Exporting Shells

[Salutecake]

I saw a recent post somewhere from Johnwee of YungFeng fireworks that he can expert 2.5 to 6 inch shells but so far is not allowed to export 8 and 10 inch shells.

Is that just his company or all companies? Does it have to do with fireworks inspections or new rules on sizes or such?

[BMoore]

I'm hearing the same thing and it would be for all Chinese exports. I have heard two explanations. One is that shells over 6" are being classified in China as 1.1 requiring additional licensing/restrictions making it cost prohibitive to ship them. This is similar to the reclassification of AOP to 1.3 that is currently making them very difficult to get. The second explanation is that the Chinese ports are now doing drop tests that the shells must survive and anything over 6" will not survive that test.

The problem is that China as a whole wants out of the fireworks business. Before COVID, these things would come up but money talks and customers (importers) had the power to influence these decisions. At this point in time, the supply/demand is so skewed in China's favor that the customer is fully at their mercy. At this point, we need to be happy to get ANY shells. I expect a lot of the problems to be worked out once the pendulum starts swinging back in the customer's direction whenever that might be.

[Scotty Rockets]

This is old news and since has been resolved. Those size 1.3 shells have been given special packaging that meets the drop test qualifications (if you work 1.3 displays you probably already noticed this packaging in 2019). AOP is being shipped as 1.3 then relabeled here in the US, there has been recent DOT agreements on the APA 87-1 standards to transport AOP as 1.4. No salutes other than cakes with up to 30mm inserts (I believe that’s the limit) can be exported and no shells over 6” can be exported. Anything over 6” or salute shells will have to be domestically made.