Import/export HS code 81129221: Metal waste and scrap

Recyclable materials like leftover pieces or used items

Why this is important if you are looking for potential customers in the UK:

  • It helps you understand the market size for your product in the UK.
  • It provides you with a list of potential leads who have bought similar products.

* UK only, last 24 months analysed

Imports by country

What this shows: Import market volume by exporter country into the UK.

Top 5 values

Country £
United States 3,865,524
China 1,062,300
Germany 594,022
Austria 210,850
Estonia 204,741

Countries rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months

What this shows: Countries are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month volume, right side by second 12-month volume, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.

Top 10 values

Country First 12m £ Second 12m £ Delta £
United States 3,235,069 630,455 -2,604,614
China 354,209 708,091 +353,882
Germany 168,818 425,204 +256,386
Austria 97,457 113,393 +15,936
Estonia 0 204,741 +204,741
Liechtenstein 111,129 9,537 -101,592
Japan 68,621 46,418 -22,203
Netherlands 1,679 38,941 +37,262
France 0 6,963 +6,963
Turkey 2,476 0 -2,476

Imports by country of origin

What this shows: Import volume by production origin country. Differences from exporter-country data can indicate re-export routes.

Top 5 values

Origin £
United States 3,851,322
China 1,147,230
Germany 560,740
Estonia 188,396
Austria 177,545

Country of origin rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months

What this shows: Origin countries are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month import value, right side by second 12-month import value, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.

Top 10 values

Origin First 12m £ Second 12m £ Delta £
United States 3,220,867 630,455 -2,590,412
China 439,139 708,091 +268,952
Germany 120,113 440,627 +320,514
Estonia 0 188,396 +188,396
Austria 62,911 114,634 +51,723
Liechtenstein 111,129 9,537 -101,592
Japan 66,599 46,418 -20,181
Netherlands 0 22,277 +22,277
Spain 0 16,345 +16,345
Kazakhstan 14,202 0 -14,202

Importers across UK regions

What this shows: Number of importing companies by UK ITL2 region.

Top 5 values

UK region Companies
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire 1
Essex 1
Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 1

UK regions rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months

What this shows: UK regions are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month importer count, right side by second 12-month importer count, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.

Top 10 values

UK region First 12m Second 12m Delta
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire 0 1 +1
Essex 0 1 +1
Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 0 1 +1

Import volume by transport

What this shows: Import value by transport mode used to bring goods into the UK.

Top 5 values

Transport £
Sea transport (not vehicle on ferry) 4,088,246
Roll on Roll off (RORO) 1,785,096
Air transport 349,859

Transport rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months

What this shows: Transport modes are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month import value, right side by second 12-month import value, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.

Top 10 values

Transport First 12m £ Second 12m £ Delta £
Sea transport (not vehicle on ferry) 3,643,033 445,213 -3,197,820
Roll on Roll off (RORO) 378,125 1,406,971 +1,028,846
Air transport 18,300 331,559 +313,259

Import volume by port

What this shows: Import value handled by each UK port.

Top 5 values

Port £
London Gateway Port 3,217,727
Immingham Docks 1,113,022
Felixstowe 1,048,151
London Heathrow Airport 340,931
Dover 310,741

Port rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months

What this shows: Ports are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month import value, right side by second 12-month import value, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.

Top 10 values

Port First 12m £ Second 12m £ Delta £
London Gateway Port 3,217,727 0 -3,217,727
Immingham Docks 40,685 1,072,337 +1,031,652
Felixstowe 425,551 622,600 +197,049
London Heathrow Airport 14,202 326,729 +312,527
Dover 174,040 136,701 -37,339
London 84,930 0 -84,930
Eurotunnel 55,578 0 -55,578
Dover / Eurotunnel 20,625 0 -20,625
Southampton 2,022 11,009 +8,987
ZLC 0 9,537 +9,537

Importer companies by SIC division

What this shows: Industry breakdown (SIC divisions) of importing companies.

Top 5 values

SIC Companies
Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
3
Other professional, scientific and technical activities
1
Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery
1

Importer companies over time

What this shows: Monthly count of unique importing companies.

Latest 5

Month Companies
2026-05 2
2025-10 2
2025-08 3

Top importers

What this shows: Companies with the highest number of months traded for this HS code.

Importer company size by revenue band

What this shows: Distribution of importers across company revenue bands.

Top 5 values

Revenue Companies
0-1m 1
15m-54m 1
54m+ 1
Other 1

Import seasonality

What this shows: Average monthly import pattern from historical data.

Exports by country

What this shows: Export market volume by destination country from the UK.

Top 5 values

Country £
United States 3,998,495
Germany 948,350
Belgium 221,411
Netherlands 161,813
Japan 131,731

Export countries rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months

What this shows: Destination countries are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month export volume, right side by second 12-month export volume, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.

Top 10 values

Country First 12m £ Second 12m £ Delta £
United States 2,739,275 1,259,220 -1,480,055
Germany 730,391 217,959 -512,432
Belgium 976 220,435 +219,459
Netherlands 161,813 0 -161,813
Japan 131,731 0 -131,731
United Arab Emirates 74,222 0 -74,222
Spain 31,801 15,169 -16,632
France 40,813 0 -40,813
Taiwan 5,388 0 -5,388

Export volume by transport

What this shows: Export value by transport mode used to ship goods from the UK.

Top 5 values

Transport £
Sea transport (not vehicle on ferry) 3,993,336
Roll on Roll off (RORO) 1,045,908
Air transport 589,949

Export transport rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months

What this shows: Transport modes are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month export value, right side by second 12-month export value, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.

Top 10 values

Transport First 12m £ Second 12m £ Delta £
Sea transport (not vehicle on ferry) 3,045,953 947,383 -2,098,570
Roll on Roll off (RORO) 735,849 310,059 -425,790
Air transport 134,608 455,341 +320,733

Export volume by port

What this shows: Export value handled by each UK port.

Top 5 values

Port £
Southampton 3,520,602
Dover / Eurotunnel 750,842
London Heathrow Airport 233,424
Liverpool Docks 214,719
Immingham Docks 204,697

Export port rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months

What this shows: Ports are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month export value, right side by second 12-month export value, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.

Top 10 values

Port First 12m £ Second 12m £ Delta £
Southampton 2,580,895 939,707 -1,641,188
Dover / Eurotunnel 519,196 231,646 -287,550
London Heathrow Airport 0 233,424 +233,424
Liverpool Docks 128,630 86,089 -42,541
Immingham Docks 204,697 0 -204,697
London Stansted Airport 0 164,660 +164,660
Harwich 161,813 0 -161,813
London Gateway Port 131,731 0 -131,731
East Midlands Airport 47,610 57,257 +9,647
Manchester Airport 74,222 0 -74,222

Quick facts

HS code: 81129221

Coverage: United Kingdom, most metrics for the last 24 months

Description: Recyclable materials like leftover pieces or used items