The split is among countries that only export crude, and those using it increasingly as a low-cost raw material for refined products, namely gasoline.

Mr. Valukas said the use of low-cost materials helped to lift the company's annual sales to $100 million, from $5 million.

Mr. Chao said he could bring in regular low-cost raw materials from Canada.

However, Dr. Meyerson said that the low-cost material has surprised almost everyone in its performance and longevity.

The main advantages to this process are its high output rate and ability to accept low-cost materials.

They wanted the government to provide low-cost materials to small industries and ensure development of the region without disturbing the ecological balance.

He devotes himself to helping disabled people, particularly those in developing countries, build their own wheelchairs using locally available, low-cost materials.

It allows a manufacturer to imitate the texture and taste of a more expensive product such as lobster tail, using a relatively low-cost material.

The system will have no electronic or moving parts and can be built out of low-cost materials.

The winning architects called their design "sky houses, flying green" with a goal of giving residents simple and elegant solutions from necessarily low-cost materials.