Fireworks industry gets banged up

pyrotechnics operators like Jim Souza, the job has always been a balance of work and fun, preparation and payoff.

But in recent years, what had been a cool way of helping communities celebrate has turned taxing and burdensome. Industry leaders say this has been the most challenging Fourth of July season in memory.

One of the most pressing concerns has been the lack of shipping carriers transporting fireworks from overseas manufacturers. All but one has halted shipments of large fireworks following a recent fire and explosion aboard a liner carrying a shipment of fireworks.

In addition, the events of Sept. 11, 2001, have weighed heavily on the industry, whose explosives have received the same level of scrutiny applied to other industries dealing with dangerous materials. Insurance premiums have also jumped sharply because of safety concerns.

Despite the recent travails, this year’s fireworks shows are expected to go off without a hitch. But pyrotechnicians are worried about future shows.

“ We’re here to light up the sky and make everyone happy to celebrate the Fourth of July, but it’s just a tough time for us, ” said Souza, owner of Pyro Spectaculars and a fifth-generation pyrotechnician. “ It’s become a lot more expensive and difficult to put (the shows ) on. ”

For one thing, his company and others were having a hard time getting their hands on fireworks, most of which are manufactured in China. The flow of supplies slowed after a March 21 explosion aboard the Hyundai Fortune, a container ship that was traveling through the Indian Ocean from Asia to Europe. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but the presence of fireworks led Hyundai and five other shipping companies to place a moratorium on the transport of large fireworks.

Only one company, Maersk, is shipping public-display fireworks explosives. The sudden turn of events caused a great amount of consternation among display operators, who were forced to reroute shipments and pray for their arrival in time.

Some bought supplies from bigger rivals with large inventories while others, like John Weiter, the owner of Gateway Fireworks Displays in St. Louis, waited it out. Weiter said his shipment arrived a couple of weeks ago. Normally it would have arrived by April.

Bengt Henriksen, a president of Quality Logistics, a San Carlos fireworks importer, said there was no evidence the Hyundai explosion was caused by fireworks. He said an investigation he commissioned found the fire began below deck, while the fireworks were stored on the top of the ship.

He said the moratorium has been a huge imposition. Even after rerouting the shipments on Maersk ships, fireworks operators have run into regulations that limit the amount of fireworks that can be transported on a ship.

“ There are probably 500 containers of fireworks stranded in China that are not coming in for July 4 because of this, ” said Henriksen, who handles shipments for a majority of the fireworks operators in the United States.

“ This is a long-term problem, ” said Julie Heckman, executive director of the Pyrotechnics Association of America. “ We got through this Fourth of July, but we might not get through the next if we don’t figure out how to get the product here. ”