Stone Imports: First-Half Improvements in 2012

September 6, 2012

TRAVERTINE

Market-maker Turkey didn’t seem too excited about topping last year’s import values for travertine, which led to nominal growth of less than 1% for first-half 2012.

Travertine Value – First Half
(U.S. dollars)
	2012	2011	Change
Turkey	$89,411,261	$87,935,222	1.7%
Mexico	$22,135,750	$24,519,526	-9.7%
Italy	$7,718,881	$5,126,167	50.6%
Peru	$4,752,565	$4,596,439	3.4%
China	$4,627,354	$4,865,714	-4.9%
All Others	$2,020,907	$2,764,322	-26.9%
Total	$130,666,718	$129,807,390	0.7%

Source: U.S. International Trade Commission, Stone Update analysis

In fact, Turkey’s 1.7% growth so far this year comes from a strong first quarter; April-June totals, meanwhile, fall 2.3% behind the same time in 2011. Italy remains the eager trader here – albeit in a distant third place – and Peru continues to show strong, $1-million-plus months on occasion.

Travertine shipments reaching U.S. ports-of-entry, meanwhile, are up 8.9% in January-June this year.

Travertine Volume – First Half
(metric tons)
	2012	2011	Change
Turkey	193,858	177,226	9.4%
Mexico	27,429	29,321	-6.5%
China	8,005	7,833	2.2%
Italy	4,991	3,315	50.6%
Peru	4,610	4,590	0.4%
All Others	7,377	3,802	94.0%
Total	246,270	226,087	8.9%

Source: U.S. International Trade Commission, Stone Update analysis

Turkey’s overwhelming leadership – a 78.7% market share – is key here, allowing its 9.4% first-half growth to boost the sector. The only joker in the pack in the first-half pack is the near-doubling under “All Others,” where Canada ships 5,500 metric tons in May … and exactly one metric ton in the other five months combined.

OTHER CALCAREOUS

Stone’s most-volatile import sector starts off with good news: values for other calcareous materials are up 6.5% from first-half 2011.

Other Calcareous Value – First Half
(U.S. dollars)
	2012	2011	Change
China	$7,652,774	$6,231,933	22.8%
Italy	$7,108,135	$6,551,902	8.5%
Canada	$5,538,233	$1,442,791	283.9%
Portugal	$4,582,085	$5,573,444	-17.8%
France	$3,823,722	$3,789,250	0.9%
Spain	$3,543,459	$4,053,804	-12.6%
Turkey	$3,517,806	$3,108,866	13.2%
Mexico	$2,832,798	$4,077,114	-30.5%
Israel	$2,066,015	$2,836,675	-27.2%
All Others	$7,009,605	$7,081,363	-1.0%
Total	$47,674,632	$44,747,142	6.5%

Source: U.S. International Trade Commission, Stone Update analysis

Given the often-bizarre relationship with volume concerning other calcareous materials, values can tell a misleading story. Frankly, that’s the case with this year’s first half, where only a massive increase by Canada ($1.4 million last year, $5.5 million this year) seems to push the sector into positive territory.