Asphalt Manufacturing in the U.S.-Aarkstore Enterprise

Worldwide annual consumption of asphalt is at more than 100 million tons. In the United States, generally 90% of liquid asphalt cement consumed is used for road paving and approximately 10% is used for roofing products, with other specialty applications accounting for only a very small fraction of consumption.

Though asphalt occurs naturally, the majority of today’s asphalt is produced as a residual product of the crude oil refining process. Most refiners focus on refining more expensive, lighter, “sweeter” crudes to produce the higher-value products such gasoline and diesel fuel. In all, about two to three percent of all refined crude oil in the United States becomes asphalt.

Most crude oil asphalt comes from less expensive, heavier, “sour” crude oils rather than the more expensive lighter, sweet crude oils. For crude oil refiners asphalt accounts for a much larger portion of the product refined.

Demand for asphalt is driven to a small degree by the private sector, but most demand comes from federal, state, and local governments. Funding for highway and road infrastructure construction and maintenance plays the largest role, but other public sector projects such as airport runway and taxiway construction can also affect demand. Since funding for highway and road construction and maintenance projects are often set for several years, demand tends to remain rather constant growing more or less at the rate of inflation. However, the recent prospect of massive infrastructure spending to stimulate growth in the U.S. economy under the new Obama administration suggest demand will likely increase significantly in the coming years.

Specialists in Business Information (SBI) estimates the U.S. market for liquid asphalt cement totaled $11.7 billion in 2008, up 34% from $8.7 billion in 2007. This report explains why, and forecasts what lies ahead for the asphalt industry from 2009 – 2013.

For more information please visit:

http://www.aarkstore.com/reports/Asphalt-Manufacturing-in-the-U-S–13041.html

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