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The twenty imports the United States is best placed to replace.

The United States imported USD 2.6tn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 1.3tn. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well, with how concentrated the supply of each is.

USD 86bnthe twenty, imported in 2024
271products imported at scale, not yet exported well, and close to existing strengths
1521products the United States already exports well
188,299public purchases of goods joined to a product family, from USAspending.gov (US federal awards)
The twenty

Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.

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

This edition carries public buyers from USAspending.gov (US federal awards), 278,145 award notices from 2025-11-02 to 2026-11-01, joined to each product's customs heading through a crosswalk we authored. The buyers are shown as context and do not change the score, because award values in these records include framework ceilings and outliers that would distort it. The regional layer (where the capability sits) is built only where a country publishes regional trade by product, and the United States does not publish it in a form this record can read yet.

  1. 1

    Wrist-watches: (not electrically operated), automatic winding, whether or not incorporating a stop-watch facility...HS 910121

    Comes fromSwitzerland 94%, 60 source countries
    Nearest export strengthChromatographs and electrophoresis instruments (exports USD 478m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 265m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 503m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 1.6bn, top 8 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 24 per cent (2); Switzerland supplies 94 per cent (2).

    USD 1.6bnup 20% on 2022
  2. 2

    Tractors: road tractors for semi-trailers, with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or...HS 870121

    Comes fromMexico 99%, 20 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion (exports USD 1.3bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 2.7bn; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 3.4bn
    Public buyers in the family801 awards from 31 buyers. Most frequent: Federal Acquisition Service

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 9.7bn, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 39 per cent (1); Mexico supplies 99 per cent (2).

    USD 9.7bndown 5% on 2022
  3. 3

    Spirits, liqueurs and other spirituous beverages: n.e.c. in heading no. 2208HS 220890

    Comes fromMexico 95%, 85 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVodka (exports USD 307m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 213m; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 2.9bn
    Public buyers in the family3 awards from 1 buyer. Most frequent: Department of State

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 5.5bn, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 42 per cent (1); Mexico supplies 95 per cent (2).

    USD 5.5bnup 6% on 2022
  4. 4

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

    Comes fromJapan 75%, 37 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 812m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 1.1bn
    Public buyers in the family849 awards from 24 buyers. Most frequent: Defense Logistics Agency

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 5.5bn, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 36 per cent (1); Japan supplies 75 per cent (2).

    USD 5.5bndown 1% on 2022
  5. 5

    Vehicle parts: steering wheels, steering columns and steering boxes: parts thereofHS 870894

    Comes fromMexico 64%, 72 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicles: parts and accessories, of bodies, other than safety seat... (exports USD 7.9bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 1.9bn; 8 more lines in the heading, USD 25bn
    Public buyers in the family247 awards from 7 buyers. Most frequent: Defense Logistics Agency

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 5.3bn, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 40 per cent (1); Mexico supplies 64 per cent (2).

    USD 5.3bnup 15% on 2022
  6. 6

    Odoriferous substances and mixtures: of a kind used in the food or drink industriesHS 330210

    Comes fromIreland 93%, 71 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 1.7bn
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 4.4bn, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 36 per cent (1); Ireland supplies 93 per cent (2).

    USD 4.4bnup 3% on 2022
  7. 7

    Wood: coniferous species, of S-P-F (spruce (Picea spp.), pine (Pinus spp.) and fir (Abies spp.)), sawn or chipped...HS 440713

    Comes fromCanada 98%, 23 source countries
    Nearest export strengthWood: engineered structural timber products, I beams (exports USD 81m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 20m; 9 more lines in the heading, USD 3.4bn
    Public buyers in the family272 awards from 13 buyers. Most frequent: Defense Logistics Agency

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 4.2bn, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 31 per cent (1); Canada supplies 98 per cent (2).

    USD 4.2bndown 45% on 2022
  8. 8

    Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: potassic, potassium chlorideHS 310420

    Comes fromCanada 83%, 26 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 602m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 77m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 3.6bn, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 31 per cent (1); Canada supplies 83 per cent (2).

    USD 3.6bndown 39% on 2022
  9. 9

    Vehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), for transport of...HS 870423

    Comes fromMexico 75%, 16 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston... (exports USD 2.2bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 1.6bn; 1 more line in the heading, USD 3.0bn
    Public buyers in the family921 awards from 34 buyers. Most frequent: Federal Acquisition Service

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 3.6bn, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 30 per cent (1); Mexico supplies 75 per cent (2).

    USD 3.6bnup 84% on 2022
  10. 10

    Wrist-watches: whether or not incorporating a stop-watch facility, with automatic windingHS 910221

    Comes fromSwitzerland 93%, 78 source countries
    Nearest export strengthChromatographs and electrophoresis instruments (exports USD 478m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 267m; 5 more lines in the heading, USD 1.3bn
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 3.0bn, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 30 per cent (1); Switzerland supplies 93 per cent (2).

    USD 3.0bnup 21% on 2022
  11. 11

    Oriented strand board (OSB) of wood, whether or not agglomerated with resins or other organic binding substancesHS 441012

    Comes fromCanada 93%, 30 source countries
    Nearest export strengthWood: engineered structural timber products, other than... (exports USD 72m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 78m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 352m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 2.2bn, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 42 per cent (1); Canada supplies 93 per cent (2).

    USD 2.2bndown 33% on 2022
  12. 12

    Railway or tramway goods vans and wagons: covered and closed, not self-propelledHS 860691

    Comes fromMexico 95%, 2 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 42m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 270m
    Public buyers in the family1 award from 1 buyer. Most frequent: Department of the Army

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 2.2bn, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 39 per cent (1); Mexico supplies 95 per cent (2).

    USD 2.2bnfrom USD 38m in 2022
  13. 13

    Sulphonamides: n.e.c. in heading no. 2935HS 293590

    Comes fromIreland 62%, 35 source countries
    Nearest export strengthAmine-function compounds: aromatic monoamines and their derivatives... (exports USD 98m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 190m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 2.0bn, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 42 per cent (1); Ireland supplies 62 per cent (2).

    USD 2.0bndown 20% on 2022
  14. 14

    Pacemakers: for stimulating heart muscles (excluding parts and accessories)HS 902150

    Comes fromIreland 48%, 33 source countries
    Nearest export strengthX-ray tubes (exports USD 756m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 368m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 2.3bn
    Public buyers in the family177 awards from 10 buyers. Most frequent: Department of Veterans Affairs

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 1.8bn, top 7 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 19 per cent (2); Ireland supplies 48 per cent (1).

    USD 1.8bnup 0% on 2022
  15. 15

    Cigars, cheroots and cigarillos: containing tobacco including the weight of every band, wrapper or attachment theretoHS 240210

    Comes fromDominican Republic 66%, 42 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 37m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 263m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 1.4bn, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 49 per cent (1); Dominican Republic supplies 66 per cent (2).

    USD 1.4bndown 0% on 2022
  16. 16

    Chocolate & other food preparations containing cocoa: in blocks, slabs or bars weighing more than 2kg or in liquid...HS 180620

    Comes fromCanada 75%, 64 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 514m; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 3.5bn
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 1.4bn, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 32 per cent (1); Canada supplies 75 per cent (2).

    USD 1.4bnup 48% on 2022
  17. 17

    Uncoated paper and paperboard (not 4801 or 4803): over 10% by weight of mechanical or chemi-mechanical processed...HS 480261

    Comes fromCanada 92%, 32 source countries
    Nearest export strengthWood pulp: chemical wood pulp, sulphite, (other than dissolving... (exports USD 52m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 53m; 5 more lines in the heading, USD 1.2bn
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 833m, top 15 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 21 per cent (2); Canada supplies 92 per cent (2).

    USD 833mdown 20% on 2022
  18. 18

    Newsprint: made of fibres obtained essentially by a chemi-mechanical process or of a weight, per m2, of more than 57g...HS 480100

    Comes fromCanada 98%, 25 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 75m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 469m, top 23 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 17 per cent (2); Canada supplies 98 per cent (2).

    USD 469mdown 37% on 2022
  19. 19

    Crustacean preparations: lobster, prepared or preservedHS 160530

    Comes fromCanada 100%, 12 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 8m; 12 more lines in the heading, USD 2.8bn
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 378m, top 27 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 10 per cent (3); Canada supplies 100 per cent (2).

    USD 378mup 10% on 2022
  20. 20

    Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1000 but not over 1500ccHS 870322

    Comes fromMexico 45%, 59 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicle parts: gear boxes and parts thereof (exports USD 7.8bn)
    Exports of this lineUSD 1.4bn; 4 more lines in the heading, USD 63bn
    Public buyers in the family8313 awards from 42 buyers. Most frequent: Federal Acquisition Service

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 27bn, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to the United States' export strengths in the top 41 per cent (1); Mexico supplies 45 per cent (1).

    USD 27bnup 43% on 2022

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 the United States 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.

  • Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston... imports USD 92bn, exports USD 22bn, top source Mexico 28%
  • Units of automatic data processing machines: processing units other than those... imports USD 61bn, exports USD 15bn, top source Mexico 66%
  • Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological... imports USD 44bn, exports USD 20bn, top source Germany 25%
  • Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston... imports USD 30bn, exports USD 13bn, top source Japan 26%
  • Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine, for... imports USD 25bn, exports USD 10bn, top source Mexico 88%
  • Semiconductor media: solid-state non-volatile storage devices, whether or not... imports USD 17bn, exports USD 4.7bn, top source South Korea 31%
  • Vehicles: parts and accessories, of bodies, other than safety seat belts imports USD 20bn, exports USD 7.9bn, top source Mexico 42%
  • Boards, panels, consoles, desks and other bases: for electric control or the... imports USD 19bn, exports USD 7.8bn, top source Mexico 44%
  • Electrical machines and apparatus: having individual functions, not specified... imports USD 14bn, exports USD 4.6bn, top source Mexico 30%
  • Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological... imports USD 15bn, exports USD 5.9bn, top source Ireland 79%
How the twenty were chosen

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 3381 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.

Public buyers, context only, never scored: 278,145 award notices from USAspending.gov (US federal awards), 2025-11-02 to 2026-11-01, of which 211,927 were classified by the buyer as goods and 188,299 joined to a product family through a crosswalk we authored, because no official one exists. Only notices whose code names a specific product group are joined; broad division codes are left out. The join is a family, not an exact line, and the counts are a floor.

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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