Bearing Exports in EU Rebound to $12.2B

IndexBox has just published a new report: 'EU - Ball and Roller Bearings - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights'. Here is a summary of the report's key findings.

The size of the bearing market in the European Union totaled $6.5B in 2021, surging by 28% against the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs and intermediaries' margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). 

EU Ball and Roller Bearing Consumption

Consumption of ball and roller bearings was estimated at 502K tons in 2021. The countries with the highest volumes of bearing consumption in 2021 were Germany, Italy and Spain, together comprising 46% of total consumption. These countries were followed by Belgium, Romania, France, Denmark, Hungary, Sweden, Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which together accounted for a further 45%. 

EU Ball and Roller Bearing Production 

Production of ball and roller bearings was estimated at approx. 432K tons in 2021. In general, production, however, continues to indicate a pronounced contraction from 2007 to 2021. 

The countries with the highest volumes of bearing production in 2021 were Italy, Romania and Germany, with a combined 48% share of total production. France, Spain, Slovakia, Austria and Poland lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 38%.

EU Ball and Roller Bearing Exports 

In 2021, bearing exports in the European Union expanded rapidly to 674K tons, surging by 10% against the year before. Overall, exports, however, showed a relatively flat trend pattern from 2007-2021. 

In value terms, bearing exports surged to $12.2B in 2021. This figure includes trade between EU member countries. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2010. The level of export peaked at $13.3B in 2011; however, from 2012 to 2021, the exports failed to regain momentum.

Exports by Country

Germany was the major exporter of ball and roller bearings in the European Union, with the volume of supplies amounting to 200K tons, which was near 30% of total exports in 2021. France (76K tons) occupied the second position in the ranking, followed by Italy (74K tons), the Netherlands (48K tons), Poland (43K tons), Romania (43K tons), Austria (35K tons) and Slovakia (34K tons). All these countries together held near 52% share of total supplies.

In value terms, Germany ($4.7B) remains the largest bearing supplier in the European Union, comprising 38% of total exports. The second position in the ranking was occupied by France ($1.5B), with a 13% share of total supplies. It was followed by Italy, with a 9.9% share.

In Germany, bearing exports increased at an average annual rate of +1.5% over the period from 2007-2021. The remaining exporting countries recorded the following average annual rates of exports growth: France (-1.6% per year) and Italy (+0.1% per year).

Export Prices by Country

In 2021, the bearing export price in the European Union amounted to $18,157 per ton, surging by 6.6% against the previous year. Prices varied noticeably by the country of origin: the country with the highest price was Germany ($23,441 per ton), while Poland ($9,805 per ton) was amongst the lowest. From 2007 to 2021, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Austria (+2.6%), while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

EU Ball and Roller Bearing Imports 

In 2021, overseas purchases of ball and roller bearings increased by 22% to 744K tons for the first time since 2018, thus ending a two-year declining trend. Overall, imports showed a relatively flat trend pattern from 2007 to 2021.

In value terms, bearing imports surged to $10.3B in 2021. This figure includes trade between EU member countries.  In general, imports recorded a relatively flat trend pattern from 2007 to 2021.

Imports by Country

Germany was the main importer of ball and roller bearings in the European Union, with the volume of purchuses amounting to 225K tons, which was near 30% of total imports in 2021. Italy (73K tons) was the second in the ranking with a 9.7% share, followed by France (9.3%), Belgium (7.8%), the Netherlands (7.6%) and Spain (6.9%). The following importers - Sweden (33K tons), Poland (31K tons), Denmark (27K tons), the Czech Republic (19K tons), Austria (18K tons), Romania (14K tons) and Hungary (13K tons) - together made up 21% of total purchases.

In value terms, Germany ($3.4B) accounted for a 33% of total bearing imports. The second position in the ranking was taken by Italy ($1B), with a 10% share of total purchases. It was followed by France, with a 10% share.

In Germany, bearing imports increased at an average annual rate of +1.1% over the period from 2007-2021. In the other countries, the average annual rates were as follows: Italy (-1.1% per year) and France (-0.1% per year).

Import Prices by Country

The bearing import price in the European Union stood at $13,781 per ton in 2021, flattening at the previous year. Prices varied noticeably by the country of destination: the country with the highest price was the Czech Republic ($17,588 per ton), while Spain ($9,934 per ton) was amongst the lowest. From 2007 to 2021, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Poland (+1.7%), while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform