How to Find Importers: Lists, Official Sources and Fairs

The importer's name appears on the customs declaration, but most countries keep it confidential and publish only aggregate statistics. In some countries, company-level data derived from customs records is sold commercially; its coverage varies widely by country and product. Files sold online as “importer lists” often have no clear source and contain outdated, duplicated or invalid records.

HS code

The Harmonized System product code. The first six digits are shared worldwide, so this level is used to compare statistics between countries.

Import statistics

Official data on what a country imports, from where and for how much. It contains no company names.

Trade adviser

A government or chamber adviser who gives market guidance and, in some markets, arranges introductions to potential partners.

Candidate importer

A company that appears to import or sell your product category but whose fit has not yet been checked.

Choosing the right country before looking for importers saves the most time. Identify your HS code and check UN Comtrade and the ITC's Trade Map (who imports how much, from whom), Eurostat for EU markets and, for UK-based suppliers, HMRC's trade statistics on uktradeinfo. Then compare countries on these criteria:

The weight of each criterion depends on the product; the table is a starting framework.

• Department for Business and Trade: for UK businesses, DBT's trade advisers and its network of trade specialists overseas give market guidance and can arrange introductions to potential buyers, agents and distributors. DBT itself notes on great.gov.uk that it cannot supply a list of contacts for a market, so treat it as advice and introductions rather than a database.
• Chambers of commerce: British and bilateral chambers often publish member directories or offer paid partner search services in the target market.
• Trade associations: your sector association may run trade missions and fair pavilions, which include meetings with local buyers.
• Outside the UK: most countries run a similar government trade service and an overseas network of commercial attachés; contact the one in your home country first.

Yes, if you know their limits. B2B marketplaces and company directories offer many records; part of them are out of date, and the “importer” label is the company's own claim. Member lists of trade associations are narrower but more reliable, because membership is a filter in itself. Whichever source you use, check each company against its website, company registry entry and product range.

At fairs held in the target country, some of the local exhibitors are importers, distributors or wholesalers; at the largest international fairs, manufacturers dominate. Many importers attend only as visitors and are not on the list. The value of the list lies in two facts: the companies are active in the sector that year, and the fair dates give you a natural reason for first contact. The list helps even if you do not travel; see reaching exhibitors without attending.

The table shows upcoming fairs in our directory for frequently targeted markets, generated from live data. Across these ten countries the directory holds 508 upcoming fairs.

All fairs with a ready list are on the exhibitor lists page; for the busiest fairs, see the largest trade fairs by exhibitors.

• Product fit: does the website or catalogue show your product category or complementary products?
• Whose goods they import: do they sell under their own brand, represent foreign brands or only trade?
• Company identity: are the registry entry, address and founding year consistent?
• First message: keep it short; state your product, HS code or category, certification and why you are writing to this company. For a meeting request tied to the fair, see our meeting request templates.

In Expomatik a fair's exhibitor list is opened in your account, where you can filter companies by country and sector and set candidate importers apart. Campaigns go to each company's general address and opens are not tracked; replies show the result. The price of a list is shown before you open it; see Pricing. Rules on emailing businesses depend on the recipient's country; in Germany marketing emails to businesses generally need prior consent. See Is It Legal to Email Trade Fair Exhibitors? To look inside the lists, create a free account.

Is there a free list of importers?

There is no single free and complete list. Government trade services, chambers of commerce and trade associations can give market advice and sometimes suggest companies, but coverage varies by market. Trade fair exhibitor lists and association member directories fill part of the gap.

Do import statistics give company names?

No. Sources such as UN Comtrade, ITC Trade Map, Eurostat and HMRC trade data show import values by country and product, not by company. They help you decide which market to target; you find the companies through other sources.

Is an importer the same as a distributor?

Not always. An importer clears goods through customs in its own name. Most distributors are importers and also market your brand, but some importers only trade and do not invest in a brand. Say which one you are looking for in your first message.

Are trade fair exhibitors importers?

Some are. At fairs held in the target country, local trading companies and distributors exhibit; at the largest international fairs, manufacturers dominate. Many importers attend only as visitors. An exhibitor list is a starting source, not the only one.