Market evolution: Mineral screening machines (CN 847410) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report examines the European Union's trade in mineral screening, sorting, separating and washing machines (customs code 847410) over the 2015–2025 period. The analysis covers the EU's trade with non-EU countries, including export and import volumes, values, partner dynamics, production trends, and market concentration. Over this decade, the EU maintained its position as a net exporter of these machines, though its trade surplus narrowed considerably as imports nearly doubled in value. At the same time, the geographic composition of both imports and exports shifted meaningfully, reflecting broader geopolitical and industrial developments.

For a full product definition and trade overview, see the Scope & Definitions section.

A shifting trade balance driven by surging imports

The EU remains a net exporter, but the surplus has halved

Throughout the entire 2015–2025 period, the EU consistently exported more mineral screening machines than it imported. However, the trade surplus narrowed dramatically — from approximately €228 million in 2015 to €109 million in 2025, a decline of over 52%. The surplus peaked at roughly €234 million during the period and has since contracted to its lowest point.

Imports nearly doubled in value, driven by both volume and price increases

EU imports of CN 847410 machines grew by 93.7% in value over the decade, rising from €123 million to €239 million. This increase was primarily volume-driven: import quantity rose by 79.3% (from around 20,000 tonnes to nearly 36,000 tonnes), while the average import price increased by a more modest 8.0%. This suggests that the EU's demand for foreign-made screening equipment grew significantly, likely reflecting both domestic infrastructure and mining investment and the increasing competitiveness of non-EU producers.

Export values held steady, but volumes declined while prices rose

EU exports of these machines were remarkably stable in value terms — hovering around €348–414 million — with only a marginal 0.9% decline from 2015 to 2025. However, beneath this apparent stability lies a structural shift: export volumes fell by 11.9% (from roughly 33,000 to 29,000 tonnes), while average export prices rose by 12.6% (from about €10,645 to €11,983 per tonne). This pattern is consistent with EU manufacturers moving upmarket — exporting higher-value, more specialised equipment rather than competing on volume.

Detailed trade figures are available in the General Overview.

Dramatic reshuffling of trade partners

Russia's collapse as an export destination and the rise of Australia

Perhaps the most striking development on the export side is the near-collapse of trade with the Russian Federation. EU exports to Russia fell by 75.6% — from €56 million in 2015 to just €14 million in 2025. This decline, accelerating from 2022 onwards, is almost certainly linked to EU sanctions imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia dropped from being the EU's third-largest export market to a much diminished position.

In contrast, Australia emerged as a rapidly growing destination, with EU exports increasing by 215% over the period. The United States remained the single largest market, growing from €45 million to €75 million, while the United Kingdom also expanded significantly despite Brexit. Meanwhile, exports to China declined by 67%, suggesting that China's domestic industry increasingly serves its own needs.

India and China have become major import suppliers

On the import side, the most dramatic changes came from India and China. EU imports from India surged from less than €1 million in 2015 to €31 million in 2025 — a staggering 3,508% increase. Imports from China grew almost as dramatically, from €4 million to €39 million (+882%). These two countries have rapidly gained market share in the EU, likely reflecting the maturation of their industrial machinery sectors and competitive pricing.

The United Kingdom remained the largest single source of imports throughout the period, growing from €89 million to €122 million. Notably, the post-Brexit period does not appear to have significantly disrupted this trade flow for CN 847410. Türkiye and Norway also became more important suppliers, though at much smaller absolute levels.

Partner-level data can be explored in the top partners section.

Geographic diversification of imports improved, while export concentration rose slightly

The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for import concentration fell by 42.8% — from 5,469 to 3,130 — indicating that the EU significantly diversified its sources of imported screening machines. This is consistent with the rapid growth of new suppliers like India and China, reducing dependence on any single origin. In contrast, the HHI for exports rose by 25.7% (from 634 to 797), though this still represents a relatively diversified export base. The export concentration increase may reflect the growing importance of the US and UK markets alongside the decline of Russia and China.

Resilient domestic production alongside evolving specialisation

EU production capacity expanded substantially

Despite the surge in imports, EU domestic production of mineral screening machinery also grew significantly over the period. Production quantity more than doubled — from 133,288 items in the initial period to 350,000 items by 2025, an increase of 162.6%. Production value grew by 55%, rising from approximately €1.35 billion to €2.1 billion. The fact that volume growth outpaced value growth suggests some degree of price compression or a shift toward producing a higher number of lower-cost units alongside premium equipment.

Production volume trends are available on the dashboard.

Specialisation remains concentrated in Central and Northern Europe

In 2025, the EU member states most specialised in exporting CN 847410 machines — as measured by the Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) — were Estonia (RSCA 0.68), Austria (0.59), and the Netherlands (0.32). Austria and Germany together account for a large share of EU production and export capacity. Notably, Germany's RCA is approximately 0.95 (RSCA −0.02), indicating that while it is the largest absolute exporter (€103 million in 2025), it does not exhibit a strong comparative advantage relative to its overall export profile.

On the import side, several member states saw dramatic increases. The Netherlands' imports surged by 899%, Poland's by 768%, and Italy's by 548%, suggesting these countries became significant consumers — or re-export hubs — for screening machines during the period. Germany remained the largest importer by absolute value, though its imports actually declined by 31%.

See the specialisation analysis for full member-state rankings.

Trade openness and export propensity have both increased

The EU's trade intensity for CN 847410 — measured as (exports + imports) / production value — rose from 50.8% to 67.7% over the period, indicating that external trade has become a more important component of the overall market. Similarly, export propensity increased from 44.9% to 60.6%. These trends suggest that the EU's screening machine sector has become more globally integrated and outward-looking, even as it faces growing import competition.

Vulnerability and openness indicators are detailed in the Autonomy & Vulnerability section.

Conclusion

The EU's trade in mineral screening machines (CN 847410) over 2015–2025 tells a story of structural transformation. The EU retained its position as a net exporter, but its trade surplus halved as imports — particularly from India and China — surged dramatically. At the same time, EU export volumes declined modestly while prices rose, suggesting a shift toward higher-value products.

Geopolitical shocks left clear marks on the data: the collapse of exports to Russia following the 2022 sanctions was the single largest structural change on the export side, while the rapid rise of Asian suppliers reshaped the import landscape. EU domestic production, meanwhile, more than doubled in quantity, indicating that the industry is not simply ceding ground to imports but is also expanding capacity.

Overall, the sector appears to be characterising increasing global integration, geographic diversification of supply sources, and a gradual reorientation of EU exports toward premium segments and non-traditional markets like Australia. The key risk going forward is the growing dependence on imports from a small number of fast-growing suppliers — a dynamic that warrants continued monitoring.