The 2020 Top 100 Importers and 100 Exporters Journal of Commerce List is out. Now if there was an award show, maybe an ocean blue carpet or a sky blue carpeted run way would be good for the nominee. The international freight industry simply does not have time for such fanfare and luxury from my vantage point. Our clients all work too hard moving product to celebrate in such a manner, but it is fun to think about.
No shocker here as Walmart stayed at the top of the importer list with Target, The Home Depot, Lowe’s and Ashley Furniture in the top five spots. Together they imported 2.47 million TEU in 2019. (TEU is a 20 foot container) For you math folks that is 6,767 twenty foot equivalent units a day, 365 days.
Top 5 exporters on the list are Koch Industries, International Paper, America Chung Nam, DeLong and ExxonMobil Chemical. Together they exported 959,588 TEU in 2019. They are very interesting lists and I usually have a few surprises, but I wanted to pass along some of my observations on the lists.
The companies are spread all over the country and they represent virtually every geographic area. No one commodity dominates the lists and basically the products imported and exported are very diverse. The companies for the most part have been on the list before and have been importing and exporting consistently for many years. It is not a recent strategy or a trend, but more of a commitment to their customers and clients around the world and in the United States.
My takeaway is clear: it’s about serving customers and clients consistently, no matter the size of the business. Achieving this level of volume requires thousands of dedicated professionals across the logistics ecosystem, including ocean carriers, airlines, truckers, port and terminal staff, maintenance crews, freight forwarders, customs brokerage services, and many others.
Jade International is proud to support this complex network through our comprehensive international freight and freight management services. From ocean freight services to air freight forwarding, customs consulting services, and international logistics solutions, we play a vital role in helping businesses move goods efficiently around the world. Congratulations to all those on the list, and to those who will join in the future. The work behind the scenes in cross trade, domestic shipping, and international cargo shipping is what truly drives the global economy forward.
