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The twenty imports Saudi Arabia is best placed to replace.

Saudi Arabia imported USD 167bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 66bn. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well, with how concentrated the supply of each is.

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USD 11bnthe twenty, imported in 2024

426products imported at scale, not yet exported well, and close to existing strengths

289products Saudi Arabia already exports well

1556product lines imported at USD 10m or more

The twenty

Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.

Each line shows the import bill, where it comes from, the nearest thing Saudi Arabia already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Saudi Arabia would pay. That reason is not in any trade record, and it is the maker's question.

This edition is trade and capability only, scored out of 8. The UK edition adds which public bodies buy each product and which region holds the capability; those layers are built only where a country publishes contract awards and regional trade, and Saudi Arabia does not publish them in a form this record can read yet.

1

Boring or sinking machinery: parts for boring or sinking machinery of subheading 8430.41 or 8430.49HS 843143

Comes fromUnited Arab Emirates 50%, 84 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 107m; 7 more lines in the heading, USD 544m

Countries that export it well26

Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 1.5bn, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 6 per cent (3); United Arab Emirates supplies 50 per cent (1).

USD 1.5bnup 165% on 2022
2

Iron or non-alloy steel: semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel, containing by weight less than 0.25% of...HS 720719

Comes fromOman 91%, 24 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 5m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 553m

Countries that export it well20

Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 355m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 10 per cent (2); Oman supplies 91 per cent (2).

USD 355mdown 50% on 2022
3

Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, bridges and bridge-sectionsHS 730810

Comes fromBahrain 85%, 24 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 13m; 4 more lines in the heading, USD 1.3bn

Countries that export it well26

Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 308m, top 5 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 11 per cent (2); Bahrain supplies 85 per cent (2).

USD 308mup 71% on 2022
4

Carpets and other textile floor coverings: woven, (not tufted or flocked), of man-made textile materials, of pile...HS 570242

Comes fromTurkey 92%, 32 source countries

Nearest export strengthCarpets and other textile floor coverings: woven, (not tufted or... (exports USD 15m)

Exports of this lineUSD 6m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 16m

Countries that export it well13

Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 260m, top 7 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 11 per cent (2); Turkey supplies 92 per cent (2).

USD 260mdown 12% on 2022
5

Acyclic hydrocarbons: unsaturated, butene (butylene) and isomers thereofHS 290123

Comes fromBelgium 83%, 8 source countries

Nearest export strengthSaturated chlorinated derivatives of acyclic hydrocarbons: ethylene... (exports USD 147m)

Exports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 53m

Countries that export it well9

Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 118m, top 16 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 5 per cent (3); Belgium supplies 83 per cent (2).

USD 118mdown 5% on 2022
6

Chlorides: of calciumHS 282720

Comes fromChina 72%, 21 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 242k; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 106m

Countries that export it well19

Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 81m, top 25 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 9 per cent (3); China supplies 72 per cent (2).

USD 81mdown 31% on 2022
7

Copper: wire, of refined copper, of which the maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeds 6mmHS 740811

Comes fromEgypt 30%, 16 source countries

Nearest export strengthIron or non-alloy steel: angles, shapes and sections, cold-formed or... (exports USD 5m)

Exports of this lineUSD 6m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 44m

Countries that export it well25

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 2.1bn, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 6 per cent (3).

USD 2.1bnup 66% on 2022
8

Food preparations: n.e.c. in item no. 2106.10HS 210690

Comes fromIreland 25%, 89 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 69m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 54m

Countries that export it well51

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 944m, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 9 per cent (3).

USD 944mup 7% on 2022
9

Vehicles: public transport type (carries 10 or more persons, including driver), with only compression-ignition...HS 870210

Comes fromChina 56%, 19 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 1m

Countries that export it well30

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 834m, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2); China supplies 56 per cent (1).

USD 834mup 327% on 2022
10

Aircraft and spacecraft: parts of aeroplanes, helicopters or unmanned aircraft n.e.c. in heading no. 8807HS 880730

Comes fromUnited States 65%, 57 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 199m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 69m

Countries that export it well17

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 713m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 43 per cent (1); United States supplies 65 per cent (2).

USD 713mup 95% on 2022
11

Iron or non-alloy steel: (not in coils), flat-rolled, of a width 600mm or more, hot-rolled, without patterns in...HS 720851

Comes fromChina 88%, 28 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 4m; 7 more lines in the heading, USD 1.2bn

Countries that export it well18

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 602m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 49 per cent (1); China supplies 88 per cent (2).

USD 602mup 98% on 2022
12

Medicaments: containing penicillins, streptomycins or their derivatives, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses...HS 300410

Comes fromGermany 46%, 40 source countries

Nearest export strengthHair preparations: shampoos (exports USD 96m)

Exports of this lineUSD 20m; 8 more lines in the heading, USD 4.9bn

Countries that export it well33

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 507m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 10 per cent (2); Germany supplies 46 per cent (1).

USD 507mup 200% on 2022
13

Mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel loaders: with a 360 degree revolving super structureHS 842952

Comes fromChina 70%, 22 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 39m; 6 more lines in the heading, USD 575m

Countries that export it well11

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 492m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 43 per cent (1); China supplies 70 per cent (2).

USD 492mdown 11% on 2022
14

Vehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), cylinder capacity...HS 870332

Comes fromThailand 72%, 19 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 318k; 11 more lines in the heading, USD 21bn

Countries that export it well23

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 420m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 36 per cent (1); Thailand supplies 72 per cent (2).

USD 420mup 36% on 2022
15

Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine, for transport of goods, (of a g.v.w. not...HS 870431

Comes fromUnited States 31%, 18 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 7m; 5 more lines in the heading, USD 2.6bn

Countries that export it well7

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 357m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 5 per cent (3).

USD 357mdown 14% on 2022
16

Buildings: modular building units, of steelHS 940620

Comes fromMalaysia 74%, 19 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 1m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 545m

Countries that export it well27

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 332m, top 5 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 27 per cent (1); Malaysia supplies 74 per cent (2).

USD 332mfrom USD 10m in 2022
17

Acids: aromatic polycarboxylic acids: terephthalic acid and its saltsHS 291736

Comes fromChina 73%, 7 source countries

Nearest export strengthAcids: saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids: acetic acid (exports USD 39m)

Exports of this lineUSD 174k; 5 more lines in the heading, USD 105m

Countries that export it well10

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 301m, top 5 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 35 per cent (1); China supplies 73 per cent (2).

USD 301mdown 7% on 2022
18

Sauces and preparations therefor: mixed condiments and mixed seasoningsHS 210390

Comes fromIndonesia 34%, 73 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 46m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 43m

Countries that export it well45

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 300m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 7 per cent (3).

USD 300mup 19% on 2022
19

Steel, alloy: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, hot-rolled, in coilsHS 722530

Comes fromChina 97%, 7 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 112k; 5 more lines in the heading, USD 230m

Countries that export it well15

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 274m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 35 per cent (1); China supplies 97 per cent (2).

USD 274mup 120% on 2022
20

Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, (not corrugated), plated or coated with zinc (not...HS 721049

Comes fromChina 56%, 23 source countries

Nearest export strengthnone named

Exports of this lineUSD 23m; 6 more lines in the heading, USD 394m

Countries that export it well26

Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 260m, top 7 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Saudi Arabia's export strengths in the top 16 per cent (2); China supplies 56 per cent (1).

USD 260mdown 16% on 2022

The whole record for one line, as a document

Work email

The bill and its path, the sources and their unit values, who exports the line well, the nearest strengths, the public buyers where a country publishes them, and the method. We reply by email. Privacy

One line per customs heading. Products Saudi Arabia already exports well and still imports are below, because they are a different conversation. No employment figures appear on this page, by decision.

Made here already, still imported

Scale conversations, not capability ones.

Telephone sets: smartphones for cellular or other wireless networks imports USD 6.8bn, exports USD 4.3bn, top source China 78%
Cyclic hydrocarbons: benzene imports USD 659m, exports USD 171m, top source India 95%
Iron or steel: angles, shapes and sections, welded imports USD 129m, exports USD 9m, top source Luxembourg 33%
Surveying equipment: parts and accessories for articles of heading no. 9015 imports USD 124m, exports USD 51m, top source United States 59%
Hair preparations: shampoos imports USD 167m, exports USD 96m, top source United Arab Emirates 46%
Glass fibres: n.e.c. in heading no. 7019 imports USD 129m, exports USD 63m, top source United States 48%
Tractors: single axle imports USD 81m, exports USD 17m, top source Japan 21%
Tools, interchangeable: rock drilling or earth boring tools, with working part... imports USD 103m, exports USD 42m, top source United States 47%
Reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations... imports USD 138m, exports USD 79m, top source United States 23%
Wood, tropical: white lauan, white meranti, white seraya, yellow meranti and... imports USD 56m, exports USD 3m, top source Austria 46%

How the twenty were chosen

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 1556 lines imported at USD 10m or more: above the median one point, top quarter two, top tenth three.

Proximity to export strengths, 0 to 3, on the same percentiles: the product-space method (Hidalgo, Klinger, Barabasi and Hausmann, Science 2007) on CEPII's BACI file of every bilateral trade flow for 2024, 157 countries and 5,388 products. Two products are close when the countries that export one well tend to export the other well. Only products in the upper half for proximity can enter the list at all: best placed is a proximity claim.

Supply concentration, 0 to 2: one point when a single country supplies 40 per cent or more, two at 60 per cent.

Scope. Manufactured goods, customs chapters 16 to 96, excluding ores, fuels and precious metals. Primary agriculture is out of scope for a page about manufacture.

What it cannot tell you

A map of where to look.

Trade data says what crossed the border, not why. Cost, scale, patents, tariffs and the plain fact that a supplier is good at it are all invisible here. The world file reconciles what each pair of countries reports, so a national customs file would differ in detail. Nothing on this page is a forecast or a promise.

Source: CEPII BACI, HS22, version 202601, years 2022 to 2024. Edition of 2026-11-03. The UK edition with its procurement and regional layers is at /made-here/.

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What Saudi Arabia buys, and from whom: the trade lanes into Saudi Arabia.

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The twenty imports Saudi Arabia is best placed to replace.

Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.

Boring or sinking machinery: parts for boring or sinking machinery of subheading 8430.41 or 8430.49HS 843143

Iron or non-alloy steel: semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel, containing by weight less than 0.25% of...HS 720719

Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, bridges and bridge-sectionsHS 730810

Carpets and other textile floor coverings: woven, (not tufted or flocked), of man-made textile materials, of pile...HS 570242

Acyclic hydrocarbons: unsaturated, butene (butylene) and isomers thereofHS 290123

Chlorides: of calciumHS 282720

Copper: wire, of refined copper, of which the maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeds 6mmHS 740811

Food preparations: n.e.c. in item no. 2106.10HS 210690

Vehicles: public transport type (carries 10 or more persons, including driver), with only compression-ignition...HS 870210

Aircraft and spacecraft: parts of aeroplanes, helicopters or unmanned aircraft n.e.c. in heading no. 8807HS 880730

Iron or non-alloy steel: (not in coils), flat-rolled, of a width 600mm or more, hot-rolled, without patterns in...HS 720851

Medicaments: containing penicillins, streptomycins or their derivatives, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses...HS 300410

Mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel loaders: with a 360 degree revolving super structureHS 842952

Vehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), cylinder capacity...HS 870332

Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine, for transport of goods, (of a g.v.w. not...HS 870431

Buildings: modular building units, of steelHS 940620

Acids: aromatic polycarboxylic acids: terephthalic acid and its saltsHS 291736

Sauces and preparations therefor: mixed condiments and mixed seasoningsHS 210390

Steel, alloy: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, hot-rolled, in coilsHS 722530

Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, (not corrugated), plated or coated with zinc (not...HS 721049

Scale conversations, not capability ones.

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

A map of where to look.

Want the Saudi Arabia edition kept current?