Oct. 24, 2005 - 20:18 MDT

HARD FACTS

I don't know if it is the Norns or just plain old hags of witches who are stirring the boiling pot, I am sure it is too hot for me to stick a stirring finger in. So tonight, I just think other things are of concern.

Two Rocky Mountain Newsmen collaborated on an article in today's paper, Alan Gathright and Lou Kilzer. Some of their article I will try to sift the extremely local stuff and just quote what applies country wide. In part:

COMBINATION OF FACTORS LEADS TO CRIPPLING CEMENT SHORTAGE

"The triple whammy of Hurricane Katrina, global competition and a brief breakdown at Colorado's biggest cement plant has triggered a regional and national shortage of cement."

"The scarcity is driving up concrete costs and delaying construction on everything from street paving and new home foundations to airport runways and power plants."

"Cement is the critical binding ingredient -- when mixed with water, sand and gravel -- in concrete, the major building block for everything from sidewalks and skyscrapers to dams and driveways."

"Even before Hurriane Katrina hammered Gulf Coast ports Aug. 29, at least 32 states were experiencing a cement shortage spurred by resurging national construction demand, said Ken Simonson, chief economist with the Associated General Contractors of America in Arlington, Virginia."

"The Colorado shortage was compounded in August when mechanical problems forced a five-day shutdown at the state's biggest cement plant, Hoicim Inc., in Florence, said Paul Schauer, managing director of the Colorado Ready Mix Concrete Association, which represents concrete producers."

"Earlier in the summer, similar production problems forced a major Wyoming producer to stop work for several weeks."

"it's not a matter of shortage of cement or plants worldwide," Simonson said of the nationwide problem. "It's a matter of not having enough ships or port facilties or rail lines available to move it fast enough where it's needed."

"The construction industry and at least four Western governors and some congressional lawmakers are pressing the Commerce Department to suspend trade tariffs on Mexican cement, so producers there can ship affordable cement by rail in a matter of days -- not the month-plus time it takes to ship cement from Asian nations, Simonson said."

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One thing stands out, why is there a restrictive tarrif on Mexican cement and not on Asian cement ? -- it appears that there is.

Although the delay hurts the Colorado supply of cement I am sure that the facility in Florence, Colorado also ships cement out of state also. As well I so believe that the facility in Wyoming ships cement out of state. So a delay here messes up projects out of state too.

Although it is not apparent to the naked eye, the tall skyscrapers with their skeleton of steel have many tons of concrete poured as footings to begin with, not to mention the massive amounts of concrete used in power plants -- where often the footings are poured clear down to bedrock. Even houses without basements are built on slabs of concrete, with basements there is that basic slab with four stout walls of concrete rising from it. Can one imagine bridges going up the size they are nowadays without concrete and cable and rebar ?

The tradgey of Katrina on our Gulf Coast not only messed up refineries, storage facilities and off shore rigs, but also all but destroyed Gulf Coast capabilities to handle in and outgoing shipments of anything. I noticed those large "cargo containers" one usually sees stacked one on top of another in cargo ships strewed over the countryside in the gulf area. Washed off ships and cast ashore. To my eye, each of those containers is as large as the body on a freight trailer that is towed as a semi, by a big rig on our highways.

If nothing else the price of goods and supplies will go up and the profits of manufacturers and companies that ship from the U.S. will go down.

Yes, historical Gulf Coast enchants the average tourist, but the nitty gritty of commerce is what kept it going as well as being almost the heart of America, pumping fresh blood from overseas into our country and bringing in the cash needed to keep going here.

Question in my mind is, will the politicians see that rebuilding is done quickly, without pork being involved ? How many "bidless" contracts be handed out to cronys of the biggies of this administration ? And also in mind, will the levees be truly rebuilt around New Orleans or will sea bottom mud be pumped up and raise the level of the land ? The Dutch did it and are still doing it -- why can't we ?

There are many things to be faced in the future here in the United States and most of them will be like concrete HARD FACTS . . . . . . . . .

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