In 2025, the export value of cutting tools reached 26.034 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 1.48%; the import value stood at 8.834 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.63%.
Data shows that the export value of cutting tools in 2025 was 2.95 times that of the import value. Export growth slowed down, while import growth rose slightly.
The main varieties and corresponding export values of cutting tools in 2025 are as follows: drill bits (9.193 billion yuan), circular saw blades (4.41 billion yuan), interchangeable tools (2.501 billion yuan), cutting inserts (2.967 billion yuan), milling cutters (2.6 billion yuan), tapping tools (1.047 billion yuan), superhard hole machining tools (759 million yuan), superhard interchangeable tools (663 million yuan), and bimetal band saw blades (500 million yuan).
According to customs commodity codes, among 18 categories of cutting tool varieties, 12 categories achieved year-on-year growth in exports, while 6 categories saw year-on-year declines. Specifically, drill bits rose by 3.08% year on year, other milling tools increased by 9.44% year on year, and boring or reaming tools with working parts made of superhard materials surged by 100.57% year on year. On the other hand, unlisted interchangeable tools with working parts made of other materials dropped by 9.27% year on year, coated cutting inserts decreased by 3.05% year on year, uncoated cutting inserts fell by 2.58% year on year, and taps declined by 5.04% year on year.
2025 Import Data of Cutting Tools by Product Type and Value:cutting inserts (3.955 billion yuan), drill bits (1.212 billion yuan), tapping tools (959 million yuan), milling cutters (904 million yuan), interchangeable tools (505 million yuan), boring and reaming cutters (233 million yuan), and superhard interchangeable tools (210 million yuan).
Imports of coated cutting inserts increased by 2.69% year on year, while uncoated cutting inserts rose by 8.01%.Superhard turning tools grew by 7.75%, bimetal band saw blades decreased by 20.25%, turning tools increased by 3.95%, milling cutters fell by 3.36%, taps rose by 11.47%, drill bits increased by 11.26%, and interchangeable tools grew by 1.33%.
In 2025, the import value of cemented carbide inserts reached 3.775 billion yuan,1.43 times the export value of 2.643 billion yuan. The ratio of import to export value of inserts increased compared with 2024 (1.33 times).The export value of coated cemented carbide inserts decreased by 3.05% year on year, while the import value increased by 2.69% year on year. The decline in exports narrowed compared with the first three quarters of 2025 ( 4.67%), and imports shifted from a decline of 1.83% in January September 2025 to growth.
The export value of uncoated cemented carbide inserts decreased by 2.58% year on year, while the import value increased by 8.01% year on year, showing a slight drop in exports and growth in imports.
Major sources of coated inserts imports:Japan 26.05%, Sweden 16.42%, Germany 15.23%, Israel 12.14%, India 8.46%, South Korea 6.51%, United States 4.97%.
Major sources of uncoated inserts imports:Japan 74.49%, Germany 7.88%, South Korea 6.59%, Thailand 1.47%, Luxembourg 1.45%, United States 1.01%, Czech Republic 1.00%.
Major export destinations for coated inserts:Russia, India, Germany, South Korea, Turkey, the United States, Singapore.
Major export destinations for uncoated inserts:Russia, India, Vietnam, Germany, the United States, Mexico, Japan.
In 2025, the main export destinations for drill bits were: the United States, Germany, Russia, South Korea, the Netherlands, India, and the United Kingdom.
In terms of import and export unit prices of cutting tools, for products under the same customs commodity code, the prices of imported cutting tools are much higher than those of exported ones. For example, the average import price of coated inserts is approximately 3.12 times the average export price; that of uncoated inserts is 3.93 times; and that of taps is 7.43 times.
Varieties with significant changes in export unit prices include: the unit price of milling cutters decreased by 11.58% year on year; drill bits by 3.53%; bimetal band saw blades by 7.81%; coated inserts by 9.14%. Meanwhile, the unit price of taps increased by 2.27% year on year, and uncoated inserts by 6.71%.
