Select U.S. ImportersStateCityIndustryEst TEUEst TEUEst TEUEst TEU
1Dole Food Company IncCAThousand OaksFruits/Produce232,797235,396244,154234,077
2Samsung America IncNJRidgefield ParkRetail/Electronics172,050213,502228,873175,835
3Chiquita Fresh North America LLCNCCharlotteFruits/Produce158,501159,466161,477171,893
4IkeaPAConshohockenHome Furnishings128,713111,490153,507170,494
5LG Electronics USA IncALHuntsvilleRetail/Electronics60,751103,390134,458155,465
6Lowes (LG Sourcing)NCMooresvilleRetail LumberNANA72,175149,750
7Del Monte Fresh Produce NA IncFLCoral GablesFruits/Produce48,24347,065112,703143,380
8Nike IncORBeavertonRetail/AthleticNANA45,076110,316
9WalMart IncARBentonvilleRetail183,76880,352188,07994,889
10HeinekenNYWhite PlainsAlcoholic BeveragesNA36,13766,91765,700
11Adidas America IncORPortlandRetail/Athletic23,83932,37737,80159,803
12Rooms To Go Furniture (RTG)FLSeffnerHome FurnishingsNA47,67961,50058,276
13Mercedes Benz USAGAAtlantaAuto57,49830,03541,60757,373
14Michelin North America IncSCGreenvilleTires22,27520,28135,72754,679
15Electrolux CompanyNCCharlotteHome Appliances32,72448,64157,15250,442
16Kubota Tractor CorpTXGrapevineAgricultural Machinery38,34534,54342,66950,429
17Continental Tire North AmericaSCFort MillTires32,48332,94342,45348,705
18Yokohama Tire CorpCASanta AnaTires22,12816,51635,51447,249
19Dollar General CorpTNGoodlettsvilleDiscount RetailNANANA45,361
20Red Bull North America IncCASanta MonicaBeverages71,33667,77863,38044,371
21Toyota CorpNYNew YorkAuto Parts38,07233,66039,11641,750
22Hankook TireTNNashvilleTires43,15834,64234,37341,541
23At Home Stores LLCTXPlanoFurniture29,45331,17449,35440,905
24Tractor SupplyTNBrentwoodFarm SuppliesNA26,55639,73938,705
25Euromarket Designs Inc (Crate & Barrel)ILChicagoHome Furnishings23,66525,89039,02638,027
26Hyundai GlovisCAIrvineAuto PartsNA19,54629,76037,252
27Gildan Activewear Eden IncQCMontrealApparel17,98825,76838,56835,922
28Fyffes Tropical Produce LLC (SOL)FLCoral GablesFruits/Produce30,52935,43141,30334,901
29Sol Group Marketing CompanyFLPompano BeachFruits/Produce34,35735,58735,24031,353
30Hanwha International CorpKoreaSeoulAerospace/Solar18,07322,58620,16130,995
31Sumitomo RubberNYTonawandaTires25,11727,67832,04929,222
32Toyo Tires USA CorpCACypressTires17,57614,56622,58829,186
33Southern Wine & Spirits of AmericaFLMiamiAlcoholic BeveragesNA21,52934,34727,561
34BMW North AmericaNJWoodcliff LakeAuto MakerNANANA26,234
35Mattel IncCAEl SegundoRetail/Toys18,30020,01921,83825,244
36Bridgestone Americas TireTNNashvilleTires34,52224,14123,56225,112
37Keter North America IncINAndersonPlastic Garden/House18,51919,58228,70124,610
38John DeereILMolineTractors/EquipmentNA12,38518,56624,424
39Living Spaces FurnitureCALa MiradaHome Furnishings20,92423,57629,91524,129
40Goodyear Tire RubberOHAkronTiresNANA21,22424,031
41Ashley FurnitureNJEdisonFurnitureNANANA23,386
42Fiji Water Company LLCCALos AngelesWater/Beverages17,94813,29419,21722,468
43General MotorsMIDetroitAuto MakerNANANA22,371
44AmazonWASeattleOnline Retail225,000292,205330,81821,773
45Mobis PartsCAFountain ValleyAuto Parts25,35821,10517,20721,329
46Bob's Discount FurnitureCTManchesterFurnitureNANANA20,840
47Conair CorpCTStamfordHome Appliances22,64523,96327,89820,817
48Hewlett Packard (HP)CAPalo AltoElectronicsNANA16,64720,492
49Yamaha Motor CorpCACypressMotorized Products21,08512,34217,64019,914
50Fred Meyer IncORPortlandRetailerNA15,47916,04819,498
51WalgreenILDeerfieldRetail/PharmaceuticalsNANA16,35719,246
52Walgreen CompanyILDeerfieldDrugstoresNANANA19,246
53Pirelli Tire LLCGARomeTires15,33912,05317,37019,155
54Diageo North AmericaNYNew York CityAlcoholic BeveragesNA25,59917,53718,900
55Puma North AmericaMASomervilleRetail/AthleticNANA13,81118,851
56Mitsubishi Electric AutomotiveCACypressAutoNANA15,62718,583
57BJ's Wholesale Club IncMAWestboroughRetail15,85417,10120,64318,493
58Canadian Solar USA IncONWest GuelphSolar CellsNANA20,02218,082
59The Home DepotGAAtlantaRetail LumberNANA71,82018,024
60CMPC USA IncGAAtlantaPaper/Plastics17,47324,24116,94117,585
61Robert Bosch CorpMIFarmington HillsAutoNANA17,76717,487
62BSH Home Appliances (Bosch)CAIrvingHome AppliancesNA14,85119,39117,222
63Kumho Tire USAGAAtlantaTiresNANANA17,177
64Goya Foods IncNJSecaucusHispanic FoodsNA14,62415,12517,034
65Olam International LtdCAFresnoAgriculturalNANANA16,459
66American Furniture Warehouse CoCOEnglewoodHome FurnishingsNANA16,84616,331
67Hyosung USA IncALDecaturTextilesNANA16,31916,204
68Crown Cork & Seal CoPAPhiladelphiaBeverage & Can MakerNANA24,17116,059
69Cummins IncINColumbusDiesel EnginesNANA13,89015,993
70Pvh Corp (Phillips Van-Heusen)NYNew YorkRetail18,16315,94915,00015,847
71Cooper Tire and RubberOHFindlayTiresNANA14,19915,445
72ES WindowFLMiamiWindowsNANANA15,248
73Cosentino USAFLMiamiKitchen CountertopsNANANA15,077
74Jinko SolarCASan FranciscoSolar CellsNANA22,66514,992
75Epson America IncCALong BeachElectronics12,60611,99113,71314,950
76Yaraghi LLCNYPort WashingtonHome FurnishingsNANANA14,947
77Longi Solar Technology US IncCASan RamonSolar Cells10,44719,62431,01814,818
78All Market Inc. (Vita Coco)NYNew York CityBeveragesNANANA14,534
79Burlington Coat FactoryNJBurlingtonClothing/CoatsNANANA14,507
80Pernod Ricard USA IncNYNew York CityWines & SpiritsNANANA14,342
81Gallo Family VineyardsCAModestoWineNANA15,43514,294
82VLM FoodsQCDollard-Des OrmeauxFood & BeveragesNA12,97611,60614,234
83Volkswagen of America IncVAHerndonAuto29,38513,96112,69114,002
84Goplus CorpCAFontanaConsumer ProductsNA15,52314,11313,815
85Nexen Tire USAOHRichfieldTiresNANANA13,810
86Sentury Tire USA IncFLHialeahTires12,33613,07413,02913,793
87Danone IncNYWhite PlainsFood & BeveragesNANANA13,729
88HasbroRIPawtucketToysNANANA13,567
89Jo-Ann Stores IncOHHudsonRetail14,40115,15915,59413,565
90Hennes and Mauritz LP (H&M)NYNew York CityApparel and CosmeticsNANA13,47413,533
9199 Cents Only StoresCACommerceRetailerNANA15,02913,490
92City Furniture and AppliancesABPeace RiverFurniture and AppliancesNA10,81215,38213,325
93Giti Tire Usa LtdCARancho CucamongaTires11,98613,15814,33413,232
94Arhaus IncOHHudsonFurnitureNANANA13,210
95Williams Sonoma IncCASan FranciscoHome Furnishings11,17435,62020,42613,187
96Nissan North America IncTNFranklinAuto13,7389,50315,45913,081
97Ford Motor CoMIDearbornAutoNANA13,98113,070
98CNH (Case New Holland)WIRacineFarming EquipmentNANA12,79613,060
99Proctor & Gamble CompanyOHCincinnatiHealth & Beauty/ConsumerNANA13,46413,038
100Sailun Tires Americas IncONBramptonTiresNANANA12,928

Source data provided by Descartes Datamyne

Notes to the AJOT’s Top 100 Importers chart for 2023

The AJOT’s Top 100 Importers chart featured annually for over two decades in the “Top North American Importers and Exporters” edition highlights the largest “importers” in terms of TEUs (Twenty-foot-equivalent units). This data reflects ocean imports from bills of ladings (BLs) and for statistical purposes averages this tally out into TEUs. For this reason, the totals do not exactly align with TEU totals reported by U.S. port authorities. Equally, all boxes (TEUs) aren’t created equal as the dollar value of one item such as electronics can be vastly larger than say paper products. Also, some freight “cubes out” and other freight “weigh out” as the density of the items varies enormously. The chart reflects, as the name implies, only imports for two reasons: the first is that imports vastly out pace exports and thus are of principle interest; and secondly the accuracy of export data for many reasons, isn’t as well-defined as import data.

As in past years, the information in the AJOT’s Top 100 Importers chart was derived from Descartes-Datamyne’s excellent system (www.datamyne.com). The data was assembled with care, but as a caveat, all information is wrought with so many variables that the final result should be viewed with prudence. [See Disclaimer]

It also is worth keeping in mind that U.S. importers frequently use third parties for the entry of goods thus the numbers in the charts are largely those which appear under the importer’s own name or sourcing company. For example, WalMart exceeded a million TEUs in imports over a decade ago and our figures “only” show just under 94,889 TEUs. A number of the other name mega-retailers and online-retailers have similar under reporting of their overall imports. In this year’s data Target doesn’t even make the list, although through unofficial incidental data we can make estimates that put the mega-retailer probably over 200,000 TEUs. And Amazon, which led the ranking for the last two years posted a meager 21,773 TEUs in 2022 but similar to WalMart’s case, likely had numbers in excess of 400,000 TEUs. A similar case can be made for Home Depot at 59th which posted just over 18,000 TEUs after nearly hitting 72,000 TEUs in the 2022 chart.

In some cases, the data for previous years is NA or Not Available which in most instances, such as BMW North America simply means it didn’t make the “Top 100” lists. In other cases, the reporting has changed, and the data isn’t available in any meaningful way – the numbers are simply too low.

Other incidental data does help fill in some blanks – deliveries to known DCs and warehouses or handling by 3PL (third party logistics providers) can in instances be traced to the BCO (beneficial cargo owner).

However, even with the above-mentioned caveats, the TEU totals do give a fair representation of year-to-year “activity” and are an interesting barometer to trade and trading behavior.

Chart Highlights

This year’s chart leader is Dole with 234,000 TEUs. Dole consistently has posted TEU totals in 230,000-240,000 range. Interestingly, fruit/produce suppliers again were high on the Top 100 list. Chiquita came in number 3 at over a 171,000 TEUs while Del Monte tapped in at 7th with over 143,000 TEUs. A little farther down, Fyffes Tropical at 28th posted nearly 35,000 TEUs while the Sol Group just behind at 29th checked in with nearly 31,000 TEUs.

Samsung America placed 2nd and notched almost 176,000 TEUs while rival LG Electronics USA was 5th with over 155,000 TEUs.

Almost every year, Ikea is the top in home furnishings. This year Ikea was 4th on the list at over 170,000 TEUs. But the sector is well represented as Room To Go (RTG) was 12th and topped 58,000 while At Homes Stores at 23rd hit nearly 41,000 TEUs and Euromarket Designs (Crate and Barrel) at 25th tipped 38,000 TEUs. Living Spaces came in at 39th with 24,000 TEUs while Ashley Furniture at 41st hit just over 23,000 TEUs

Other regular “top of the chart” makers were present in this year’s version. Nike at 8th and Adidas 11th posted 110,000 TEUs and 60,000 TEUs respectively. Another top of the chart company Heineken 10th imported nearly 66,000 TEUs, almost the same as in 2021.
As a group autos, auto parts and tires represent the largest slice of the chart, with 26 entries. Mercedes Benz was first in the category (13th overall) with over 57,000 TEUs, followed closely by Michelin (14th) with over 54,000 TEUs, Continental Tire (17th) at 48,705 TEUs and Yokohama (18th) with 47,249 TEUs.

As in all years the importers listed within the chart have great variety, reflecting the vast array of commodities imported into North America. Interestingly, many importers posted better figures in 2022 than 2021, albeit considering reporting changes. Already in this year, the data is reflecting the influence of inflation and higher interest rates. But as the recessionary trends lessen and employment figures remain strong, 2023 might turn out to be better than the “recovery” year of 2022.

Disclaimer

Descartes-Datamyne data provides 12 months of aggregated statistics on the waterborne trading activity of US importers in the US.

For companies that have multiple locations or units engaged in trade, trade statistics are aggregated by individual location or unit, and then totaled at the company headquarters level, as identified by D&B, or by Descartes-Datamyne if D&B data is not available.

Descartes-Datamyne data does NOT include information on shipments for which the consignee is NOT identified. Generally, these are shipments handled by an intermediary such as an NVOCC or other third-party service provider.

Note, too, that companies may not be identified in shipment records because they are exercising their legal right to restrict the public release of information about their trading activities.