Mark James and Jack Lewnard discuss oil and natural gas prices' effects on the consumer industries. James, vice president for economic and business development at American Electric Power, said the current low costs benefit chemical, steel, plastic and automotive companies' costs of production and industrial capacity. Lewnard, vice president of business development for Chesapeake Utilities Corp., said such energy-intensive exports, including food products, had a price advantage during the last five years. Now, the concurrent manufacturing advantage "has been eroded."