HMRC records show 2,317 businesses trading internationally from Manchester over the last six months. That makes it the busiest trading location in Greater Manchester. Most of that activity sits in electrical machinery and electronics, plastics and plastic articles, machinery and mechanical appliances. Looking ahead, our model expects import activity here to ease back by around 9.5% 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
22,533Import declarations▼ 22.4% on the 6 months before
4,805Export declarations
−9.5%Forecast, next 3 monthsBased on 2 years of data
2,317Trading 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 2,317 businesses.
★ Most active in ManchesterFiled more customs declarations than any other Manchester business over the last six months — roughly 3% of the town's total import activity, mostly in mineral fuels and oils.
Most active business
HILTI (GT BRITAIN) LTD
593 import declarations43 export declarationsM1 *Ch. 27Ch. 32Ch. 34Ch. 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), electromechanical tools for working in the hand, with self-contained electric motor (excl. saws and drills), self-tapping screws, of iron or steel (excl. wood screws).
▼ Expected to slow by 9.7% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity593 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity43 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
TENNANTS DISTRIBUTION LTD
291 import declarations45 export declarationsM8 *Ch. 15Ch. 22Ch. 23Ch. 25Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids, their anhydrides, halides, peroxides and peroxyacids; their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives (excl. formic acid and acetic acid, mono-, di- or trichloroacetic acids, propionic acid,, urea, whether or not in aqueous solution (excl. that in tablets or similar forms, or in packages with a gross weight of <= 10 kg), silicates of sodium, incl. commercial silicates (excl. sodium metasilicates).
▼ Expected to slow by 12.3% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity291 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity45 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
BOOHOO.COM UK LIMITED
243 import declarations76 export declarationsM1 *Ch. 21Ch. 25Ch. 32Ch. 33Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include footwear with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics (excl. covering the ankle or with upper straps or thongs assembled to the sole by means of plugs, waterproof footwear of heading 6401, sports footwear, orthopaedic footwear and toy footwear), jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar articles, of man-made fibres, knitted or crocheted (excl. wadded waistcoats), jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar articles, of cotton, knitted or crocheted (excl. wadded waistcoats).
▼ Expected to slow by 24.6% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity243 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity76 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
FANATICS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
163 import declarations152 export declarationsM4 *Ch. 38Ch. 39Ch. 40Ch. 42Active in 5 of the last 6 months
Recent shipments include jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar articles, of cotton, knitted or crocheted (excl. wadded waistcoats), jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar articles, of man-made fibres, knitted or crocheted (excl. wadded waistcoats), hats and other headgear, knitted or crocheted, or made up from lace, felt or other textile fabric, in the piece (but not in strips), whether or not lined or trimmed; hairnets of any material, whether or not lined or trimmed (excl. headgear for animal.
▲ Expected to increase by 0.8% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity163 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity152 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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Among the most active
TYCO FIRE AND INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS LTD
79 import declarations230 export declarationsM40 *Ch. 28Ch. 34Ch. 38Ch. 39Active 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), safety or relief valves, parts of fire extinguishers, spray guns and similar appliances, steam or sand blasting machines and similar jet projecting machines and machinery and apparatus for projecting, dispersing or spraying liquids or powders, n.e.s..
▼ Expected to slow by 15.2% over the next 3 months, based on their last 2 years
Imports — 2 years of monthly activity79 in the last 6 months
Exports — 2 years of monthly activity230 in the last 6 months
Earlier monthsLast 6 monthsOur forecast for the next 3
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2,307 more Manchester businesses
Every importer and exporter in M1 / M11 / M12 / M13 with monthly activity, 24-month indicators, forecasts, Companies House records, AI research and validated contact reveals.
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What Manchester trades
The most frequently declared goods across all 2,317 businesses in the last six months — useful for picking which trade lanes to prospect.
Jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar articles, of man-made fibres, knitted or crocheted (excl. wadded waistcoats)Jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar articles, of cotton, knitted or crocheted (excl. wadded waistcoats)Travelling-bags, insulated food or beverage bags, toilet bags, rucksacks, shopping-bags, map-cases, tool bags, sports bags, jewellery boxes, cutlery cases, binocular cases, camera cases, musical instrument cases, gun cases, holsters and similar contaT-shirts, singlets and other vests of cotton, knitted or crochetedTricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys; dolls' carriages; dolls; other toys; reduced-size "scale" recreational models, working or not; puzzles of all kindsT-shirts, singlets and other vests of textile materials, knitted or crocheted (excl. cotton)Women's or girls' trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts of cotton (excl. knitted or crocheted, panties and swimwear)Hats and other headgear, knitted or crocheted, or made up from lace, felt or other textile fabric, in the piece (but not in strips), whether or not lined or trimmed; hairnets of any material, whether or not lined or trimmed (excl. headgear for animal
Common questions about trade in Manchester
How many businesses import or export from Manchester?
HMRC customs records show 2,317 businesses in Manchester (M1, M11, M12, M13) filed declarations over the last six months — 22,533 import declarations and 4,805 export declarations in total. This page is rebuilt every 24 hours as new HMRC data is published.
What do Manchester businesses import most?
The most common category is electrical machinery and electronics. Across all Manchester traders the leading goods are jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar articles, of man-made fibres, knitted or crocheted (excl. wadded waistcoats), jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar articles, of cotton, knitted or crocheted (excl. wadded waistcoats), travelling-bags, insulated food or beverage bags, toilet bags, rucksacks, shopping-bags, map-cases, tool bags, sports bags, jewellery boxes, cutlery cases, binocular cases, camera cases, musical instrument cases, gun cases, holsters and similar conta, t-shirts, singlets and other vests of cotton, knitted or crocheted. You can filter the full list by HMRC category once logged in.
Is trade from Manchester growing?
Import activity is down 22.4% compared with the previous six months. Our model, which reads two years of monthly history, expects the next three months to soften by roughly 9.5%. That figure is our estimate, not an HMRC projection.
How do I get contact details for Manchester importers?
Create an account to see all 2,317 businesses, open their Companies House records, run AI research on their website and buying signals, and reveal validated email and LinkedIn contacts.
Nearby in Greater Manchester
Other Greater Manchester locations with active customs entries.