Because wood-tie demand rose by about 1.5 million ties in 2002 compared with 2001, suppliers spent 2003's first half stepping up production. Now, as wood-tie suppliers catch up during the latest demand cycle, concrete-, steel- and composite-tie suppliers are preparing for their own demand spike, which is expected to come next year. North American suppliers will produce more than 17 million ties this year ― a slight increase compared with 2002 ― with Class Is purchasing between 12 million and 12.5 million, predicts Jim Gauntt, Railway Tie Association (RTA) executive director. "Month to month, we're running 2 to 3 percent above last year, so from a production standpoint, it looks to be a pretty good year," he says. "We're in a typical up cycle, and we'll be at this level for a couple of years."
展开▼
