O-N Minerals shipping numbers were down slightly from 2005
A downturn in the construction field helped push back shipping numbers at O-N Minerals in 2006. The shipping season started slow at the Port of Calcite, but reportedly picked up steam late in the year. There was still not enough material exported from the plant to match the 2005 numbers.
ACCORDING TO plant manager John Nordin, there were 7.4 million tons of limestone shipped from Rogers City compared to the 7.8 million tons shipped in 2005. The outlook is a little brighter for 2007, as the plant is expecting a slight increase to 7.5 million tons. The final vessel to leave the plant in 2006 was the Pere Marquette, December 23. It was loaded with 5,071 tons of limestone, according to O-N logistics manager Al Meyer. He said there was a total of 359 vessels docked at the plant this year.
THE SEASON started with the opening of the Soo Locks March 25 and O-N Minerals loading its first ship, the Courtney Burton, on April 1. Meyer believes the slowdown in loads heading out of Rogers City was in part because iron ore was in demand. Of the 7.4 million tons shipped from the plant, half went to the aggregate industry, while the other half went to the chemical industry, said Nordin. The company?s largest customer in 2006 was USS Minntac, which used the material for pellet flux. He said shipping numbers were down as were road projects. That was coupled with a downturn in the overall economy. The Soo Locks will be closing January 15 at midnight.