b'ofconstructionactivitypicksupsignificantlyorifthereisevidenceof arenewedsurgeintherateofinflation,bargainingsettlementsthisyear couldreachtheinflationarylevelsof1975. Thereportindicatesthatcurrenteconomicforecastssuggesta continuationofcurrenteconomictrendsinto1977withsomeincrease inover-allconstructionactivitybutnobigincreasesinactivity expected.Projectionsastotherateofinflationduring1977range fromaslowas5%toahighof8%- farlessthanthe1975rateof12.2%. MANUFACTURINGMATERIALSTOMEETASTMSTANDARDS Wehavelongfeltthati tisinthebestinterestsofroofingcontractors,roofingmanufacturersandroofingusersthatroofingmaterials bemanufacturedtomeetASTMstandards.Toourknowledge,ASTMspecificationsaretheonly"independent"quantity/qualitystandardsagainstwh ich felts,etc.canbemeasured.AbsentASTMspecifications,quality/ quantity standardsareuptotheindividualmanufacturer. Wearepleasedtoreportthatprogressisbeingmadetowardt he objectiveofmanufacturingtomeetASTMspecs.Forexample,wehavevery recentlybeenadvisedbyCertainTeedCorporationthateffectiveJanuary1, 1977,anumberofthatcompany\'sproductswillbeproducedt omeetfull ASTMspecificationatallnineCertainTeedroofingplantsandthatsuch productswillbeavailableasregularstock.CertainTeedhascautioned usthattheirproductswhichmeetASTMspecsmusthavea1977codedate. ItisourunderstandingthatGAFCorporationalsomanufactures productsmeetingASTMspecsandthattheirproductlabelssoi ndicate. Further,theproductsofTamkoAsphaltProducts,Inc.meetASTMspecs. IfwehaveomittedthenamesofmanufacturerswhoseregularproductionroofingmaterialproductsmeetASTMspecs,wewouldappreciatehearingfromsuchmanufacturersandwillpublishtheirnamesinafutureissue. Weencourageall manufacturerswhoseregularproductionproductsdonot currentlymeetASTMspecstobeginproducingproductswhichdomeetsuch specs. MARKYOURCALENDAR! Beautiful,historicSanAntonio,Texasisthesiteofthisyear\'s convention.ThedatesareSunday,November13,throughWednesday, November16. Wewillmailyoucompletedetailsnextsummer.Inthemeantime, besuretowritedownthedatesnow~'