Price hike affecting fireworks | News, Sports, Jobs

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Supply chain issues and rising prices are affecting fireworks availability as the July 4 holiday approaches.
Patrick Spielbauer is the president of Spielbauer Fireworks, a third-generation fireworks company in Green Bay.
“And so far we’ve gotten about 20-25% of what we should have gotten mostly from China,” Spielbauer said. “So there’s definitely going to be a shortage of fireworks.”
The Iron Mountain City Council on Monday approved a fireworks permit for Spielbauer. estimated the cost of this year’s event will be approximately $17,000.
The fireworks shortage problem is multifaceted, Spielbauer told The Associated Press.
“We have inflation, so there is an increase in costs associated with everything; with raw materials, labor, shipping and insurance,” Spielbauer said. “But since COVID, the supply chain has been really disrupted and shipments from China have been pouring out.”
According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, consumers will spend an estimated $2.3 billion on fireworks this July 4th.
As for large screens, Spielbauer says the typical price he pays is around $13,000. But, this year, that cost has risen to $50,000.
“I think the main driving force for us is the cost of shipping,” Spielbauer said.
With high costs and shipping delays, Spielbauer adds that if you’re going to a fireworks show this year, it might look a little different.
“We’re struggling with rising costs, which means we’re not getting enough of every dollar,” Spielbauer said. “We are battling supply chain issues which means we are not going to have the variety that we normally have.”
Overall, costs have risen 35% in the fireworks industry, although the APA estimates that more than 16,000 fireworks will be produced this July 4.
The Daily News contributed to this report.