One ironic byproduct of the building-material shortage is the recent wave of new building-material plants cropping up all over North America. Companies that derive their revenues from making and selling cement, concrete pipe, steel, plastics, lumber and plywood, PVC pipe, copper and brass are finding that now is the optimum time to build new plants.
   An analysis of the Conway New Plant Database shows that Pennsylvania was the top location for new and expanded building-material plants in 2005 (with 10), followed by Michigan and Tennessee (six each), and Alabama and Texas (four each).
   Internationally, the top locations for new building-material plants last year were the United Kingdom, China, India, Canada

This Lafarge North America plant in Winnipeg, Manitoba, manufactures concrete pipe. Lafarge is expanding this facility to meet increasing local demand for the product.

and Belgium.
   Lafarge North America was among the most aggressive firms, announcing major expansions throughout Western Canada. In December, the company said it would build a new concrete pipe plant in Edmonton, Alberta, and expand its Calgary, Alberta, and Winnipeg, Manitoba, pipe operations.
   Lafarge is the largest diversified supplier of construction materials such as cement, aggregates, ready-mixed concrete and concrete products, asphalt and gypsum wallboard in the U.S. and Canada. The new plant in Edmonton replaces an existing operation and increases production to 150,000 metric tons of concrete pipe per year. The 90,000-sq.-ft. (8,361-sq.-m.) plant is expected to be the most efficient concrete pipe factory in Western Canada.
   The expansions in Calgary and Winnipeg, totaling 15,000 sq. ft. (1,394 sq. m.), will increase combined production to 140,000 metric tons annually. The Winnipeg project is now complete; Calgary is set for completion this month; and the Edmonton plant will go on line in February 2007.
   Dennis Lattimore, vice president of concrete products for Lafarge's Western Canada operations, says his company chose the Edmonton site "due to its close proximity to the Yellowhead Trail, which will form part of the Edmonton Ring Road and will provide easy access to the growing Edmonton market."
   He noted that "the new Edmonton facility, along with the Calgary and Winnipeg expansions, are being carried out to meet local demand requirements."
   Lattimore added that site selection for the Edmonton plant was "a collaborative effort incorporating senior management, middle management, production and logistics personnel."