b'The 87th annual conventionof the National Roofing Contractors Association will beheld amidst preparations forthecomingpageantryofMardi NRCA ExpedsLargestGrasinNewOrleans,La.February 18-21, 1974. As a matter ofNRCA fact, is holding ablock of rooms forthose whowanttostayoverforthe Conventionin TheirHistoryconclusionof MardiGras,whichwill end on February 26th. TheconventionopensonMonday evening with the customary Welcome Partywhichwillbeheldatthe RivergateExpositionCenter.The following day the Centerwillbe open forexhibitsviewingwiththe formal business sessions in the afternoon. Thepersonalitiesheadliningthe show are Jenkin L. Jones, who is the keynotespeakerattheopening luncheon;Carl Madden,Chief EconomistfortheU.S.Chamberof Commerce;McNeillStokes,General Counsel for NRCA,who will describe progressonOSHA;JohnStender, AssistantSecretaryofLaborfor Occupational Safety and Health; Kirk Prather,Safety Consultantpresently doing research on roofing safety underafederalgrantfromNIOSHA;and Dave Schmidt, well-known consultant in the field of effective management. TechnicalsessionsincludeBill Cullen,Vyt Puzinauskas,andothers, who will cover topics such as the effect ofenergy crisis on construction, the the insulationshortage,newasphalt heatingrequirementsaswellasa special session on waterproofing. SHORTAGES lNHAT LIES AHEAD? "Round and round it goes .otherproductssuchaspropane,of products will level off in price. where it stopsnobodyknows".alittlekerosene and of course asphalt, so thatDelivery datesof roofingproducts couplet used to describe the roulettethe refiner can recover his increasedvary, depending on the product and the wheel,alsoappliesveryaptlytocosts, exempting gasoline, heating oilmanufacturer, but range from 14 to 20 today\'sspiralling priceswithasphaltand diesel fuel fromincreases.weeks after the order is placed, with alloverthenationdoublingandIn other words, a limited number ofthepricedependentonthe tripling,withsomeareasreportingproducts bear the entire brunt of anymanufacturers list price at the time of prices up to $140.00 aton.crude price increase,as no increasesshipping,oftensubjecttochange Asphaltisacovereditemundercan be made in the prices of the otherwithout notice. Phase IV regulations under Subpartthree items.Whilebulkasphaltsupplieshave L, accordingly,under the regulationsinOtherfactorscontributingtothebeen on an allotment basis forsome during effectthe base period from Mayprice spiral are the incentives createdtime,roofersreporttheyhavenot 15 to July 31, 1973, refiners could passto encourage explorationfornewoilexperienceddifficultyinobtaining oncrudecostincreasesonasources and increased production fromtheirrequirements.Itisexpected, proportionalper refined product.theTheofhowever, that with agreater demand shareexisting ones.pricedomestic SinceAugust1,asphaltandallcrude from existing sources is frozen,in coming months, availability will be petroleumproductsexceptgasoline,but the pricecrude from new sourcessomewhat shorter. of heating oil and diesel fuelhave beenortheincreasedproductionfromMany manufacturers have expansion exemptedfromproportionalpriceexisting sourcesisnotfrozen.Thus,programstoincreaseproduction controls, butstill covered undernew production, or production over thefacilities, but in most instances it will arethe generalCostofLivingCounciloldproductionrates,raisesthebesometimebeforetheyare guidelines.average price per barrel.completed.Certain-Teed reportsthat This complicates the price structureIt isexpectedthatasincreasedtheydoubledtheircapacityduring as increasedcrudecostsarepassedprices for the three products presentlythepastthreeyearsforthe throughbyincreasin~thepricesonexcluded are approved, all categoriesmanufacture of Fiberglass. Underway 6ABC, January-February 1974'