Best Prospects for U.S. Exports of Scientific Lab Equipment

Each spring, scientists from around the world convene for the annual Pittcon Conference and Expo organized by the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA.  Sometimes known as separation science, this show focuses on laboratory science and features scientific laboratory equipment and instrumentation used in the life sciences, environmental technologies, food and water safety, and other industries where is it is imperative to understand the component parts of mixtures made from elements and compounds.  The primary end-users of this equipment include industrial, academic, and government laboratories.  

In its Global Assessment Report 2020: The Laboratory Analytical & Life Science Instrumentation Industry, Strategic Directions International forecasts total revenues in the laboratory analytical and life science instrumentation industry will reach $70 billion in 2020.  In 2019, total U.S. exports in this sector were valued at $26 billion.  The strong industrial and manufacturing centers around Pittsburgh and Philadelphia gave rise to a cluster of primarily small to medium-size manufacturers in the scientific lab equipment sector in Pennsylvania.  In 2019, Pennsylvania exported $832 million in scientific laboratory equipment accounting for 3.2% of the total U.S. exports in this sector.

U.S. manufacturers of chromatography equipment, spectrometers, and chemical analysis equipment maintain a strong global market share.  U.S. exports to China, Canada, and Germany account for one-third of the total U.S. exports in this sector.  Mexico ranks as the fourth largest export destination making the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) particularly appealing to U.S. companies in this sector.  U.S. exporters face strong competition from manufacturers in China, Germany, and Japan.

Looking at the chart below, the Asia Pacific region represents the largest destination for U.S. exports in this sector.  Five of the top ten U.S. export markets are in Asia: China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. India ranks as the thirteenth largest U.S. export market.  Malaysia and Vietnam are exhibiting strong growth in this region.

In Europe, Germany and the United Kingdom are among the top ten export markets in this sector comprising about 12% of the U.S. exports in this sector.  Although a smaller market, the development of the Human Technopole in Italy offers export opportunities for U.S. companies providing emerging genomic technologies, state-of-the-art high-resolution mass spectrometry technology, and chromatographic systems.  The Human Technopol research institute aims to advance the development of personalized medicine in the treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.  Additional information about the Human Technolpol can be found here: https://www.htechnopole.it/.    

Aside from Canada and Mexico in the western hemisphere, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru are growing markets for U.S. exports in this sector.  Much of the analytic research conducted in these countries is conducted by university or government labs that depend on public sector funding.

Although the smallest region in terms of U.S. export markets, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt are among the fastest growing markets for U.S. exports in this region.

In 2019, the U.S. Commercial Service worked with almost 30,000 U.S. export clients and facilitated $88.3 billion in U.S. exports supporting 484,000 American jobs. The U.S. Commercial Service Pittsburgh office can help you identify target markets through in-depth market research, find qualified partners overseas, provide advice on standards and IPR issues, and connect you to global business opportunities. This office serves as the conduit into the U.S. Commercial Service’s global network of trade specialists located in more than 75 countries.  With the right planning, exporting can help you grow your business, and the U.S. Commercial Service can help you speed your time to market by providing export counseling, market intelligence, customized business matchmaking, and commercial diplomacy services.

 LeeAnne Haworth is a Global Healthcare Specialist with the U.S. Commercial Service’s Pittsburgh office.  She can be reached at LeeAnne.Haworth@trade.gov or (412) 644-2816.