David Orr wrote DG> TIMBER INDUSTRY: MORE HOME BUILDERS USING STEEL, NOT WOOD DG> Uncertain wood supplies and volatile prices, caused in part DG>by "the politics of the Clinton administration's forest DG>management plan," are driving some firms to seek less timber- ...The American Iron and Steel Institute is "launching an DG>aggressive campaign" to capture 25% of the new home construction DG>market by 1998. AISI's James Primdahl said steel frames are DG>cost-effective, structurally superior to wood, and "better for DG>the environment...." DG>David G. Orr DG>R-4 Program Coordinator DG>Waste Prevention and Recycling DG>Office of Environmental Services DG>University of California DG>Davis, CA 95616 DG>Internet: DGORR@UCDAVIS.EDU DG>Voice: (916) 752-6970 (o) DG> 756-9540 (h) My understanding is that in the early '60s Johan Veltkamp was retained as a consultant to supply data answering whether or not the steel industry should enter the house construction materials business. He is supposed to have found that due to cyclicality of family formations (re war baby and grandbaby booms) housing was not for capital intensive steel. This, he opined, should be left to bushmen like us. Subsequently big steel became the big rust belt. And he krpt on tracking forest products. However nobody anticipated the Spotted Owl. Also "small steel" companies made a come back and have proved to be competitive. Have they also achieved real production flexibility? Can they switch to running steel studs in concert with market changes? Do the steel folks have a list where we might address such questions? Johan or Barnard Fuller if you are out there please comment. (Resource Information Systems,Inc.,29 Hartwel Av., Lexington MA 02173, voice 617 861 0675) Thanks george pope gpope@holonet.net
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