Industries with the Biggest Decline in Imports in the US in 2025

1. Lithium Battery Manufacturing in the US

Decline in Imports for 2025: -60.6%

Lithium battery manufacturers produce batteries for a variety of purposes including vehicles, mobile phones and other consumer electronics. The rapid rise of electric vehicles (EVs) has bolstered manufacturers, as consumer preference has steadily shifted away from gasoline-powered vehicles. This rise includes an agreement between Panasonic, a leading producer of lithium batteries, and the electric automaker Tesla to mass produce advanced lithium batteries. But this industry is highly globalized, with imports accounting for the majority of domestic demand. Less expensive labor both for upstream suppliers of input materials and for lithium battery manufacturers themselves combined with inexpensive shipping costs have incentivized... Learn More

2. Headphone Manufacturing in the US

Decline in Imports for 2025: -45.1%

The Headphone Manufacturing industry has grown considerably. Although competition from imports remains high, the industry has benefited from many technological developments sustaining demand for higher-quality domestic products, boosting exports. While foreign manufacturers win over price-sensitive consumers, domestic manufacturers can specialize in higher-end headphones, like Bluetooth-enabled and higher sound-quality headphones. In particular, rapid growth in the Bluetooth headphones product segment has benefited the industry, as many consumer electronics products offer wireless capabilities. Also, niche markets like gaming and luxury headphones have enabled certain companies to specialize in various headphones. Overall, industry-wide revenue has been increasing at a CAGR of 12.1% over... Learn More

3. Solar Panel Manufacturing in the US

Decline in Imports for 2025: -41.1%

Solar panel manufacturers, which produce solar modules and cells in the United States, faced strong revenue growth. The industry has long been plagued by import penetration, specifically from Asian products, which flooded the US market with low-cost solar modules and cells. Rising tensions between the United States and China, which subsided once tariffs were imposed, but ultimately led to plummeting imports. Domestic manufacturers benefited tremendously from less competition and were enabled to raise prices. The current period's strong performance is directly linked to a continued public sentiment shift in favor of renewable energy, which will continue to accelerate given the... Learn More

4. Shoe & Footwear Manufacturing in the US

Decline in Imports for 2025: -24.8%

The Shoe and Footwear Manufacturing industry has experienced difficulties, with revenue decreasing at a CAGR of 0.1% over the past five years, including a decrease of 2.7% to an estimated $2.2 billion in 2023 alone. During the five-year period, the industry has been limited because of sustained import penetration and falling exports, both of which have been influenced by high levels of competition. Furthermore, the coronavirus largely disrupted industry supply chains and destabilized current levels of international trade. The coronavirus has also resulted in unstable macroeconomic conditions, leading to deteriorating domestic demand.

Imports have satisfied a significant share of domestic demand... Learn More

5. Computer Manufacturing in the US

Decline in Imports for 2025: -19.1%

Operators in the Computer Manufacturing industry have encountered increased risk related to international trade and lingering disruptions in the global supply chain due to pandemic-related shutdowns. Imports are crucial to the industry since they satisfy almost all domestic demand. Since supply chains were disrupted, it resulted in semiconductor prices rising and putting downward pressure on the industry. Overall, revenue fell at a CAGR of 1.8% to $10.6 billion over the five years to 2023, including a 0.8% decline in 2023. Profit has also declined to 4.7% of revenue in 2023 from 5.6% in 2018.

Since products are similar among manufacturers and... Learn More

6. Medical Adhesives & Sealants Manufacturing in the US

Decline in Imports for 2025: -18.5%

The Medical Adhesives and Sealants Manufacturing industry is made up of companies that manufacture glues and other adhesives used for sealing wounds, repairing ligaments and other medical purposes. Industry products compete with traditional bandages, stitches and other medical supplies. Typically, one of the most significant determinants of demand for medical supplies like these is price. Hospitals will likely choose stitches for sealing a wound if that will be more affordable than a medical adhesive. As a result, industry revenue can be volatile depending on the volatility of input costs. In recent years, industry purchases costs have shifted significantly, creating revenue... Learn More

7. Toy, Doll & Game Manufacturing in the US

Decline in Imports for 2025: -15.1%

The Toy, Doll and Game Manufacturing industry has struggled over the five years to 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic, volatile input costs, and rising wages have pressured profit, but nothing has constricted the industry more than competition from overseas manufacturing. Industry competitors, particularly in China, have taken advantage of lax labor laws and a close proximity to input materials to create similar products at significantly cheaper costs. American toy manufacturers simply can't keep up with the low prices offered by import competition, and renewed trade in the wake of the pandemic has upped imports even further. As it currently stands, imports... Learn More

8. Men's & Boys' Apparel Manufacturing in the US

Decline in Imports for 2025: -14.1%

Demand for Men's and Boys' apparel manufacturing is derived from downstream markets as well as trade conditions. Trade issues presented the industry with a tough road during the five-year period, beginning with the trade war in 2019 between the US and China, which led to messy trade relations, hindering industry exports. The trade war was preceded by COVID-19 and the related disruptions that ensued in 2020, further depressing exports and hindering revenue. To contend with the high level of competition from foreign manufacturers, players in the industry must offshore their manufacturing process to utilize the cheaper labor costs. Falling at... Learn More

9. Cut & Sew Apparel Manufacturing in the US

Decline in Imports for 2025: -13.2%

Cut and sew apparel manufacturers produce apparel from purchased fabrics. The industry is in a state of long-term decline, as low levels of domestic product innovation and a falling number of manufacturers have caused revenue to drop. Many producers have offshored manufacturing capabilities to countries with lower wage requirements, further enhancing import penetration and harming domestic producers. The intense price competition from imports produced in developing countries where labor costs are substantially lower has pushed domestic manufacturers to compete based on quality, shifting their product mix from low-cost apparel to premium clothing. The high import competition and growing price pressures... Learn More

10. Tobacco Growing in the US

Decline in Imports for 2025: -12.6%

The 2005 deregulation of the Tobacco Growing industry continues to linger over tobacco farmers. The removal of federal production quotas and price supports initiated an exodus that has continued into recent years. Without government support, small and otherwise unprofitable farmers have switched crops, dropping out of the industry entirely. With a consistent and downward annualized trend in the percentage of smokers and with the rise in substitute products such as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), the industry has been facing declining demand for a significant period. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, tobacco farmers received some federal assistance as a part of... Learn More