BUILDING SUPPLIES IN DEMAND

A construction explosion has created problems for producers of a number of building supplies and the building industry in general.

Building contractors have been plagued by lumber shortages the past two years, and the entire construction industry faces backlogs on such items as cement, glass, bricks and steel.

Manufacturers, builders and contractors say there is no scarcity of supplies, but the demand is stronger than the supply.

John Burian, plant manager at Lone Star Industries Inc., 2524 S. Sprigg, which produces cement, calls the cement shortage a "good problem."

The backlog is good for Lone Star but poses a problem for the company's customers.

The demand for cement this summer has been so much stronger than the supply, said Burian. The Lone Star plant here has been working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but can't keep up with the demand.

"We're producing about 4,000 tons of cement a day," said Burian. "That's top capacity."

As many as 20 trucks were lined up Thursday at the plant, awaiting loads of cement.

This is good news and bad news for the construction industry. It means that housing and commercial building starts are up, infrastructure projects are plentiful, and more roads are being built.

"This is not just local," said Burian. "The shortages are everywhere."

In Missouri alone, construction the first six months of the year is up 17 percent over a year ago, with residential construction up 18 percent, at $1.3 billion.

F.W. Dodge Division of McGraw-Hill, an authority on the construction market, reported total construction for the first half of the year in Missouri at $2.8 billion, up from $2.4 billion during the same period a year ago.

Nonresidential construction, which includes commercial, manufacturing and other buildings not designed for shelter, was reported at $994,267,000, up 1 percent over the $980,466,000 during the same period of 1993.

Residential construction for the year through June was at $1,288,890,000 in 1994, compared to $1,087,757,000 during the same period in 1993.

Construction of streets, highways, bridges, river and harbor developments, airports and a few other projects was reported at $520,657,000 for the first half of the year, up 57 percent over the $332,005,000 for the same period a year ago.

The backlog of cement is reflected in Missouri statistics. Lone Star is running short on cement at the St. Louis facility, as well as facilities in Paducah, Ky. and Memphis, Tenn.

"That adds to our problem here," said Burian. "Those facilities are sending trucks to the Cape Girardeau plant."

The turn of events has resulted in a "tremendous year" for Lone Star, said Burian. In past years, the company has seen stockpiles of cement.

"There doesn't seem to be any letup this year," said Burian. "It appears we may be like this until the snow flies."

Burian said an allotment system would go into place today to make sure all customers receive some cement.

Clyde McDonald knows about allotments.

"We're on an allotment basis now," said McDonald, president of McDonald Concrete Ready-Mix, 59 N. Broadview. "We're holding our own now if we don't get cut back any more,"

The problem could worsen, said McDonald.

C.J. Morrill of Morrill Construction, an authorized Ceco Building Systems builder, said the backlog of structural steel has built up to two to three weeks.

The Morrill company, which utilizes a lot of pre-engineered Ceco steel, says materials for a building, which used to take six to seven weeks, now takes eight to 10 weeks.

"This is due to the tremendous volume of work going on," said Morrill. "Cape Girardeau is a good example of this: There's a lot of work going on here."

Kasten Masonry Sales Inc. of Jackson said orders are three months behind on bricks.

"We produce about 1.3 million bricks a month," said Dave Kasten, owner of the company. "We also buy bricks from other companies, but we're backlogging orders up to three months. Everything is getting pretty scarce."

Kasten said most customers have accepted the fact that it is taking longer to fill orders.

The normal delivery time for glass windows has increased two to three weeks, said Ann Brookman, president of Edgewater Glass Co. Inc., 324 S. Plaza Way.

"It does not look like it will get any better soon," said Brookman. "It's not that there is a shortage of these materials, but increased use of them has created a backlog."

Insulated glass, which used to have a five-day delivery, now takes three weeks, and regular windows, which used to have a three-week wait, now take five to six weeks.