Stone Imports: First-Half Improvements in 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.