National Fireworks Association

#ICYMI: NFA President Steve Houser was quoted in the Marketwatch/Wall Street Journal Network over the weekend about the fireworks shortage: "Many sellers will have to pass along costs, but not dollar for dollar, said Steve Houser, the owner and founder of Red Rhino Fireworks in Joplin, Mo. "The situation in west coast ports has actually eased somewhat, said Houser, who is also president of the National Fireworks Association, a trade group.... #SaveOurFourth #StocktheShelves #fourthofjuly #fireworks

Happy #flagday2021 #flagday2021

NFA President Steve Houser just got off a call with the Port of Long Beach. For over a month now the POLB has been working hard with the NFA by proactively organizing the offloading of fireworks containers from ships to chassis and rail to get our goods through the supply chain quickly and efficiently. Now through further processes at the port they are pursuing a course of action to effectively move everything provided by the NFA on behalf of its members to an emergency ex...pedite status without affecting other POLB customers. This is a very positive change that hopefully will help us all. The POLB is taking a big step forward with these full expediting processes on NFA member submitted containers because of our hyper seasonal business and supply line needs. A big thank you to the POLB for their hard work and assistance in helping America have a great Independence Day! Consider becoming a member https://www.nationalfireworks.com/

Members President Stephen Houser is urging you to email him directly at [email protected] with a list of container(s) information that have ARRIVED and are CONFIRMED STILL AT the Port of Long Beach or Los Angeles. Please do not send info on containers still on the water, only those that have landed. A spreadsheet is best, the info needed is at this LINK * DO NOT jut email a list of container numbers please!* Help us, help you, and email the address above direct. The port has been communicating, and we are doing our best to keep product moving. We are focusing on containers that have a reasonable shot at making it to you by the 4th. We will continue the effort post 4th but we have to focus on pre-4th now.

*Bulletin* NFA President Stephen Houser today announced that through talks with the Port of Long Beach that just over this past weekend, we had 7 containers staged to move to rail, 8 actually moved to rail, and 18 containers loaded on rail! All of these were NFA member containers, submitted through the expediting program NFA first announced in early April. 8 of those containers were from the Port of Los Angeles, who we are also now cooperating with. 4 of the containers moved this weekend, had been sitting at port for over 9 weeks. Join today, we are stronger together! #fireworks #nationalfireworksassociation

The NFA has been working hard for it's members! From fighting the metals ban in consumer product, to most recently negotiating expedited container movement at the port. One of the next tasks on the radar is giving members a voice against rising freight costs. We are so looking forward to seeing everyone again at a convention! Watch for an announcement for registration to open soon, and join us in Erie, PA this Sept 13th-17th 2021. Help us, help you, by clicking below and joining the National Fireworks Association today.

Hello All, Here is a link to our April NFA Newsletter. This is our first cyber only edition. Enjoy and share. Thank you. https://www.dropbox.com/s/y399ge/2021_april_NEWSLETTER.pdf

From WJXT4 The Local Station / News4JAX: "Steve Houser, the president for the National Fireworks Association, told KOLD News 13 that shipping costs, ports backed up for shipping and a surge in demand are all factors." #FourthofJuly #SaveOurFireworks #StockTheShelves

One month until the #FourthofJuly. Who's excited? #ShootSafely

NFA President Steve Houser was interviewed this weekend by KSN 16 in Joplin, MO about the challenges the fireworks industry is facing this coming season. Watch the story by clicking the link below. #UnloadOurPorts #StockTheShelves #SaveOurFireworks

From FreightWaves on our letter to U.S. Department of Transportation: The letter said shipping times from China, where more than 90% of fireworks are produced, have doubled to 60 days, container rates have exploded, and it can take nearly three weeks to get a container through ports in Southern California. All these obstacles and challenges are hampering our ability to put product on the shelf for our seasonal small business owners, the trade association said.... #OpenOurPorts #StockTheShelves #SaveOurFireworks

*Bulletin - NFA POLB Container Expediting Program* For those NFA members who have submitted container information through the website and still have containers that have NOT cleared (please check with your broker on status) Or containers that have cleared and are sitting waiting for rail, PLEASE download the example spreadsheet, https://www.dropbox.com//NFA-Shipment-Import-Spreadsheet-E populate with your container(s) information and e-mail DIRECTLY to NFA president Stephen Houser at [email protected]

Yesterday, we sent a letter with over 1,300 NFA members, fireworks company owners and employees to the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg asking for help to #unloadourports and #stocktheshelves. Thanks to all of you who signed on! Read the letter here on our #SaveOurFireworks blog --> http://bit.ly/2P68poE

Things are rockin at the NFA! Hotels for the fall convention in Erie PA are over 50% booked, grab a room and get registered today! Anyone planning a short side trip to Niagara Falls?

From Supply Chain Best Practices Retail and Hospitality Hub: The NFA "asked Buttigieg to 'immediately examine our nation’s port and transportation infrastructure to see where the bottlenecks are, and immediately implement the changes necessary to streamline the system and return it to pre-COVID-19 conditions. If this is not done within the next few weeks, we fear that this year’s fireworks season will never take place.' #OpenOurPorts #StocktheShelves #SaveOurFireworks