The prices go BOOM!

By HOLLY SCHOENSTEIN

Favorite fireworks may be harder to find this year

Consumers are likely to notice limited selections and more expensive fireworks.

Consumers may notice an increase in prices and a limited selection at some fireworks retailers.

“The problem is real. The industry estimate is that 20 percent of the fireworks for this country won’t make it in time [for the Fourth of July],” said William Weimer, vice president of B.J. Alan Co. in Youngstown, one of the largest importers of consumer fireworks in the United States.

B.J. Alan Co. operates more than 50 permanent fireworks showrooms across the United States and Puerto Rico and leases more than 1,200 temporary locations nationwide during the fireworks season, which is between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

“My only advice to readers is to shop early. The supply is limited and once it’s gone, it’s gone,” Weimer said.

Several factors have affected the selection and size of fireworks on retail stores’ shelves nationwide. Among them is an explosion and fire that burned 20 warehouses storing consumer fireworks waiting to be loaded onto shipping vessels for exportation from San Shui, China, on Valentine’s Day.

The cause of the explosion is still undetermined.

The incident resulted in a ban on the exportation of fireworks from China from all but two ports — Shanghai on the central eastern coast and Binhai in southern China. The ports remained open for exportation of other goods.

On June 2, the Ministry of Communication, which regulates transportation in China, issued a directive that asked the Chinese provincial governments to examine the issue with a hope of reopening the ports to fireworks exportation. The directive also asked the provinces to give fireworks shipments to the United States priority from March through June and to Europe for the rest of the summer.

“There are small professional fireworks companies that aren’t even going to be in business this year because they can’t keep their commitments for the [fireworks] shows,” said Richard Naples Jr., co-owner of Hudson-based Wholesale Fireworks Corp.

More than 95 percent of the fireworks B.J. Alan Co. purchases are made in China, and a small percentage are made in the United States.

Weimer said the company is not concerned about this season, as it has received about 95 percent of its shipments coming from China. Its buyer foresaw factors that would affect the market, which led him to place most of the orders last July and August instead of by the fall and winter.

Larger fireworks wholesalers have an advantage, he added. Fireworks manufacturers in China are more interested in committing to producing larger orders. Larger companies also often order their products earlier and have the capacity to store larger inventories, whereas smaller display fireworks companies typically do not keep large inventories.

Naples said some shipments have arrived late, but, overall, the company is not concerned about its inventory.

Wholesale Fireworks has seen an average increase of 19 percent in the price it pays for its fireworks inventory and is expecting a similar increase next year. Weimer said the price of fireworks has increased 15 to 30 percent in the U.S., which varies from market to market. The industry has not seen an increase of this magnitude in about six to eight years, he added.

As for the variety of consumer fireworks at retail stores, some favorites may be difficult to find.

Small, handmade fireworks that are labor-intensive and time-consuming to make have been more expensive for Wholesale Fireworks to buy, Naples said. Snappers, firecrackers and bottle rockets are included in this category.

“Instead of having 20 varieties, they may only have 17 this year,” said Julie L. Heckman, executive director of American Pyrotechnics Association in Bethesda, Md.

And consumers can expect to pay a little more for their favorites than they have in the past.

“I think everybody can dig deeper into their pockets when paying for fireworks, and that’s true for everything with the economy ...,” Heckman said. “It’s only natural that importers will pass along some of those increased costs to their customers.”

Naples said Wholesale Fireworks Corp., however, will not raise prices of fireworks in its retail stores this year. In an attempt to absorb some of the costs, it is offering coupons on its Web site, www.wfboom.com.

The outlook for next summer is uncertain, but some experts predict the price and availability of fireworks may be affected more than they have this season.

hschoenstein@vindy.com