BLOOMINGTON - Twin City contractors Chris Collins and Jim Trammell dream of a stronger, more durable Gulf Coast.

They founded Steel United Corporation this summer with plans to rebuild homes trampled by Hurricane Katrina using recycled steel from scrapped vehicles.

"We're going to recycle enough steel to handle this disaster and two more," said Chris Collins, who spearheaded the effort. "If 80 tornados dropped on Tennessee, Oklahoma and Illinois and 80 homes were destroyed, 80 more could be up in five days."

Tuesday marked the one-year anniversary of Katrina's transformation of the Gulf Coast, a reminder of the estimated 1,800 people killed and unknown number of homes and businesses destroyed by the storm.

Today, Collins and Jim Trammell, owner of Top 2 Bottom Construction in Bloomington, sit with blueprints of steel-framed homes, asking for the materials and manpower to help rebuild the Gulf Coast.

The duo spent the last eight months garnering support for the for-profit Steel United. So far, they have four scrap yards in different parts of the country prepared to recycle a combined 60,000 cars each month. That's enough steel to construct 10,000 steel-framed homes per month, Collins said.

Collins plans to ship steel within 60 days to Bay St. Louis, Miss. for construction of his first home.

"Let's face it, steel is more durable than wood. It will flex but it won't snap. It can endure stronger wind," Collins said.

In many cases, structural strength depends more on design than material, said George Blackburn of the American Institute of Architects.

"Steel does have its advantages in that it won't rot and it won't be attacked by mold and termites that are common (in the Gulf Coast)," he said. "It also has the disadvantage that it will rust" in floods or cold weather.

In determining insurance rates, State Farm Insurance Cos. generally treats steel-frame homes the same as wood-frame homes, said spokeswoman Mia Jazo-Harris.

No matter which material is stronger, American lumber cannot keep pace with American building, according to the National Association of Home Builders. About one-third of the lumber used in American homes comes from Canada, and imports from other countries accounted for about 5 percent of the U.S. lumber supply last year, according to the association.

In the Gulf Coast, however, supplies are only half the problem. There's a manpower shortage as well.

An estimated 13,000 construction workers in Louisiana alone were displaced by the storm, according to the Insurance Information Institute in New York.

Collins and Trammell hope to train those affected by the hurricane to rebuild their homes with steel. They're asking colleges and universities to help train workforces.

Steel United will purchase vehicles, but Collins noted scrap cars aren't worth much. In some cases, people could get a better deal by donating the cars for the tax deduction, he said.

For more information, contact Collins and Trammell via e-mail at jimt2b05@netscape.com.