Why is South Carolina a leading automotive export state?

South Carolina hosts BMW's largest global production facility in Spartanburg, which exports a significant share of its vehicle output, making passenger vehicles and automotive parts consistently among the state's top export categories by value.

What is the trade significance of the Port of Charleston?

The Port of Charleston is one of the top container ports in the US by volume, recently deepened to accommodate ultra-large container vessels. It handles vehicles, tires, machinery, chemicals, and retail goods, serving as a critical gateway for Southeast US trade.

What are South Carolina's top export markets?

South Carolina's largest export destinations are Germany, China, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Belgium, driven largely by automotive exports from BMW and chemical and tire exports from companies like Michelin.

What is South Carolina's largest export industry?

MOTOR VEHICLES is South Carolina's largest export industry with $949.7M in trade value, representing 28.5% of the state's total exports.

What are the top export industries in South Carolina?

The top three export industries in South Carolina are MOTOR VEHICLES, AEROSPACE PRODUCTS & PARTS, and RUBBER PRODUCTS, based on monthly U.S. Census Bureau trade data.

How many industries does South Carolina export?

South Carolina has 50 active export industries tracked by NAICS code, with a combined value of $3.3B.

South Carolina Exports by Industry

Name: South Carolina U.S. Trade Data
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/about/policies/open-gov/open-data.html

Top export industries for South Carolina
#	Industry	Share	Export Value
1	MOTOR VEHICLES NAICS 3361	28.5%	$949.7M
2	AEROSPACE PRODUCTS & PARTS NAICS 3364	16.3%	$542.3M
3	RUBBER PRODUCTS NAICS 3262	6.6%	$218.7M
4	RESIN, SYN RUBBER, ARTF & SYN FIBERS/FIL NAICS 3252	6.2%	$205.3M
5	MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS NAICS 3363	4.3%	$143.9M
6	ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT & COMPONENTS, NESOI NAICS 3359	3.0%	$99.8M
7	BASIC CHEMICALS NAICS 3251	2.7%	$89.9M
8	OTHER FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS NAICS 3329	2.6%	$87.4M
9	OTHER GENERAL PURPOSE MACHINERY NAICS 3339	2.5%	$84.7M
10	ENGINES, TURBINES & POWER TRANSMSN EQUIP NAICS 3336	2.5%	$83.6M
11	NAVIGATIONAL/MEASURING/MEDICAL/CONTROL INSTRUMENT NAICS 3345	1.8%	$58.4M
12	PLASTICS PRODUCTS NAICS 3261	1.6%	$52.6M
13	WASTE AND SCRAP NAICS 9100	1.6%	$52.2M
14	OTHER CHEMICAL PRODUCTS & PREPARATIONS NAICS 3259	1.5%	$50.5M
15	MOTOR VEHICLE BODIES & TRAILERS NAICS 3362	1.2%	$39.6M
16	IRON & STEEL & FERROALLOY NAICS 3311	0.9%	$31.6M
17	BOILERS, TANKS & SHIPPING CONTAINERS NAICS 3324	0.9%	$29.7M
18	FABRICS NAICS 3132	0.8%	$28.1M
19	SEMICONDUCTORS & OTHER ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS NAICS 3344	0.8%	$28.0M
20	SOAPS, CLEANING COMPOUNDS & TOILET PREPARATIONS NAICS 3256	0.8%	$26.6M
21	PULP, PAPER & PAPERBOARD MILL PRODUCTS NAICS 3221	0.7%	$24.7M
22	NONFERROUS (EXC ALUM) & PROCESSING NAICS 3314	0.7%	$24.2M
23	MEAT PRODUCTS & MEAT PACKAGING PRODUCTS NAICS 3116	0.7%	$21.6M
24	ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT NAICS 3353	0.6%	$20.1M
25	AG & CONSTRUCTION & MACHINERY NAICS 3331	0.5%	$18.0M
26	CONVERTED PAPER PRODUCTS NAICS 3222	0.5%	$15.3M
27	ANIMAL FOODS NAICS 3111	0.4%	$13.0M
28	CLAY & REFRACTORY PRODUCTS NAICS 3271	0.4%	$12.8M
29	MEDICAL EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES NAICS 3391	0.4%	$12.7M
30	COMPUTER EQUIPMENT NAICS 3341	0.4%	$12.4M
31	GRAIN & OILSEED MILLING PRODUCTS NAICS 3112	0.4%	$11.9M
32	GLASS & GLASS PRODUCTS NAICS 3272	0.3%	$10.8M
33	OTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS NAICS 1119	0.3%	$10.2M
34	COMMERCIAL & SERVICE INDUSTRY MACHINERY NAICS 3333	0.3%	$9.8M
35	MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURED COMMODITIES NAICS 3399	0.3%	$9.5M
36	BEVERAGES NAICS 3121	0.3%	$9.5M
37	FIBERS, YARNS & THREADS NAICS 3131	0.3%	$9.3M
38	HVAC & COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT NAICS 3334	0.3%	$9.3M
39	BOLTS/NUTS/SCRWS/RIVTS/WASHRS & OTHER TURNED PRODS NAICS 3327	0.3%	$9.0M
40	COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT NAICS 3342	0.3%	$8.9M
41	PAINTS, COATINGS & ADHESIVES NAICS 3255	0.3%	$8.9M
42	HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND MISC MACHINES, NESOI NAICS 3352	0.3%	$8.5M
43	OTHER NONMETALLIC MINERAL PRODUCTS NAICS 3279	0.3%	$8.3M
44	INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY NAICS 3332	0.2%	$8.1M
45	RAILROAD ROLLING STOCK NAICS 3365	0.2%	$7.7M
46	USED OR SECOND-HAND MERCHANDISE NAICS 9300	0.2%	$7.6M
47	PHARMACEUTICALS & MEDICINES NAICS 3254	0.2%	$7.1M
48	PRINTED MATTER AND RELATED PRODUCTS, NESOI NAICS 3231	0.2%	$7.0M
49	FINISHED & COATED TEXTILE FABRICS NAICS 3133	0.2%	$5.7M
50	FOODS, NESOI NAICS 3119	0.2%	$5.7M

1

MOTOR VEHICLES

NAICS 3361

28.5%

$949.7M

2

AEROSPACE PRODUCTS & PARTS

NAICS 3364

16.3%

$542.3M

3

RUBBER PRODUCTS

NAICS 3262

6.6%

$218.7M

4

RESIN, SYN RUBBER, ARTF & SYN FIBERS/FIL

NAICS 3252

6.2%

$205.3M

5

MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS

NAICS 3363

4.3%

$143.9M

6

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT & COMPONENTS, NESOI

NAICS 3359

3.0%

$99.8M

7

BASIC CHEMICALS

NAICS 3251

2.7%

$89.9M

8

OTHER FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS

NAICS 3329

2.6%

$87.4M

9

OTHER GENERAL PURPOSE MACHINERY

NAICS 3339

2.5%

$84.7M

10

ENGINES, TURBINES & POWER TRANSMSN EQUIP

NAICS 3336

2.5%

$83.6M

11

NAVIGATIONAL/MEASURING/MEDICAL/CONTROL INSTRUMENT

NAICS 3345

1.8%

$58.4M

12

PLASTICS PRODUCTS

NAICS 3261

1.6%

$52.6M

13

WASTE AND SCRAP

NAICS 9100

1.6%

$52.2M

14

OTHER CHEMICAL PRODUCTS & PREPARATIONS

NAICS 3259

1.5%

$50.5M

15

MOTOR VEHICLE BODIES & TRAILERS

NAICS 3362

1.2%

$39.6M

16

IRON & STEEL & FERROALLOY

NAICS 3311

0.9%

$31.6M

17

BOILERS, TANKS & SHIPPING CONTAINERS

NAICS 3324

0.9%

$29.7M

18

FABRICS

NAICS 3132

0.8%

$28.1M

19

SEMICONDUCTORS & OTHER ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS

NAICS 3344

0.8%

$28.0M

20

SOAPS, CLEANING COMPOUNDS & TOILET PREPARATIONS

NAICS 3256

0.8%

$26.6M

21

PULP, PAPER & PAPERBOARD MILL PRODUCTS

NAICS 3221

0.7%

$24.7M

22

NONFERROUS (EXC ALUM) & PROCESSING

NAICS 3314

0.7%

$24.2M

23

MEAT PRODUCTS & MEAT PACKAGING PRODUCTS

NAICS 3116

0.7%

$21.6M

24

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

NAICS 3353

0.6%

$20.1M

25

AG & CONSTRUCTION & MACHINERY

NAICS 3331

0.5%

$18.0M

26

CONVERTED PAPER PRODUCTS

NAICS 3222

0.5%

$15.3M

27

ANIMAL FOODS

NAICS 3111

0.4%

$13.0M

28

CLAY & REFRACTORY PRODUCTS

NAICS 3271

0.4%

$12.8M

29

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

NAICS 3391

0.4%

$12.7M

30

COMPUTER EQUIPMENT

NAICS 3341

0.4%

$12.4M

31

GRAIN & OILSEED MILLING PRODUCTS

NAICS 3112

0.4%

$11.9M

32

GLASS & GLASS PRODUCTS

NAICS 3272

0.3%

$10.8M

33

OTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

NAICS 1119

0.3%

$10.2M

34

COMMERCIAL & SERVICE INDUSTRY MACHINERY

NAICS 3333

0.3%

$9.8M

35

MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURED COMMODITIES

NAICS 3399

0.3%

$9.5M

36

BEVERAGES

NAICS 3121

0.3%

$9.5M

37

FIBERS, YARNS & THREADS

NAICS 3131

0.3%

$9.3M

38

HVAC & COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT

NAICS 3334

0.3%

$9.3M

39

BOLTS/NUTS/SCRWS/RIVTS/WASHRS & OTHER TURNED PRODS

NAICS 3327

0.3%

$9.0M

40

COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

NAICS 3342

0.3%

$8.9M

41

PAINTS, COATINGS & ADHESIVES

NAICS 3255

0.3%

$8.9M

42

HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND MISC MACHINES, NESOI

NAICS 3352

0.3%

$8.5M

43

OTHER NONMETALLIC MINERAL PRODUCTS

NAICS 3279

0.3%

$8.3M

44

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY

NAICS 3332

0.2%

$8.1M

45

RAILROAD ROLLING STOCK

NAICS 3365

0.2%

$7.7M

46

USED OR SECOND-HAND MERCHANDISE

NAICS 9300

0.2%

$7.6M

47

PHARMACEUTICALS & MEDICINES

NAICS 3254

0.2%

$7.1M

48

PRINTED MATTER AND RELATED PRODUCTS, NESOI

NAICS 3231

0.2%

$7.0M

49

FINISHED & COATED TEXTILE FABRICS

NAICS 3133

0.2%

$5.7M

50

FOODS, NESOI

NAICS 3119

0.2%

$5.7M

South Carolina International Trade

South Carolina International Trade

Top Export Industries

Top Export Industries

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions