High Oil, Gas Prices Unlikely to Go Away Soon; Businesses Begin Conservation Trend

Summary

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Terry Grandchamp's Virginia home-remodeling business is booked through spring and he is planning to bump up his prices to help cover the high cost of gasoline and building materials. But when it comes to his own finances, there is no passing the buck, so Grandchamp is doing his best to conserve fuel at home and on the road.

Chemical maker Tomah3 Products Inc., of Wisconsin, is somewhat less confident customers will continue to absorb the soaring price of natural gas in 2006. That's forced company president Steve King to shrink his work force through attrition and hire a commodity broker to manage his fuel purchases.

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Extract

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High Oil, Gas Prices Unlikely to Go Away Soon; Businesses Begin Conservation Trend

At North Carolina-based Family Dollar Stores Inc., the biggest worry these days is that the already tight budgets of low-income shoppers will be nearly busted by the expected surge in home- heating costs this winter. The company aims to stabilize itself by selling fewer discretionary goods and more essentials, such as food and health products....

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