“I expect some slow improvement in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will be helpful to the D-FW area in a couple of ways. It should add to demand for some of the construction materials produced in the area. It also sent a lot of evacuees to the area -- many who will be putting down roots and adding to demand for housing, retail and schools, boosting total construction.”
“In 2005, we had 32 areas (of the country) that ran short of cement at certain times of the year. With the demand for cement growing in 2006 and very little expansion of production, I think further supplies are limited.”
“For 2006, I expect to see healthy demand for nonresidential construction but also double-digit price increases for many construction inputs. I expect continuing spot shortages of cement that will push concrete prices higher nationwide.”
“Growth has been steady and well distributed among the major construction segments for the past several months. For the first 11 months of 2005, total construction was nine percent higher than in same months of 2004. Private residential construction grew 11 percent, public construction, eight percent, and private nonresidential, five percent.”
“The leading categories have been multi-retail (general merchandise, shopping centers, and shopping malls), up 25 percent year-to-date; manufacturing construction, 23 percent; private multifamily, 21 percent; hospitals, 13 percent; private single-family, 12 percent; and highways and streets, 11 percent.”
