StatWatch: U.S. Stone Imports, September 2012

OTHER CALCAREOUS VALUE
Total: $9.1 million (+33.1%)
Sector leader: Canada @ $1.5 million (+571.0%)

Backfill: Canada’s $1.57 million barely tops China at $1.55 million to take the top spot. As with other stone categories, September 2012 results beat the previous year, but fall behind this August; the six member-countries of the million-dollar club last month shrinks in September to three (with Italy at $1.3 million. The big year-to-year losers are Portugal at $516,122 (-45.5%) and Mexico at $476,489 (-13.0%).

OTHER CALCAREOUS VOLUME
Total: 9,977 metric tons (+29.1%)
Sector leader: Canada @ 1,920 metric tons (+368.3%)

Backfill: The Tilt-A-Whirl tonnage ride continues, as Canada becomes the sixth country (along with Italy, China, Turkey, Portugal and France) to take the top spot in 2012. The mood is confident among the chaos, as most countries record double-digit increases from last September – with the exceptions of Italy (1,158 metric tons, -12.8%) and Portugal (499 metric tons, -31.5%).

SLATE VALUE
Total: $4.6 million (-1.4%)
Sector leader: China @ $2.4 million (+11.0%)

Backfill: India’s $1.2 million (-25.6%) puts the damper on any gains, including Brazil’s $484,961 (+18.2%) and Germany’s $220,881, up from $0 in September 2011. The United Kingdom, meanwhile, slides back from a strong August this year to post only $29,029 a month later – and 84.1% behind last September.

OTHER STONE VALUE
Total: $18.9 million (+25.2%)
Sector leader: Brazil @ $6.5 million (+53.6%)

Backfill: The 25% gain from September 2011 is great, although the overall total takes a tumble from August 2012’s $23.4 million. All countries sending more than $1 million of product in September show health gains from the previous year; however, Italy drops 42.4% to finish just under the bar at $993,488.

OTHER STONE VOLUME
Total: 22,716 metric tons (+39.4%)
Sector leader: India @ 8,097 metric tons (+62.5%)

Backfill: Overall tonnage is the lowest in four months this year, but still far ahead of last year in this omnibus category. All countries shipping more than 1,000 metric tons in September (India, Brazil, China and Canada) show gains from 2011. Italy, meanwhile, takes a 30.2% dip from September 2011 with  501 metric tons – and also a steep drop from this August’s 1,155 metric tons.

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