According to data from the General Administration of Customs, China's tinplate exports in August 2026 reached 107,500 mt, up 0.16% MoM, staying near 107,000 mt for a second consecutive month. Cumulative exports in January-August 2026 totaled 999,700 mt.
The statistical scope covers four HS codes:72101100 flat-rolled products of non-alloy steel, plated or coated with tin, of a thickness of 0.5 mm or more and a width of 600 mm or more(thickness ≥0.5 mm, width ≥600 mm),72101200 flat-rolled products of non-alloy steel, plated or coated with tin, of a thickness of less than 0.5 mm and a width of 600 mm or more(thickness <0.5 mm, width ≥600 mm),72102000 flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, plated or coated with lead(including terneplate),72121000 flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, plated or coated with tin, of a width of less than 600 mm(width <600 mm). Exports were highly concentrated in thin wide sheets (72101200), which accounted for 106,300 mt in the month, or 98.9% of the total. Narrow sheets (72121000) exports were 1,171 mt, accounting for about 1.1%, while thick wide sheets (72101100) were only 78 mt, and tin- or lead-coated sheets (72102000) were basically negligible. Together, the three categories accounted for less than 2 percentage points.
Chart-1: Monthly tinplate exports and MoM change
(Data source: General Administration of Customs)
By export destination, Asia was the main destination for tinplate with thickness <0.5 mm (72101200) in August, with exports to Asia reaching 62,900 mt, accounting for about 59%. Exports to Europe were 16,900 mt, accounting for 15.9%. Africa and the Americas received 10,500 mt and 10,200 mt respectively, each accounting for about 10%. Oceania received 900 mt.
Markets outside China showed clear divergence. The Middle East was the most concentrated destination region in August, with the UAE as the top export destination at 10,000 mt, accounting for about 9.4%. Saudi Arabia and Jordan received 4,100 mt and 3,900 mt respectively, with the three Middle Eastern destinations totaling 18,000 mt, or 17% of August exports. Southeast Asia was also a core export region, with Vietnam and Thailand ranking as the second and fourth largest destinations at 7,700 mt and 6,200 mt respectively, together accounting for 13%. South Korea and Indonesia received 4,600 mt and 3,400 mt respectively. European flows were mainly to Spain (6,900 mt) and Russia (5,300 mt), while Australia received 4,700 mt. The top ten destinations together accounted for 56,800 mt, or about 53%, indicating a relatively dispersed overall flow pattern. Overall, August tinplate exports were basically flat, with an export structure characterized by "Asia-dominant, multi-point distribution."
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