Mid-Year 2007 Stone Imports: Topping Off

The five-year average reveals an estimated 2007 travertine import value of $570.5 million, a 4.3-percent increase from 2006. Using 2006 as the performance guide, the 2007 import value moves down to $553.8 million, or only 1.2-percent better than last year.

The 443,560 metric tons – with 86.5 percent from Turkey alone – sent to the United States in the first half of 2007 is down from the 474,621 received for the same time in 2006. Turkey increased its exports by 13.5 percent, but other countries reduced the flow of travertine.

Travertine’s estimated import volume, using the five-year average, for 2007 is 950,011 metric tons, down 1.3 percent from 2006. With last year’s imports as a guide, the total estimate drops to 899,537 metric tons, or 6.5-percent less than 2006.

SLATE

2007 import value: Down

The remaining stones tracked with import data are measured in value only. Slate enjoyed a health rise in imports in the past few years, but 2007 shows some slackening.

Import values for slate in January-June this year totaled $56.1 million, down from $59 million for first-half 2006. China and India continue to dominate with more than 80 percent of the total value; China remained on pace this year with first-half imports, but India’s value fell slightly.

Using the five-year average, the estimate 2007 import value for slate would be $125 million, down 4.4 percent from 2006. The estimate model with last year’s trend pegs the import value total at $124.5 million, down 4.8 percent from 2006.

OTHER CALCAREOUS

2007 import value: Up

The stone category that picks up the calcareous stones that aren’t classified as marble or travertine (such as limestone and alabaster) sails its own course in imports; when other categories are up, it’s often down. For 2007, it’s continuing to be contrary.

First-half 2007 import values for other calcareous came to $107.2 million, ending two years of declining numbers. Using the five-year average, import values would be an estimated $217.3 million at the end of 2007, up 5.4 percent from 2006. With last year’s trend providing guidance, the estimate is $216.6 million – still 5-percent better than 2006.

OTHER STONE

2007 import value: Down

As the catchall for the rest of stone imported into the United States, this category often follows the general market trend. This year seems to be no exception.
The import value for other stone from January-June 2007 is $134.5 million, down $8.9 million from the same time in 2006. The five-year average yields a final 2007 estimate $289.2 million, or a 4.8-percent decline from last year. With 2006 as the market guide, the 2007 dips a bit more to $284.7 million, or 6.3-percent behind last year.

Data for this article is derived from information reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Treasury and the U.S. International Trade Commission. All analysis is made using comparable data. “Cut stone/slab” data excludes crude/roughly trimmed stone comprised of marble/travertine, granite or other categories where volume measurement is in cubic meters instead of metric tons. Marble/travertine crude/roughly trimmed stone data is not included in value summaries, since the two stones are not delineated in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (2002) (Revision 2).

Original publication ©2007 Western Business Media Inc. Use licensed to the author.

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