
1,184
1,110
-74
-6.2
        CH013       Synthetic dyes and azoic couplers
412
398
441
453
395
-58
-12.8
        CH009       Chlor-alkali chemicals
405
428
382
346
288
-57
-16.6
        CH002       Other olefins
699
694
640
512
456
-55
-10.8
        CH035       Gelatin
288
332
290
281
241
-40
-14.1
        CH024       Explosives, propellant powders, and related items
628
632
731
766
738
-28
-3.7
        CH012       Synthetic organic pigments
539
540
569
507
483
-23
-4.6
        CH016       Photographic chemicals and preparations
705
725
689
724
711
-12
-1.7
        CH022       Soaps, detergents, and surface-active agents
2,493
2,612
2,717
2,591
2,579
-12
-0.4
        CH027       Polyvinyl chloride resins in primary forms
452
433
447
395
388
-7
-1.7

Source: Compiled from official statistics of the U.S. Department of Commerce. These reflect all official revisions of previously published data up to June 2016 (accessed March 27, 2017).

Note: Import values are based on customs value; export values are based on free along ship value, U.S. port of export. Calculations based on unrounded data.