Back to Top

How is the CSO doing?

Your feedback can help us improve and enhance our services to the public. Tell us what matters to you in our online Customer Satisfaction Survey.

 Skip navigation

Exports by Enterprise Size

Table 2.1 Exports by enterprise size 2017
 €million   
Enterprise sizeValue% of totalNumber of enterprises% of total
Micro7,50665,08159
Small5,28442,38428
Medium23,1681983510
SMEs35,957308,30096
Large82,964682893
Unknown2,8382250
Total121,7591008,614100
Micro (0-9 employees), Small (10-49 employees), Medium (50-249 employees), Large (over 250 employees).

Large enterprises account for 68% of exports in 2017

There were 8,614 exporting enterprises in 2017 (i.e. with goods exports of over €5,000 in the year).

There were just 289 large exporting enterprises (with over 250 employees) but they accounted for 68% (€83 billion) of all exports in 2017.

These large enterprises comprised only 3% of all 8,614 enterprises.

There were 8,300 SMEs exporting goods in 2017 and the total value of their exports was €36 billion, or 30% of total exports. This includes 5,081 micro enterprises, which exported €7.5 billion of goods.

Micro enterprises accounted for 59% of exporters and 6% of the value of goods exported.

Percentage of exports
Micro6.16435808722943
Small4.33974023212708
Medium19.0273519745674
Large68.1375551723736
Unknown2.33099453370246
Number of enterprises
Micro5081
Small2384
Medium835
Large289
Unknown25

Go to Imports by Enterprise Size