Alternative decking pTodryers ,ump on lencrng

llll-ANUFACTURERS of composites and other wood IYlsubstitutes, after making gigantic in-roads into the decking market, are turning their attention to fencing-and discovering that this market may be considerably easier to penetrate.

For one thing, they don't have to work as hard proving the products' sturdiness, since vertical applications such as fencing do not have to withstand the weight placed upon horizontal applications like decking.

More importantly, they've already spent years preaching the advantages of alternative decking, including its durability, moisture resistance, maintenance-free properties, and realistic wood look. So. homeorvners. builders. dealers and distributors have become much more receptive to composites and other rvood substitutes.

And, as composites and plastics have been growing by about l57c annually in decking. vinyl has been increasing about 20Vc a year in fencing. Yet vinyl. being 1007c plastic, looks and feels less like stained wood. Vinyl is also limited in its ability to be made in UV srable colon. The darker the vinyl. the less stable the color, meaning more fading over time. So. vinyl fencing is usually produced in rvhite or tan.

That's left the gate rvide open for composites and other substitutes such as polystyrene-based Eon. "Within three months we've got just as much acceptance for our new fencing product as it took three yean for our decking [to attainl," said Cliff Hatch. director of marketing for CPI Plastics' Eon division. "The market rvas crying out for products that were not white."

Hatch said selling Eon's nerv fencing is. in fact. "easier than selling decking because it's so straightforward to package in kits. Fencing gives us the opportunity to take a lot of work out of the field for the builder. We do all the cuts and routs for the builder and take all the guesswork and potential mistcuts out of the equation. The product is packaged in 6x6 kits, so all you need is a kit, a post and some hardrvare for every 6 feet of fencing you want. It's also available in 6x8 for the fence specialty customers."

Kits make sales easier for dealers because they just provide standard lengths without having to figure out complicated calculations.

Yet. Eon's primary selling feature is its appearance. ideal for such a visible application as fencing. "People are very concerned about horv their fencing looks." Hatch said. "lt's the face of their house to the neighborhood. Your neighbors are painfully arvare if your fence is not looking its best."

Composite decking producer Trex is also getting into the game. It just began distributing The Trex Seclusions fence system in the West and rvill gradually roll out eastrvard throughout 2006. Like Eon's. Trex's fencing is backed by a 25-year warranty. Key components of rhe line include a 6x6 post, decorative post caps (flat or pyramid), and an aluminum channel at the base, covered with "C" shaped pickets that slide together snugly. The fencing is topped off by a crafted top rail, supported by brackets to ensure quick and easy fastening.

LEADING composite decking producer Trex Co. is now trying its hand at composite fencing.

Adam Zambanini, senior product manager for Trex fencing, noted that the new wave of composite fencing goes above and beyond previous composite products. "Trex Seclusions privacy fencing is a complete composite fence system, so the post, pickets top rail, and bottom rails are all a composite," Zambanini explained. "Other composite companies are offering only a picketed product, meaning that the post and rails are still made out of pressure treated materials. This defeats the purpose of putting in a composite fence, which is low maintenance. The first thing that deteriorates over time is the fence post due to its contact at the ground. You will find that the post will rot. Therefore, we designed a post strong enough to withstand the elements without the worries of rotting."

In addition, he added, "our fence post does not have to be structurally reinforced. This makes our system very unique. You are only paying for a post versus the cost of a composite post and some sort of reinforcement."

Elk Building Products has been producing fully-composite CrossTimbers fencing since 2003.

"Our fencing is sold by the board," said Elk's Stephanie Elwood. "We believe that at this point, selling product by the board best utilizes our production resources and enables the homeowner the flexibility to design the fence to their specifications."

Expect additional manufacturers to expand into fencing in the near future.

Bright Future for $ubstitutes

Dernand for wood-plastic composite and plastic lumber.in the U.S, is forecast to expand at'a doubledigit pace though 2009 to $3.8 billion, according to a new study by Freedonia.

Advancei will re$lt frorn thcmaterials' increasing market penetration, particularly in decking applications, which are expected to accolnt for more.than one-third of value demand in 2009. 6dvsnge! for composite decking will also be driven by incr,easing consumer and contractor familiarit]a, a widening distribution network. and product improvements that enhance appearance.

Plastic lumber will benefit from growing $se in fencing installations, while wood-plastic composites will be used inqeasingly in newer applications, such as fencing, window and door components, and railroad ties. Demand for both composite and plastic lumber will be aided by consumers' efforts to reduce maintenance associated with construction materials.

Moulding and trim was the largest end use for composite and plastic lumber in 2004, at about 45% of the total. Through 2009, demand for cornposite and plastic lumber in moulding and trim applications is forecast to rise at a healthy pace to $1.3 billion, almost all of which will be plastic lumber. Gains will be slower than for most composite and plastic lumber applications, a result of the relative rnaturity of this market, but will be significantly faster than those for wood mor{ding and trim materials.

Among the major product categories, windorvs and doors applications are anticipated to post the fastest gains through 2009 {albeit from a small base), with demand expected to exceed $200 million. As with other applications, composite window and door compnents are making inroads againsl wood, rnetal and plastic materials because of their lower maintenance requirements and similarities to wood.

Other applications, such as playground equipment, site and leisure furniture, hot tub cladding, porches and railroad ties, will see above-average gains through 2009 as well (from small bases).

Residential building will remain the Imgest market for composite and plastic lumber over the forecast period. Although prospects for new homs construction are expected.to weaken through 2009, these materials will achieve growth through increasing market penetration at the expense of traditional materials such as wood and metal.

Gains in the much smaller non-residential building market will be enhanced by an expected recovery in construction activify in the office and commercial segments. In non-building markets, composite and plastic lumber will also see strong growtl, bolstered from healthy increases in the construction spending through 2009.