Import/export HS code 8459: Machine tools for drilling, boring, milling, threading, or tapping metal
These machines are used to shape or cut metal, excluding lathes. They include tools for drilling, boring, and threading
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 | £ |
|---|---|
| Germany | 29,285,023 |
| Spain | 16,537,631 |
| South Korea | 15,637,376 |
| Italy | 15,080,757 |
| China | 11,752,907 |
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 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 8,638,686 | 20,646,337 | +12,007,651 |
| Spain | 6,914,797 | 9,622,834 | +2,708,037 |
| South Korea | 9,702,882 | 5,934,494 | -3,768,388 |
| Italy | 9,916,612 | 5,164,145 | -4,752,467 |
| China | 5,898,839 | 5,854,068 | -44,771 |
| Netherlands | 6,048,579 | 5,657,061 | -391,518 |
| France | 1,903,354 | 7,235,248 | +5,331,894 |
| United States | 1,602,651 | 5,216,758 | +3,614,107 |
| Taiwan | 3,392,621 | 2,378,414 | -1,014,207 |
| Switzerland | 73,615 | 4,970,658 | +4,897,043 |
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 | £ |
|---|---|
| Germany | 27,925,177 |
| Spain | 16,831,297 |
| South Korea | 15,704,333 |
| Italy | 15,134,901 |
| China | 13,704,608 |
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 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 8,236,563 | 19,688,614 | +11,452,051 |
| Spain | 6,968,764 | 9,862,533 | +2,893,769 |
| South Korea | 9,760,272 | 5,944,061 | -3,816,211 |
| Italy | 9,816,188 | 5,318,713 | -4,497,475 |
| China | 6,873,296 | 6,831,312 | -41,984 |
| United States | 3,567,014 | 8,043,052 | +4,476,038 |
| Netherlands | 4,436,810 | 5,216,711 | +779,901 |
| France | 1,092,029 | 5,973,612 | +4,881,583 |
| Taiwan | 3,325,130 | 2,400,947 | -924,183 |
| Switzerland | 25,424 | 5,121,370 | +5,095,946 |
Importers across UK regions
What this shows: Number of importing companies by UK ITL2 region.
Top 5 values
| UK region | Companies |
|---|---|
| West Midlands | 35 |
| Greater Manchester | 24 |
| Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire | 24 |
| Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire | 19 |
| Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire | 18 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Midlands | 23 | 19 | -4 |
| Greater Manchester | 16 | 14 | -2 |
| Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire | 20 | 14 | -6 |
| Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire | 17 | 12 | -5 |
| Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire | 10 | 12 | +2 |
| Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire | 12 | 11 | -1 |
| Hampshire and Isle of Wight | 12 | 8 | -4 |
| West Yorkshire | 7 | 12 | +5 |
| Inner London - West | 10 | 9 | -1 |
| Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear | 11 | 9 | -2 |
Import volume by transport
What this shows: Import value by transport mode used to bring goods into the UK.
Top 5 values
| Transport | £ |
|---|---|
| Roll on Roll off (RORO) | 92,846,776 |
| Sea transport (not vehicle on ferry) | 38,028,213 |
| Air transport | 10,756,377 |
| Other | 1,921,912 |
| Road transport | 227,902 |
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 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roll on Roll off (RORO) | 37,029,087 | 55,817,689 | +18,788,602 |
| Sea transport (not vehicle on ferry) | 20,618,191 | 17,410,022 | -3,208,169 |
| Air transport | 4,419,637 | 6,336,740 | +1,917,103 |
| Other | 1,737,475 | 184,437 | -1,553,038 |
| Road transport | 227,021 | 881 | -226,140 |
| Rail transport | 0 | 10,124 | +10,124 |
Import volume by port
What this shows: Import value handled by each UK port.
Top 5 values
| Port | £ |
|---|---|
| Dover | 36,025,342 |
| Southampton | 18,629,872 |
| Immingham Docks | 16,753,956 |
| Harwich | 11,250,431 |
| Felixstowe | 9,631,304 |
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 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | 17,106,798 | 18,918,544 | +1,811,746 |
| Southampton | 12,764,398 | 5,865,474 | -6,898,924 |
| Immingham Docks | 7,658,298 | 9,095,658 | +1,437,360 |
| Harwich | 3,088,648 | 8,161,783 | +5,073,135 |
| Felixstowe | 4,380,485 | 5,250,819 | +870,334 |
| Eurotunnel | 3,401,276 | 2,813,800 | -587,476 |
| Dover / Eurotunnel | 669,908 | 3,726,560 | +3,056,652 |
| London Heathrow Airport | 1,053,042 | 3,167,566 | +2,114,524 |
| Newhaven | 289,903 | 3,823,348 | +3,533,445 |
| London | 2,475,480 | 1,566,822 | -908,658 |
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 | 107 |
| Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment | 56 |
| Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. | 42 |
| Other manufacturing | 30 |
| Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 24 |
Importer companies over time
What this shows: Monthly count of unique importing companies.
Latest 5
| Month | Companies |
|---|---|
| 2026-04 | 59 |
| 2026-03 | 55 |
| 2026-02 | 47 |
| 2026-01 | 44 |
| 2025-12 | 48 |
Top importers
What this shows: Companies with the highest number of months traded for this HS code.
| Company | Months traded |
|---|---|
| DRAPER TOOLS LIMITED | 113 |
| WARREN MACHINE TOOLS (GUILDFORD) LIMITED | 110 |
| AXMINSTER TOOL CENTRE LTD | 104 |
| XYZ MACHINE TOOLS LIMITED | 103 |
| CLARKE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED | 94 |
| CHESTER (UK) LIMITED | 93 |
| MILLS CNC LIMITED | 92 |
| JACK SEALEY LIMITED | 75 |
| EXCEL MACHINE TOOLS LIMITED | 74 |
| S.I.P.(INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS)LIMITED | 70 |
Importer company size by revenue band
What this shows: Distribution of importers across company revenue bands.
Top 5 values
| Revenue | Companies |
|---|---|
| 1m-15m | 166 |
| 54m+ | 119 |
| 15m-54m | 57 |
| 0-1m | 49 |
| Other | 24 |
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 | 15,333,138 |
| Germany | 14,894,310 |
| India | 14,437,316 |
| France | 12,276,259 |
| Ireland | 8,032,026 |
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 | 5,597,702 | 9,735,436 | +4,137,734 |
| Germany | 9,900,228 | 4,994,082 | -4,906,146 |
| India | 13,588,871 | 848,445 | -12,740,426 |
| France | 10,357,474 | 1,918,785 | -8,438,689 |
| Ireland | 3,003,393 | 5,028,633 | +2,025,240 |
| Hungary | 772,478 | 4,909,810 | +4,137,332 |
| Netherlands | 1,282,411 | 1,718,764 | +436,353 |
| Italy | 982,980 | 1,904,795 | +921,815 |
| Spain | 1,648,152 | 814,243 | -833,909 |
| Canada | 1,451,180 | 315,577 | -1,135,603 |
Exports by country of origin
What this shows: Export volume by production origin country. For re-exports, indicates where goods originated before UK export.
Top 5 values
| Origin | £ |
|---|---|
| China | 193,835 |
| Germany | 19,696 |
| Spain | 17,318 |
| Ireland | 5,277 |
| Thailand | 3,536 |
Export origin countries 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 export value, right side by second 12-month export value, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.
Top 10 values
| Origin | First 12m £ | Second 12m £ | Delta £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 93,490 | 100,345 | +6,855 |
| Germany | 19,638 | 58 | -19,580 |
| Spain | 17,286 | 32 | -17,254 |
| Ireland | 5,277 | 0 | -5,277 |
| Thailand | 0 | 3,536 | +3,536 |
| United States | 0 | 461 | +461 |
| XI | 174 | 32 | -142 |
Export volume by transport
What this shows: Export value by transport mode used to ship goods from the UK.
Top 5 values
| Transport | £ |
|---|---|
| Roll on Roll off (RORO) | 49,139,199 |
| Sea transport (not vehicle on ferry) | 39,421,683 |
| Air transport | 8,119,179 |
| Road transport | 6,718,049 |
| Other | 248,270 |
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 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roll on Roll off (RORO) | 26,094,679 | 23,044,520 | -3,050,159 |
| Sea transport (not vehicle on ferry) | 24,470,416 | 14,951,267 | -9,519,149 |
| Air transport | 4,061,508 | 4,057,671 | -3,837 |
| Road transport | 6,718,049 | 0 | -6,718,049 |
| Other | 142,028 | 106,242 | -35,786 |
Export volume by port
What this shows: Export value handled by each UK port.
Top 5 values
| Port | £ |
|---|---|
| Dover / Eurotunnel | 27,018,840 |
| Liverpool Docks | 10,738,169 |
| London Gateway Port | 10,025,657 |
| Felixstowe | 9,329,138 |
| 499 | 6,707,407 |
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 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover / Eurotunnel | 15,322,683 | 11,696,157 | -3,626,526 |
| Liverpool Docks | 4,806,308 | 5,931,861 | +1,125,553 |
| London Gateway Port | 6,891,602 | 3,134,055 | -3,757,547 |
| Felixstowe | 6,741,780 | 2,587,358 | -4,154,422 |
| 499 | 6,707,407 | 0 | -6,707,407 |
| Southampton | 2,458,708 | 3,650,429 | +1,191,721 |
| Holyhead | 1,774,798 | 4,324,008 | +2,549,210 |
| Middlesbrough | 2,376,595 | 1,373,478 | -1,003,117 |
| London Heathrow Airport | 1,145,645 | 2,141,176 | +995,531 |
| Harwich | 1,415,041 | 1,692,235 | +277,194 |
Related HS codes
What this shows: Sibling or child HS codes in the same classification branch.
- 845910 – Way-type unit head machines
- 845921 – Numerically controlled drilling machines
- 845929 – Various drilling machines
- 845931 – Numerically controlled boring machines
- 845939 – Various boring machines
- 845941 – Numerically controlled milling machines
- 845949 – Various milling machines
- 845951 – Numerically controlled threading or tapping machines
- 845959 – Various threading or tapping machines
- 845961 – Numerically controlled tool milling machines
- 845969 – Various milling machines
- 845970 – Various threading or tapping machines
Quick facts
HS code: 8459
Coverage: United Kingdom, most metrics for the last 24 months
Description: These machines are used to shape or cut metal, excluding lathes. They include tools for drilling, boring, and threading