HMRC records show 481 businesses trading internationally from Luton over the last six months. That makes it the busiest trading location in Bedfordshire. Most of that activity sits in machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical machinery and electronics, plastics and plastic articles. Looking ahead, our model expects import activity here to ease back by around 7.3% over the next three months.
Refreshed every 24 hours · last run 05/10/2026 at 06:14HMRC release in view: Aug 26Snapshot: 2026-10-04.1
7,659Import declarations▼ 17.6% on the 6 months before
3,145Export declarations
−7.3%Forecast, next 3 monthsBased on 2 years of data
481Trading businesses
Top 10 businesses by 6-month activity Free tier
Ranked by declaration volume and months active. Hover any bar in the 24-month indicators for that month's figures. Log in for keyword search and HMRC category filters across all 481 businesses.
★ Most active in LutonFiled more customs declarations than any other Luton business over the last six months — roughly 8% of the town's total import activity, mostly in coffee, tea and spices.
Most active business
TUI AIRWAYS LIMITED
623 import declarations228 export declarationsLU2 *Ch. 09Ch. 17Ch. 18Ch. 19Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include articles of titanium, n.e.s., machinery and apparatus for filtering or purifying gases (excl. isotope separators and intake air filters for internal combustion engines, and catalytic converters and particulate filters for purifying or filtering exhaust gases from internal combust, perfumes and toilet waters (excl. aftershave lotions, personal deodorants and hair lotions).
▼ Expected to slow by 6.7% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity623 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity228 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
WIZZ AIR UK LIMITED
323 import declarations10 export declarationsLU2 *Ch. 22Ch. 30Ch. 32Ch. 33Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include appliances for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the like (excl. pressure-reducing valves, valves for the control of pneumatic power transmission, check "non-return" valves and safety or relief valves), threaded screws and bolts, of iron or steel, whether or not with their nuts and washers (excl. coach screws and other wood screws, screw hooks and screw rings, self-tapping screws, lag screws, stoppers, plugs and the like, threaded), parts of aeroplanes, helicopters or unmanned aircraft, n.e.s. (excl. those for gliders).
▲ Expected to increase by 1.5% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity323 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity10 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
HUNTLEIGH TECHNOLOGY LTD
191 import declarations84 export declarationsLU2 *Ch. 30Ch. 34Ch. 35Ch. 39Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include lifts and skip hoists, made-up articles of textile materials, incl. dress patterns, n.e.s., air pumps, air or other gas compressors and ventilating or recycling hoods incorporating a fan, whether or not fitted with filters, having a maximum horizontal side > 120 cm (excl. vacuum pumps, hand- or foot-operated air pumps, compressors for refri.
▼ Expected to slow by 14.8% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity191 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity84 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
ELECTROLUX APPLIANCES AB
234 import declarations28 export declarationsLU4 *Ch. 34Ch. 35Ch. 38Ch. 39Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include household refrigerators, compression-type, appliances for baking, frying, grilling and cooking and plate warmers, for domestic use, of iron or steel, for gas fuel or for both gas and other fuels (excl. large cooking appliances), combined refrigerator-freezers, with separate external doors or drawers, or combinations thereof.
▼ Expected to slow by 5.1% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity234 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity28 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
SHOAL GROUP LIMITED
132 import declarations109 export declarationsLU2 *Ch. 34Ch. 35Ch. 39Ch. 40Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include articles of iron or steel, n.e.s. (excl. cast articles or articles of iron or steel wire), nails, tacks, drawing pins, corrugated nails, staples and similar articles of iron or steel, whether or not with heads of other material (excl. such articles with heads of copper and staples in strips), articles of aluminium, n.e.s..
▼ Expected to slow by 14.8% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity132 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity109 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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471 more Luton businesses
Every importer and exporter in LU1 / LU2 / LU3 / LU4 with monthly activity, 24-month indicators, forecasts, Companies House records, AI research and validated contact reveals.
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What Luton trades
The most frequently declared goods across all 481 businesses in the last six months — useful for picking which trade lanes to prospect.
Wine of fresh grapes, incl. fortified wines, and grape must whose fermentation has been arrested by the addition of alcohol, in containers of <= 2 l (excl. sparkling wine)Appliances for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the like (excl. pressure-reducing valves, valves for the control of pneumatic power transmission, check "non-return" valves and safety or relief valves)Articles of iron or steel, n.e.s. (excl. cast articles or articles of iron or steel wire)Chocolate and other preparations containing cocoa, in containers or immediate packings of <= 2 kg (excl. in blocks, slabs or bars and cocoa powder)Bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and other bakers' wares, whether or not containing cocoa; communion wafers, empty cachets of a kind suitable for pharmaceutical use, sealing wafers, rice paper and similar products (excl. crispbread, gingerbread and theSugar confectionery not containing cocoa, incl. white chocolate (excl. chewing gum)Sweet biscuitsFood preparations, n.e.s.
Common questions about trade in Luton
How many businesses import or export from Luton?
HMRC customs records show 481 businesses in Luton (LU1, LU2, LU3, LU4) filed declarations over the last six months — 7,659 import declarations and 3,145 export declarations in total. This page is rebuilt every 24 hours as new HMRC data is published.
What do Luton businesses import most?
The most common category is machinery and mechanical appliances. Across all Luton traders the leading goods are wine of fresh grapes, incl. fortified wines, and grape must whose fermentation has been arrested by the addition of alcohol, in containers of <= 2 l (excl. sparkling wine), appliances for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the like (excl. pressure-reducing valves, valves for the control of pneumatic power transmission, check "non-return" valves and safety or relief valves), articles of iron or steel, n.e.s. (excl. cast articles or articles of iron or steel wire), chocolate and other preparations containing cocoa, in containers or immediate packings of <= 2 kg (excl. in blocks, slabs or bars and cocoa powder). You can filter the full list by HMRC category once logged in.
Is trade from Luton growing?
Import activity is down 17.6% compared with the previous six months. Our model, which reads two years of monthly history, expects the next three months to soften by roughly 7.3%. That figure is our estimate, not an HMRC projection.
How do I get contact details for Luton importers?
Create an account to see all 481 businesses, open their Companies House records, run AI research on their website and buying signals, and reveal validated email and LinkedIn contacts.
Nearby in Bedfordshire
Other Bedfordshire locations with active customs entries.