Industries with Biggest Decline in Exports in Australia in 2026

• 1. Bauxite Mining in Australia

  Decline in Exports for 2026: -39.3%

  Australian bauxite production remains the largest in the world, accounting for roughly 30% of global output and consistently outperforming major competitors like China, Guinea and Brazil. Rapid mine expansion drove Australia’s production to a peak of 107.2 million tonnes in 2019-20 before weakening demand and falling prices led to contraction, with only 96.4 million tonnes produced in 2022-23. Profit margins have come under pressure, weakening from 23.5% in 2020-21 to 13.0% in 2025-26, as glo...

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• 2. Prefabricated Wooden Building Manufacturing in Australia

  Decline in Exports for 2026: -25.0%

  Manufacturers have faced fluctuations in downstream household, building and tourism markets over the past five years. Overall, industry revenue is expected to have grown at an annualised 3.4% over the five years through 2024-25, to $640.0 million.

  Growth in capital expenditure on non-residential building construction has underpinned sales of relocatable buildings like modular classrooms, pop-up kiosks and site storage facilities. Sales in the commercial property market helped cushion t...

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• 3. Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia

  Decline in Exports for 2026: -22.8%

  Lucrative government contracts to supply naval ships and submarines to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have heavily supported the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry. Shipbuilders have seen a significant surge in revenue over recent years thanks to the Arafura class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) program, which involves the construction of six vessels for the RAN for $3.6 billion. The program has underpinned growth in industry revenue, which is expected to have soared at an annualised 5...

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• 4. Milk and Cream Processing in Australia

  Decline in Exports for 2026: -17.5%

  The Milk and Cream Processing industry’s revenue has dipped over the past few years through 2024-25, due to volatile conditions in the domestic market. Despite growing milk prices, decreasing overseas demand for Australian milk through exports has reduced industry revenue over the period. That’s mainly because a shrinking milk pool has constrained growth. Revenue is expected to decrease at an annualised 0.5% over the five years through 2025-26, down to $4.83 billion. This includes an anticipa...

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• 5. Overhead Crane Manufacturing in Australia

  Decline in Exports for 2026: -17.2%

  The Overhead Crane Manufacturing industry has encountered subdued trends in several core domestic markets while losing ground to imports. Imports currently capture almost three-quarters of total domestic sales of overhead cranes, principally coming from China, Germany, the United States and Japan. Domestic demand for overhead cranes is expected to climb at an annualised 4.4% through 2025-26 to $1.8 billion on the back of solid sales to the local manufacturing and port terminal markets and rob...

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• 6. Carpet and Textile Floor Covering Manufacturing in Australia

  Decline in Exports for 2026: -17.1%

  Carpet and textile floor covering manufacturers have had to operate in a tough environment over the past five years. Purchase costs for raw materials and energy prices have increased, while import penetration has been high. Residential, commercial and institutional buildings are key downstream markets for the industry. Falling demand from residential building construction due to soaring construction costs, labour shortages and a slump in dwelling commencements over much of the past five years...

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• 7. Liquefied Natural Gas Production in Australia

  Decline in Exports for 2026: -11.6%

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• 8. Lubricants and Other Petroleum Product Manufacturing in Australia

  Decline in Exports for 2026: -10.5%

  Lubricants and other petroleum product manufacturers further refine heavy and light oil components into various petroleum-based products using oil and grease base stocks with key products, including lubricating oils and greases, bitumen and aromatic hydrocarbons. Others distil coal to produce coke and coal tar. This means that the industry is highly susceptible to developments in the upstream petroleum refining and coal mining sectors. In particular, the industry has been adversely affected b...

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• 9. Petroleum Refining and Petroleum Fuel Manufacturing in Australia

  Decline in Exports for 2026: -10.0%

  The Petroleum Refining and Petroleum Fuel Manufacturing industry has faced highly volatile conditions over recent years, as the pandemic wreaked turmoil on global energy supply chains. The global situation filtered down to Australia's petroleum market, contributing to the closure of two of Australia's last four remaining oil refineries. BP closed its refinery in Kwinana, while ExxonMobil shut down the Altona refinery. Both the closed refineries were converted into import terminals, directly i...

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• 10. Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing in Australia

  Decline in Exports for 2026: -9.4%

  Steel pipe and tube manufacturers have faced challenging trading conditions. Demand from downstream markets has declined significantly, hampering manufacturing. International competition in the global steel market has also contributed to the industry's deteriorating performance, with low-cost manufacturers outcompeting domestic producers. Declining domestic demand and escalating input costs have harmed manufacturers’ profit margins. Industry revenue is expected to decline at an annualised 0.3...

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