But, chiefly because of the high cost of operating in the Arctic, their development has been slow.

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Given the high fixed cost base related to operating a steel mill, margins will also decline if a plant is not operated at optimal capacity.

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Some governments have opted to provide incentives for loss-making smelters to continue operating which is preventing the rationalization of high-cost capacity, thus depressing prices.

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Collectively, they render defense contractors incapable of applying the same industrial facilities to both military and commercial markets, because the cost of operating military lines is so high.

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The new HP-branded visual collaboration solutions will deliver high-quality video experiences while operating on infrastructure that delivers a lower total cost of ownership.

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Withering competition from a slew of low-cost Asian competitors has eroded operating margins, yet Sony is hobbled in Japan by high taxes, 40% higher power costs, antilayoff laws and wages more than ten times that of China.

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Dresdner's cost base is high, while Commerzbank's announcement on Thursday that its retail and commercial banking operating profit was poised for double-digit growth this year, shows that it's doing just fine as is, according to Becker.

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