Ball point pens: U.S. export markets
U.S. exports of ball point pens (HS 9608) totaled $325 million in 2025, shipped to 110 countries and territories. The largest market was Mexico, with $162 million (50% of the total, Fromerica calculation). From January–July 2026, exports were $207 million, down 2.6% from the same months of 2025.
What HS 9608 covers
Heading 9608 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule: “Ball point pens; felt tipped and other porous-tipped pens and markers; fountain pens, stylograph pens and other pens; duplicating styli; propelling or sliding pencils (for example, mechanical pencils); pen-holders, pencil-holders and similar holders; parts (including caps and clips) of the foregoing articles, other than those of heading 9609.”
Top export markets
The 25 largest buyers of U.S. ball point pens in 2025, with the change so far this year. Countries with a link have a Fromerica export guide.
| # | Country | 2025 | YTD change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | $162M | ▼ −5.8% |
| 2 | Canada | $104M | ▼ −0.2% |
| 3 | Australia | $9.5M | ▲ +7.5% |
| 4 | Switzerland | $5.9M | ▲ +76% |
| 5 | Czech Republic | $3.8M | ▼ −95% |
| 6 | Colombia | $3.7M | ▲ +9.4% |
| 7 | United Kingdom | $3.1M | ▲ +8.0% |
| 8 | Germany | $3.0M | ▼ −10% |
| 9 | China | $2.1M | ▲ +174% |
| 10 | France | $1.9M | ▲ +14% |
| 11 | Honduras | $1.6M | ▲ +2.2% |
| 12 | Saudi Arabia | $1.6M | ▼ −76% |
| 13 | Malaysia | $1.5M | ▼ −4.8% |
| 14 | Chile | $1.3M | ▲ +3.5% |
| 15 | Netherlands | $1.2M | ▲ +88% |
| 16 | Brazil | $968K | ▼ −50% |
| 17 | Belgium | $931K | ▲ +51% |
| 18 | Italy | $925K | ▼ −14% |
| 19 | Japan | $880K | ▼ −8.2% |
| 20 | Costa Rica | $866K | ▼ −17% |
| 21 | United Arab Emirates | $777K | ▲ +56% |
| 22 | India | $719K | ▲ +137% |
| 23 | Argentina | $701K | ▼ −44% |
| 24 | Guatemala | $701K | ▲ +86% |
| 25 | Hong Kong | $694K | ▼ −22% |
Fastest-growing large markets
Among the top markets with at least $1 million in January–July 2025, these grew the most in January–July 2026 (Fromerica calculation): China (+174%, $2.8M), Switzerland (+76%, $5.1M), France (+14%, $1.4M), Colombia (+9.4%, $1.9M) and United Kingdom (+8.0%, $2.4M).
States that ship the most
By state of origin of movement: where the goods started their trip to the port, not necessarily where they were made.
| # | State | 2025 | YTD change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia | $96.4M | ▼ −92% |
| 2 | Tennessee | $69.8M | ▲ +143% |
| 3 | California | $27.4M | ▲ +10% |
| 4 | New Jersey | $17.6M | ▲ +9.5% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $10.2M | ▼ −17% |
| 6 | Illinois | $8.5M | ▲ +21% |
| 7 | Texas | $6.8M | ▲ +41% |
| 8 | Florida | $5.4M | ▼ −16% |
| 9 | Michigan | $5.2M | ▼ −77% |
| 10 | New York | $4.4M | ▲ +21% |
| 11 | North Carolina | $4.3M | ▼ −20% |
| 12 | Virginia | $2.3M | ▼ −26% |
| 13 | Connecticut | $1.4M | ▼ −47% |
| 14 | Ohio | $1.2M | ▲ +8.6% |
| 15 | Nevada | $1.0M | ▲ +9.6% |
Next steps
Data source and notes
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
- Export values: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade data (census.gov/foreign-trade), free-alongside-ship (FAS) value in current U.S. dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Latest month available: July 2026. Retrieved 2026-09-26. Figures are shown as published, rounded for display (on a computer, hover over a table value to see the exact figure). The Census Bureau revises past months, and we refresh the data every month.
- Shares, year-over-year changes and rankings are Fromerica calculations based on these figures. Product names come from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (U.S. International Trade Commission) heading for each 4-digit code.
- Fromerica is an independent company, not affiliated with any government agency. This page is for information only and is not legal, trade or investment advice.
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