GLG News by Building Materials Industry Experts

This article is right on the money as the developers who leveraged all their financing on selling the whole community got caught in a down turned market. I don't think communities will become "ghost towns" as this will be an opportunity for large developers to buy at a reduced price.

Data released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that crushed stone and sand & gravel (aggregates) volumes declined 13.7% in the first quarter of 2008 compared to the same quarter in 2007. (The report does not include Alaska, Hawaii, Vermont, Maine, Delaware, Rhode Island and North Dakota)....

On May 9th A 10 month mining ban on rock mining in the Lake Belt Region of Dade County Florida was lifted by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta by a vote of 2-1.

The existing building products supply chain for US home building has too many steps.  With each step, cost is added but not necessarily value.  Big builders are calling the shots and are looking for cost reductions from all sources.  It looks like some supply chain players are going to...

Strong aggregates price increases nationwide in 2007.

The ATA freight index shows YOY gain. Could this signal that those carriers who have weathered the current storm are about to be rewarded?

As continued high fuel plagues the trucking industry, fuel surcharges have become more accepted. Carriers have become insulated from the impact of high fuel by transferring this risk to the shipper in the form of a fuel surcharge.

Increased truck weight helps the environment, lowers congestion, and drives efficiencies.

The depressed housing market has caused headaches for all domestic building material suppliers (Mohawk Industries, Home Depot, etc.).  At the same time the weak dollar has created opportunities that manufacturers can use to offset their loss with new business.

Is it not time to recognize that acquisitions are not priced at tangible assset values? How do fair value and the tax treatment of asset purchase allocations get reconciled? We need a pragmatic approach.