Importations of medical equipment in Latin America exceeded 48 million dollars between January and June 2022: Mexico and Colombia lead the market

The total value of imports fell 56.5% compared to the first half of the preceding year when merchandise valued at USD110.9 million had been registered.

Consistent with CVN – Virtual Business Center, in the first half of 2022, 31,346 units of medical equipment were imported into Latin American territory, -5.1% compared to the same period in 2021 when 33,000 units had arrived, quantities well below 2020, when in the COVID 19 Pandemic it was necessary to purchase more than 68.1 thousand units of medical equipment for a value of USD$ 232.9 million.Variation of imports of medical equipment in USD$ CIF

Variation of imports of medical equipment in quantity (units)

Top 5 imports of medical equipment in Latam, concerning the product line:

In line with the value of the merchandise, the region primarily received monitors, ventilation equipment, defibrillators, electrocardiographs, and encephalographs, as well as:

Monitors: they correspond to 51% of imports with USD$24.5 million CIF, it is also the most imported category by quantity with more than 13 thousand units, which is equivalent to 42% of the market.

Ventilation equipment: occupy the second place with USD$ 11.5 million CIF, 24% of the total imported, a value represented in a little more than 1,200 units (4%), which places it in fifth place by amounts.

Defibrillators: add up to 4.2 million CIF, equivalent to 9% of the total imported, and are the second most imported line by quantity with 9.5 thousand units, 30% of the total merchandise.

Electrocardiographs: they represent 8% of the imported value with USD$ 3.7 million CIF, represented by 4.7 thousand units (15%), which places them as the third most representative line by quantity.

Electroencephalographs: close the top 5 with USD$1.8 million CIF, 4% of the market, and add just 176 units (0.56%).

It is significant to mention that the AED line is also part of the ranking by quantity with a share of 8%, that is, 2.4 thousand units that cost a little less than USD$1.4 million CIF (3%), the sixth line according to the price of imports.

¿Which countries lead imports of medical equipment in Latin America?

The research carried out by CVN, the data specialist firm with more than 15 years of experience, includes 7 countries: Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Argentina. The “manito country” is the leader by value and quantity of the total imported:

Mexico: purchased medical equipment valued at USD$25.7 million CIF, that is, 53% of the general total, a figure that is equivalent to 19.7 thousand units (63%) of the imported medical equipment in the Latam countries included in the report.
Colombia: It contributes 17% of imports with USD$ 8.1 million CIF, it is also second in quantity with five thousand units (16%).
Perú: It is third with USD$ 5.2 million CIF, equivalent to 11% of the value of imports, and fourth by quantity with close to two thousand units (6%).
- Argentina: represents 8% of the market with USD$4 million CIF, represented by 2.2 thousand units, that is, 7% participation.
- Ecuador: closes the top five with USD$2.5 million, 5% of the total imported, occupying the same position by quantity with a little less than 2 thousand units (4%).

Costa Rica and Chile rank sixth and seventh in imported value with shares of 3% and 2% CIF value, respectively.

¿Which countries export medical equipment to Latin America?: China, the United States, and Finland are the first in the ranking:
The list published by CVN includes more than 30 countries from which different types of medical equipment arrive in Latin America. Next, we present the 10 most relevant according to the amount imported, which add up to 94% of the market:

Other countries such as Switzerland (3%), Malaysia (2%), and France (2%) also appear in the top ten according to the price of the merchandise.

Top 10: who are the most important importers of medical equipment in Latam?

The following tables show the ranking of the most representative importing companies according to the quantity and price of the merchandise, respectively, including the country of origin of the equipment:

If you need a more complete x-ray of the sector, including more detail on the product lines, importers, manufacturers, countries of origin, variations, and information on supply and prices, among others, CVN – Virtual Business Center has the data so you can do market intelligence. Communicate through the following means: