VERSATEX Trimboard News
September 5, 2008 - VERSATEX continues controlled expansion, based on steady growth in orders, in spite of gloomy construction forecast
Normally conservative manufacturer moves into brand-new facility with strong order files and double capacity
Sept. 5, 2008 Pittsburgh, Pa.—A move this size has been a couple of years in the making—knowing that the owners of VERSATEX Cellular PVC Trimboard are a careful bunch. Seeing the market soften 18 months ago in new construction didn’t change their minds, although at any point along this new plant construction plan the senior management team at Versatex could have postponed the groundbreaking. There were plenty of green-field spots to build down the road if the one they had planned on got away. But their order files continued to hold, and to grow, as demand for their slightly different brand of low-maintenance trim kept building.
Even in these uncertain economic times, VERSATEX is manufacturing at capacity, and shipping just about everything they extrude. They’ve run out of space in the plant they had leased. Their new 60,000 square foot facility is located just four miles from their startup plant, and will more than double their output capabilities, while streamline the fabrication process as well.
“Our original building and existing equipment have served us well, but we became convinced it was time to re-invest to support our current customers, and prepare for the next housing growth cycle,” says John Pace, VERSATEX president.
The new manufacturing system will allow even greater efficiencies and tighter control over tolerances and thicknesses. The VERSATEX plant was designed to keep the extrusion lines completely separate from everything else that goes on in the building, allowing for absolute control over the manufacturing process.
“The market is learning that not all cellular PVC trim is the same,” says Rick Kapres, vice president sales and marketing. “The early investments we made in R&D has given our brand some tangible advantages over the competition that are making sense to a whole lot of builders.”
VERSATEX produces trimboards in a variety of thickness and widths along with 4’, x 8’, and 4’, x 10’, sheets for custom millwork operations. However, demand has grown for value-added products that require post-manufacturing finish work. In the new VERSATEX facility, all that work will happen in a specially controlled area.
VERSATEX is manufactured by Wolfpac Technologies, Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pa. The company operates a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, which produces cellular PVC extrusion products such as VERSATEX reversible exterior trimboard, prefabricated corners and their patent pending Stealth trim system.