| Americans import most of their digital and analog | | | | Among these 4 leading suppliers, only Chinese |
| wireless hearing aids from China, while Canadians | | | | exporters showed any gain from the prior year period. |
| prefer hearing devices made in Denmark. | | | | The list below shows the top 10 countries that export |
| In the first 11 months of 2009, the United States | | | | hearing aids to Canadians. |
| imported US$633.6 million worth of hearing aids from | | | | Denmark … US$32.1 million (35.4% of imported |
| 33 manufacturing nations from around the world. This | | | | hearing aids, down 12.8% from 2008)China … $21.6 |
| amount represents a 12.1% gain from the $565.4 million | | | | million (23.8%, up 0.2%)India … $13.7 million (15%, down |
| in imported hearing devices that Americans bought in | | | | 5.8%)United States … $5.4 million (6%, down |
| the first 11 months in 2008. | | | | 11.3%)Vietnam … $4.3 million (4.7%, up 41.9%)Australia |
| Over that same time frame in 2009, Canadians | | | | … $3.9 million (4.3%, down 1.3%)Singapore … $3.87 |
| imported $90.9 million worth of hearing aids from 29 | | | | million (4.25%, down 41.8%)Mexico … $3.4 million (3.8%, |
| supplying nations. The 2009 dollar total is a 6.4% annual | | | | up 179%)Sweden … $1.1 million (1.24%, up |
| decline from the $97.1 million in hearing assistance | | | | 48.9%)Austria … $1.07 million (1.18%, up 36.3%).Mexican |
| products imported as of November 2008. | | | | hearing-aid makers improved their sales to Canada by |
| These statistics exclude hearing aid parts and | | | | the highest percentage, followed by Sweden and |
| accessories. All dollar amounts in this article are in | | | | Vietnam. Singapore experienced the greatest decline, |
| American currency. | | | | followed by leading supplier Denmark and the U.S. |
| Top Suppliers of US-Imported Hearing AidsBelow are | | | | Tariff Duties on Imported Hearing AidsFor hearing aids |
| the 10 nations that sold the highest total value of | | | | excluding parts and accessories, the 6-digit international |
| hearing aids to the U.S. during the first 11 months of | | | | portion of the harmonized system code (HSC) is |
| 2009. | | | | 902140. |
| The top 4 countries below (China, Denmark, Singapore | | | | Neither American nor Canadian customs officials |
| and India) provided over 86% of overall hearing-aid | | | | charge tariff duties on hearing aids. There are a couple |
| shipments to America. These include digital aids. | | | | of exceptions, however. |
| China … US$198.1 million (31.3% of imported hearing | | | | Under the U.S. International Trade Commission |
| aids, up 62.6% from 2008)Denmark … $167.3 million | | | | Harmonized Tariff Schedule, hearing aids imported |
| (26.4%, up 4.5%)Singapore … $97.7 million (15.4%, | | | | from Cuba or North Korea are subject to a 35% tariff |
| down15.5%)India … $84.2 million (13.3%, up | | | | duty. Canada Borders Services Agency (CBSA) |
| 8.2%)Mexico … $41.4 million (6.5%, up 37.4%)Vietnam | | | | imposes a 35% duty on hearing aids made in Syria, |
| … $25.5 million (4%, up 37.6%)Sweden … $9.4 million | | | | Belarus or North Korea. |
| (1.5%, up 21.4%)Austria … $4.6 million (0.7%, down | | | | Competitive Advantages in Trading Hearing AidsAs of |
| 31.9%)Thailand … $1.1 million (0.2%, up 25,620%)Djibouti | | | | the 11 months ending November 2009, Canada shipped |
| … $1.05 million (0.17%, up from nil in 2008)Not only is | | | | $610,000 worth of hearing aids to the U.S. |
| China the largest supplier of imported hearing aids, the | | | | Over that same period, the U.S. made $5.4 million |
| People's Republic also posted the third-fastest | | | | worth of hearing-device deliveries to Canadian clients. |
| percentage gain among top 10 supplying nations. Only | | | | Therefore, America achieved about $4.8 million in net |
| Thailand and the tiny northeast African nation of | | | | exports in international trade of hearing aids with its |
| Djibouti accelerated their hearing-aid shipments to | | | | northerly neighbor. |
| America at a faster pace. | | | | While that figure is paltry compared to the $198.1 million |
| Leading Sources for Canadian Imported Hearing | | | | in imported hearing aids from China and the $167.3 |
| DevicesThe top 4 countries supplying hearing aids to | | | | million in sales from Denmark, the U.S. has shown a |
| Canada generated 80.1% of overall Canadian hearing | | | | competitive advantage in making and selling hearing |
| devices imported during the first 11 months of 2009. | | | | aids to its Canadian trade partner. |