Tilking the next step Cellular PVC Thim 2.0

By Brian Kincaid Azx Building Products

trim has gained recognition and market share as a wood replacement product, dealers have begun to fill their marketing arsenal with even more profiles and product styles. Likewise, contractors continue to find new benefits and discover additional areas where cellular PVC wins out over wood. Sales of cellular PVC continue to be impacted by new manufacturing technologies such as improvements that have enabled the production of trim boards up to 16" wide and solid sheets up to 48" wide by 20 ft.longlarge, wide boards that will remain stable over time.

SfNCE the introduction of cellular LTPVC trim a decade ago. the category has provided increased growth opportunities for building material dealers.

The product offered obvious advantages from the beginning: cellular PVC was shown to be impervious to moisture, could be left unpainted but has excellent paint adhesion. is easy ro handle and install, and offers low maintenance with sustainable great looks. These early, identifiable bene- fits resonated with the market almost immediately and offered the greatest differentiation from wood trim.

In addition to the many product features and benefits, LBM dealers were also educated about the importance of cellular PVC trim products having ICC building code listings so their customers could be secure in knowing the products would peform as designed and there would be no hassle with inspections.

Through the years, as cellular PVC

A wide, solid wooden trim board or sheet is virtually unheard of for obvious reasons-the boards' negative reactions to the moisture cycle. With cellular PVC, covering larger, wider areas is now easy to do - and easy to maintain. For example, cellular PVC sheets are a perfect solution that can be cut into just about any shape or size. And, not only is cellular PVC easily workable, but most products carry up to a 25-year warranty against cupping. warping or cracks. so contractors can rest easy that cellular PVC will reduce their callbacks. Overall, the variety of profiles, made from a sustainable material, have clearly helped to foster the return of more trim and more elaborate trim in housing designs and renovations.

In our own focus group studies, we have discovered that there is a significant price elasticity for cellular PVC trim products, which means contractors and consumers are unlikely to be negatively influenced by price when they understand the product benefits. This underscores the dealer's need for product knowledge to ease the selling process by being prepared to overcome pricing objections. Successful dealers have recognized, and been able to properly communicate to their customers, that the initial product cost is more than justified by the long-term benefits of cellular PVC trim products. This remains the number one reason that product training is so important.

Once cellular PVC products are in the hands of contractors/installers, then the real ingenuity kicks in. These folks are the genesis of many real-life product innovations and solutions to challenges that come up on the jobsite. For example, cellular PVC trim became a no-brainer for one-steppers and subcontractors who once went through the intensive labor of wrapping wood trim with aluminum coil wrap. By simply replacing the twostep process of installing wood and then coil wrap with a one-time installation of cellular PVC, the labor time was virtually cut in half-and no more wavy coil wrap. In addition, groundcontact applications that are prohibitive for wood, such as garage door jambs, are a great use of cellular PVC trim profiles.

Other breakthroughs driven by dealer and contractor feedback include on-the-job performance issues such as improved width tolerances and smooth, sealed edges on trim. Typical specs for wood and other trim prod- ucts allow a width variation of plus or minus l/16". In response, Azer can now make trim profiles with 1/64" tolerance instead of the allowable l/16" width variations.

At the same time, Azex began producing boards with smooth, sealed edges designed to stay cleaner in the dealer yard and on the jobsite. And, if they do get dirty, the edges are easier to clean. In addition to regular exterior trim, these S4S "surfaced four sides" boards can also be used as deck trimor a variety of other uses that contractors will surely identify. The other benefit of the smooth edge boards with tight width tolerances is that boards can be installed tightly side to side or end to end. With no moisture cycle to cause swelling or warping, you can rest assured the boards will stav that wav.

Current market conditions represent an opportunity for dealers to offer real value to their customers. It is also a time when reputations are critical, so it's more important than ever that dealers align their companies with trusted, branded products. A dealer should expect a branded product to offer the commitment of code listing, proven track record, on-going product development, manulacturing experience, production capacity, field sales support, marketing leadership, and advertising/brand building in order to drive business to their location.

A manufacturer's pull-through efforts can be some of a dealer's best opportunities to weather the current economic environment, so be prepared to take full advantage of leads, training, sales support, and the like. Also, keep in mind that innovative trim products can be a true workhorse for your business. Unlike other products, trim is a year round business and is not seasonally driven. As a year-round revenue generator, you can target different types of contractors regardless of the weather.

In the ever-evolving cellular PVC trim category, the importance of code listings, manufacturing precision, and product enhancements are the latest recognized advantages. It's no longer simply a discussion of low-maintenance, no splitting, and no rottingwhen the product clearly offers many more rewards.