HMRC records show 364 businesses trading internationally from Harlow over the last six months. That puts it second in Essex for trade activity. 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 8.8% 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
5,775Import declarations▼ 14.7% on the 6 months before
2,192Export declarations
−8.8%Forecast, next 3 monthsBased on 2 years of data
364Trading 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 364 businesses.
★ Most active in HarlowFiled more customs declarations than any other Harlow business over the last six months — roughly 10% of the town's total import activity, mostly in inorganic chemicals.
Most active business
ARROW ELECTRONICS (UK) LTD
555 import declarations26 export declarationsCM17 *Ch. 28Ch. 35Ch. 39Ch. 40Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include parts and accessories of automatic data-processing machines or for other machines of heading 8471, n.e.s., fans (excl. table, floor, wall, window, ceiling or roof fans, with a self-contained electric motor of an output <= 125 w), textile hosepiping and similar textile tubing, whether or not impregnated or coated, with or without lining, armour or accessories of other materials.
▼ Expected to slow by 3.6% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity555 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity26 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
IMPEX PRO LIMITED
183 import declarationsImports onlyCM20 *Ch. 04Ch. 07Ch. 08Ch. 09Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include 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 the, sugar confectionery not containing cocoa, incl. white chocolate (excl. chewing gum), chocolate and other preparations containing cocoa, in containers or immediate packings of <= 2 kg (excl. in blocks, slabs or bars and cocoa powder).
▲ Expected to increase by 6.1% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity183 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity0 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
TRUCK-LITE EUROPE LIMITED
74 import declarations78 export declarationsCM19 *Ch. 34Ch. 35Ch. 39Ch. 40Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include rear-view mirrors, whether or not framed, for vehicles, glass mirrors, unframed (excl. rear-view mirrors for vehicles, optical mirrors, optically worked, mirrors > 100 years old), lubricant preparations, incl. cutting-oil preparations, bolt or nut release preparations, anti-rust or anti-corrosion preparations and mould-release preparations, based on lubricants and containing petroleum oil or bituminous mineral oil (excl. prepa.
▼ Expected to slow by 16.3% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity74 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity78 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
PRINCEPS ELECTRONICS LTD
120 import declarations24 export declarationsCM20 *Ch. 28Ch. 32Ch. 35Ch. 38Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include 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 and accessories of automatic data-processing machines or for other machines of heading 8471, n.e.s., units for automatic data-processing machines (excl. processing units, input or output units and storage units).
▲ Expected to increase by 31.2% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity120 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity24 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
ASTRO LIGHTING LIMITED
67 import declarations72 export declarationsCM20 *Ch. 49Ch. 70Ch. 73Ch. 76Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include chandeliers and other electric ceiling or wall lighting fittings (excl. for lighting public open spaces or thoroughfares and those solely for light-emitting diode "led" light sources), chandeliers and other electric ceiling or wall lighting fittings, solely for light-emitting diode "led" light sources (excl. for lighting public open spaces or thoroughfares), electric table, desk, bedside or floor-standing luminaires (excl. those solely for light-emitting diode "led" light sources).
▼ Expected to slow by 11.4% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity67 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity72 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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354 more Harlow businesses
Every importer and exporter in CM17 / CM18 / CM19 / CM20 with monthly activity, 24-month indicators, forecasts, Companies House records, AI research and validated contact reveals.
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What Harlow trades
The most frequently declared goods across all 364 businesses in the last six months — useful for picking which trade lanes to prospect.
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 theSemi-milled or wholly milled rice, whether or not polished or glazedCarboys, bottles, flasks, jars, pots, phials and other containers, of glass, of a kind used for the commercial conveyance or packing of goods, and preserving jars, of glass (excl. ampoules, glass inners for containers, with vacuum insulation, perfumeFood preparations, n.e.s.Articles of iron or steel, n.e.s. (excl. cast articles or articles of iron or steel wire)Sweet biscuitsChocolate and other preparations containing cocoa, in containers or immediate packings of <= 2 kg (excl. in blocks, slabs or bars and cocoa powder)Live plants, incl. their roots, and mushroom spawn (excl. bulbs, tubers, tuberous roots, corms, crowns and rhizomes, incl. chicory plants and roots, unrooted cuttings and slips, fruit and nut trees, rhododendrons, azaleas and roses)
Common questions about trade in Harlow
How many businesses import or export from Harlow?
HMRC customs records show 364 businesses in Harlow (CM17, CM18, CM19, CM20) filed declarations over the last six months — 5,775 import declarations and 2,192 export declarations in total. This page is rebuilt every 24 hours as new HMRC data is published.
What do Harlow businesses import most?
The most common category is machinery and mechanical appliances. Across all Harlow traders the leading goods are 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 the, semi-milled or wholly milled rice, whether or not polished or glazed, carboys, bottles, flasks, jars, pots, phials and other containers, of glass, of a kind used for the commercial conveyance or packing of goods, and preserving jars, of glass (excl. ampoules, glass inners for containers, with vacuum insulation, perfume, food preparations, n.e.s.. You can filter the full list by HMRC category once logged in.
Is trade from Harlow growing?
Import activity is down 14.7% compared with the previous six months. Our model, which reads two years of monthly history, expects the next three months to soften by roughly 8.8%. That figure is our estimate, not an HMRC projection.
How do I get contact details for Harlow importers?
Create an account to see all 364 businesses, open their Companies House records, run AI research on their website and buying signals, and reveal validated email and LinkedIn contacts.
Nearby in Essex
Other Essex locations with active customs entries.