Final USITC Report on Chinese Quartz Imports June 2019 | Page 130
The vast majority of U.S. producers’ and importers’ reported sales of quartz surface
products were on the spot market (table V‐2). 5 6
Table V-2
Quartz surface products: U.S. producers’ and importers’ shares of U.S. commercial shipments by
type of sale, 2017
Type of sale
U.S. producers
Importers
Long-term contracts
5.7
3.7
1.9
5.0
Annual contracts
Short-term contracts
3.3
5.6
Spot sales
89.1
85.7
Source: Compiled from data submitted in response to Commission questionnaires.
Nineteen purchasers reported that they purchase product weekly, ten purchase daily,
nine purchase monthly, three purchase quarterly, two purchase annually, and four purchase as
needed or on a project‐driven basis. The majority of responding purchasers (28 of 46) reported
that their purchasing frequency had not changed since 2015. Most (26 of 46) purchasers
contact between one and three suppliers before making a purchase. Twenty of 46 purchasers
reported that their purchases of quartz surface products usually involved negotiations with
their suppliers. The most commonly mentioned factor for negotiation was price, followed by
availability and quality.
Sales terms and discounts
U.S. producers and importers typically quote prices on a delivered basis. U.S. producers
and importers offer a variety of discounts. Nine U.S. producers offer quantity discounts, five
5
U.S. slab producers *** reported that they sold *** percent of their commercial shipments of
quartz surface products via the spot market.
6
Short‐term contracts for U.S. producers range from 14 to 180 days, while long‐term contracts
averaged 540 days. In all three contract types, the majority of responding U.S. producers reported that
contracts do not allow for price renegotiations and are not indexed to raw material costs. Importers
reported that short‐term contracts ranged from 14 to 270 days and long‐term contracts averaged 482
days. In all three contract types, the majority of responding importers reported that contracts do not
allow for price renegotiation and are not indexed to raw material costs.
V‐4