RE: New UN Classification for fireworks products - transport -starting September 1st 2005

Hi Guys!

I want to share an information with you. In case some of you don't know about it yet (as you seem to be all very aware about fireworks) This new UN classification will create a big problem with transport for all fireworks importers in Canada as of September 1st.

This will affect all transport regulations inbound and from other countries coming into Canadian Ports.

The UN (United Nations) transport classification for firewokrs will be changed as of September 1st as follows:
All 200-250-300mm shells will change from 1.3g to 1.1g
All one shot (RC) from 50mm and more will change from 1.3g to 1.2g
Many family products like big barrage or 100 shots cakes will change from 1.4g to 1.3g.

Now, this could be a huge problem for the fireworks industry in Canada for at least 1 or 2 years, until things get better; almost no transport companies (maritime) accept 1.1 and 1.2g. Of course they accept 1.1g now (unless we could not get the salutes we all enjoy) but they have to be package in a way that it takes a lot more room in a box, so that containers cannot have more than a specific maximum qty of the 1.1g products. This mean that the cost of transport will be a lot more expensive, and availability of maritime cies whom will accept those products is already very rare. Customers will get less for what they pay for.

This could affect the shows we see at La Ronde. All companies in Quebec like BEM, Ampleman, Fiatlux, Royal Pyrotefhnie will be very much affected by those new laws and could have to work together trying to share info and get our products in Canada.

I am trying to get more info now, but even ERD still have some unanswer questions about the facts. I spoke to a custom broker recently and still, we do not know exactly what to expect from those maritime companies...

I know for a fact that many manufacturer from Spain & Italy are already working on reclassification of their products. In fact, they all have to resubmit all the technical sheet of all their products. This mean a lot of work for them and that also means ERD will probably restudy allo those technical sheet. I just hope that all homologated products will remain the same. Unless it means that we will have less variety in our coming shows for next season 2006.

Now for La Ronde, products does not have to be homologated as it's a competition, (that's why it's only in those kind of competitions that we have the chance to see new products and very rare shell - most of them made for the special occasion like a competition) all we have to do is get a special importation permit each time we import products that are not homologated by ERD for a competition.

But for all other shows you see in Quebec or the rest of Canada, we (cie of the industrie) are allowed to use only homologated products.

Thought you might be interrested with that news. I will keep you aware of any new developpments about the subject.


Studata Girl

Hi Studata Girl,

thanks for the interesting information about shipping.

Do you know which Canadian ports do accept 1.1g? I understood (from an ERD presentation at the recent Symposium) that Canada was in relatively good shape for importing 1.1g as we have more than one major port that accepts 1.1g (due mainly to the mining industry). In the US, there are only two ports that accept 1.1g - New Orleans and Longport (California - I think that's the name). I think the main problem with 1.1g is the road transportation.

As for salutes being packaged so that there's less in a box, my understanding is that the extra packaging moves them from a 1.1g classification to a 1.3g so that shipping is not an issue. Of course, the effective cost of shipping goes up because there are many fewer per box.

In terms of non-homologated product for shows at La Ronde, whether a product is homologated in Canada or not doesn't change its default UN shipping classification. So any shell 200mm or over will be classified as 1.1g no matter if it is approved in Canada or not. I was down on the ramps at La Ronde last year and noticed much of IPON's shipping containers were marked as 1.1g ... but since they were using 6" cylindrical salutes with 1500g of composition, it's no surprise!

For shipping to Canada it would make a lot of sense if all the display operators collaborated. I'm sure there's a lot of overhead because separate companies import product from the same Spanish and Italian manufacturers. I'm sure it would be much more cost effective if it could all be consolidated into a single importation channel. Perhaps there's space in the market for a pure importation company - they wouldn't do displays but would coordinate the importation of all the products for all the display operators.

Finally, the information in your post would be of interest to the Canadian Fireworks Association. Feel free to join the CFA/ACP yahoo group - you don't have to be a member of the CFA to join the discussion group (we also have several people from ERD who are discussion group members). Your thoughts and insight would be valuable to everyone. You can find out how to subscribe by going to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cfa-acp

Best regards,

Paul.

hi studata girl !

could you tell me your first name, cause i think i know you heehee

thanks

As administrator, I know pretty much everything about all the posters here, including the IP address of where they posted from. If people decide to post anonymously or use a pseudonym, I respect their privacy unless they post anything offensive. Then I may contact them (or their ISP) directly.

I'm happy to let it be known that I also like Studatas

Cheers,

Paul.

Anybody want to fill me in on what a "studata" is?

I know it was explained before, but I forgot...

Regards,

Trav.

It's a kind of multi-break shell-of-shells. There's video and photos here:

http://www.pirotecnicaadriatica.com/page4.htm

Paul.

Paul,

Thanks for the link. It's always helpful when there's visual sources.

Thanks again.

Trav.