The demand for concrete has been outstripping supply for several years. We've become more steadily dependent on imports.

This is, at root, a problem of demand outstripping supply,

Demand is outstripping supply and this is the bullet point of the problem. The U.S. refinery snags are adding fuel to the flames. Certainly, in the long term, prices will head higher.

Demand is vastly outstripping supply. It's not surprising that some of the dealers are going to the DMO because it's difficult to make a market in these conditions.

If this continues, you'll have demand outstripping supply over the next five years by a wide margin.

Whether the recovery from Katrina adds to demand for construction materials depends on the types and speed of rebuilding in damaged areas.