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Trex Co. plans to develop a new multi-faceted production site in Little Rock, AR., to provide customers significantly better access to Trex Residential products and position the company for future growth. “This new site represents a strategic investment not only in our company’s future but in the future success of our valued channel partners,” said president and CEO Bryan Fairbanks. “With the outdoor living category continuing to show strong momentum and our success to-date in converting share from the wood decking market, the time is right to further expand our capacity so that we can meet future customer demand efficiently and effectively.” Trex believes the new production complex, to be located within the Port of Little Rock, should increase the company’s ability to meet the anticipated strong demand for its industry-leading decking and railing products. Based on the company’s search parameters, Little Rock emerged as the best fit for Trex’s immediate and future needs with a location closer to essential raw materials, a strong pool of qualified and skilled labor, proximity to key growth regions for wood conversion, and adjacency to major transportation hubs that will offer optimized freight costs for customers in the middle of the country who are presently served by existing facilities in Virginia and Nevada. Adding capacity also positions the company to better serve its distribution and retail partners domestically and abroad. Trex expects to invest an estimated $400M over the next five years in the development of the new Arkansas site, funded primarily through ongoing cash generation. The Trex campus will sit on nearly 300 acres of land and will eventually include buildings dedicated to decking and railing production, plastic film recycling and processing, reclaimed wood storage, warehousing and administrative offices. Construction is slated to begin in early 2022. The development approach will be modular
MoistureShield has introduced the MoistureShield Valued Partner (MVP) certified contractor program, which offers training, support and rewards, as well as a labor warranty program. “We’re very excited to introduce the MoistureShield Valued Partner program to benefit our loyal deck builders,” said Matthew Bruce, VP of sales. “The MVP program solidifies our contractor partnerships as an investment in their success, as we learn, earn and grow together.” The three-tiered program features multiple benefits to contractors designed to enhance their MoistureShield decking experience: Access to the exclusive MoistureShield University (MSU) online training resource only available to registered MVPs on-demand on their computer or mobile device. Easy to access, the user-friendly MSU courses are designed to educate contractors on MoistureShield’s product portfolio and installation best practices, while accommodating contractors’ busy schedules. The new MVP program incorporates MoistureShield Contractor Rewards with a chance to earn up to triple the reward points based on their MVP level. Contractors can earn points on all MoistureShield and sister-brand Belgard Paver purchases along with 19 other top building brands—redeemable for more than one million items such as pro tools, golf clubs, electronics and travel. Priority status on MoistureShield’s Find a Contractor web page. MoistureShield-branded gear gifts. Labor warranties of up to five years. Access to co-op marketing funds for high performing contractors.
MoistureShield, a division of Oldcastle APG, a CRH Company, has expanded distribution with BlueLinx branch locations in Charlotte and Raleigh N.C.; Denville N.J.; Yaphank N.Y.; Burlington VT.; Bellingham MA.; and Portland ME. Each BlueLinx location will offer the full line of MoistureShield composite decking products to its dealers. “We are excited to continue to grow our national footprint with BlueLinx with this significant expansion from North Carolina to the Northeast,” said Matthew Bruce, VP of Sales, MoistureShield. “As our portfolio and brand awareness continue to increase, we believe that the partnership with BlueLinx provides an amazing platform to support growth and share gain in the composite decking category.” “Following a challenging year for the building industry, demand for decking remains strong and we are excited to continue our expansion and investment in Outdoor Living,” said Mike Wilson, SVP, BlueLinx. “MoistureShield has several unique solutions that are perfectly suited to the Northeast climate, including harsh coastal weather which gives us the best opportunity to execute on our growth strategy for the category.” With exclusive DiamondDefense Coating, MoistureShield’s Vision features the strongest cap in the industry, resisting stains, scratches, and damage on impact. New Meridian capped wood- plastic composite decking (available starting in Northeast locations) features the TruTexture Surface in three premium colors that evoke the authentic look and feel of real wood but with low-upkeep. Both Vision and Meridian have select colors with the option of proprietary CoolDeck Technology. CoolDeck helps reduce heat absorption by up to 35% compared to traditional capped composite decking in similar colors. In addition, MoistureShield’s entry-level Elevate capped composite decking is available in four colors, including stylish tropical hardwood looks.
To increase its profile in the market, Digger Specialties Inc., Bremen, In., is remaking its branding structure. The DSI corporate brand will be featured with the tagline “Transforming the Outdoor Living Experience,” which reflects the premium designs of DSI building products. Aligned under the DSI brand will be product-brands with logo designs based on DSI’s Westbury Aluminum Railing logo to reflect continuity in DSI brand images. Lines getting new logos will be Westbury Aluminum Railing, PolyRail Vinyl Railing, DSI Columns, CourtYard Aluminum Fencing, Regis Aluminum Fencing, Polyvinyl Vinyl Fencing, PolyRail Vinyl Fencing, and Magena Star Lighting. DSI’s new corporate and product-brand architecture will be featured on product packaging, its website, literature, point of purchase signage, advertising and social media. DSI president and CEO Loren “Digger” Graber said, “The new brand architecture represents our objective of making our company and products more visible in the marketplace. We continue to achieve significant growth by providing products that offer superior features and quality.”
North Country Distributors will now include inventory of Kadenz Drink Rail, ready for shipment. “Contractors and consumers love the low maintenance aspect of aluminum railing but Kadenz Drink Rail is unique with its internal mounting system, speed of installation and wide top rail providing a usable surface area,” said Scott Hansen, sales manager for North Country Distributors. North Country Distributors is stocking Kadenz Drink Rail in matte black finish for stairs and flat railing parts. This new railing features an internally mounted drink rail that is also Type II ADA compliant; eliminating a secondary handrail for stairs. Additional Kadenz Railing colors and styles are also available through special order.
Simpson Strong-Tie has announced the publication of its newest tech bulletin, Connection Solutions to Meet the DCA 6 Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide, assembled as an at-a-glance manual to explain and provide Simpson Strong-Tie solutions for the popular DCA 6 construction guide published by the American Wood Council. With lumber prices decreasing from recent highs, homeowners and deck contractors are set to resume thousands of deck projects that had been on pause due to cost and availability of materials across 2020 and the beginning of 2021. The newly created DCA 6 solutions guide is designed to provide guidance for designing and building single-level residential wood decks based on provisions for the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC) pertaining to single-level residential wood deck construction. Available on the Simpson Strong-Tie website, the Connection Solutions to Meet the DCA 6 Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide tech bulletin is designed as a comprehensive, quick-reference resource for code officials, deck builders, lumberyards, and DIY enthusiasts and includes detailed information, tips, and techniques for using Simpson Strong-Tie fastener, anchor, ledger board, and connector solutions for building decks to the DCA 6 guide. “Our deck building resources continue to grow with our Deck Connection and Fastening Guide, several tech bulletins, our Deck Center web page, and our free Deck Planner software, and have proven incredibly popular with contractors, dealers and building officials. So, we’re excited to bring this new solutions guide to the industry,” says Simpson Strong-Tie branch engineer and deck construction expert David Finkenbinder, P.E. “The new tech bulletin is chock-full of connector, fastener and anchor solutions from Simpson Strong-Tie and presented in a concise, easy-to-read, easy-to-access format for those following the DCA 6 deck construction guide.” In addition to publishing the new tech bulletin, Simpson Strong-Tie will host a
Barrette Outdoor Living has acquired Missouri-based Madden Manufacturing Company, manufacturer of railing products for the do-it-yourself homeowner and professional contractors. By partnering with Madden Manufacturing, Barrette Outdoor Living gains faster shipping times, a broader product portfolio and the ability to serve contractors and homeowners across the country. “Madden Manufacturing has a well-earned reputation of going above and beyond for residential and commercial customers in Missouri and its surrounding states, so teaming up is a great opportunity for us both,” says Jean desAutels, CEO of Barrette Outdoor Living. “This partnership gives us a broader product offering, particularly with the breadth and depth of Madden’s railing products, especially its screen enclosure applications.”
New distributors have been signed on by railing manufacturers Regal ideas and Vista Railing Systems, and decking producers NewTech Wood America and DuxxBak Composite Decking. BlueLinx is now distributing Regal ideas’ premium aluminum railings in Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska from its distribution centers in Omaha, NE.; Kansas City, MO.; and Minneapolis, MN. Capital Lumber, Salt Lake City, UT., is now offering Vista Railing Systems’ cable railing products in its region. Charles Grey, Winston-Salem, N.C., is now distributing Vista Railing Systems railings to dealers in the Carolinas and southern Virginia. The Kelleher Corp., San Rafael CA., has partnered with NewTech Wood America to become the exclusive distributor of NewTechWood products in California/Nevada markets. Kelleher’s Ontario, CA., location will be the distribution hub.
Kadenz Aluminum Railing, a division of Fireball Fab & Metal Sales LLC, has completed testing and manufacturing quality control review to gain ICC ESR-4813 Listing from ICC-ES. “We are proud to achieve this milestone in our business and demonstrate our confidence to the industry not only from code compliance testing but also our manufacturing process to serve our customers,” said general manager Brandon Kerschner. The listing report specifically applies to the newest product, Kadenz Drink Rail (KDR), which is currently available in the upper Midwest with a growing reseller strategy in place.
Fast-growing outdoor living retailer Lumber Plus early this fall is opening its third North America location—in Houston, TX. In addition to hearty sales online, Lumber Plus currently has physical facilities in Miami, FL., and Mississauga, Ontario. The dealer specializes in hardwood, composite and PVC decking; hardwood deck tiles; railing; lighting; cladding; and NORX artificial turf.
