U.S. Stone Imports 2007: Going Down

The $117.9 million in import values for slate last year shows a 9.9-percent decline from 2006. The two leaders in the material – China and India – finish with a near-equal share, with $47.7 million and $47.2 million, respectively.
 
However, that’s also a 11.1-percent drop for China and a 9.7-percent decline for India. China’s loss is surprising, given that it was keeping pace in mid-year with its performance in 2006.

OTHER CALCAREOUS

If it’s calcareous and not classified as marble or travertine – materials such as limestone and alabaster – it falls into this category. The mid-year prediction called for an up year, and the final totals are better than expected.

The U.S. import value of other calcareous stone in 2007 totals $223.7 million, or an 8.5-percent increase from the previous year. Italy leads the way with $40.8 million – up 5.1 percent from 2006 – but Spain’s $27.4 million represents a 22.7-percent decline, and a serious drop from the country’s 2005 import value of $42.4 million in the category.

Other countries show healthy increases from 2006 values in 2007, such as Israel’s $22.3 million (18.5 percent), Turkey’s $17.6 million (16.5 percent), and China’s $17.5 million (24.4 percent). One country on a hot growth curve is Lebanon, going from $2.4 million in 2005 to $5.5 million in 2006 – and jumping to $13.5 million in 2007.

OTHER STONE

The catchall category for the rest of the dimensional stone coming to the United States appeared to be heading for a down 2007, according to mid-year import data. Import values indeed dropped during the year, but at less than the rate predicted.

The value of other-stone imports dropped by 5.4 percent in 2007 to $287.4 million. Brazil regains its top position from India in 2007 in a battle of which country lost less value; Brazil’s $71.7 million shows a 4.9-percent drop from 2006, while India’s $69.9 million marks a 7.4-percent decline.

Of the market leaders, China shows the largest increase in 2007, with its $37.1 million showing a 14.1-percent gain from the previous year; Italy’s $36.6 million in 2007 is a 7.9-percent drop from 2006 Canada continues to make small-but sure progress annually ; the $31.8 million in 2007 values is a 4.4-percent gain from the previous year.

Data for this article, and for accompanying charts, 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 /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 ©2008 Western Business Media Inc. Use licensed to the author.

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