timboard producer comes of age

AFTER l0 years of business, Kommerling USA Inc. la.has plenty to celebrate: the recent 100,000 sq. ft. expansion of its plant in Huntsville, Al., a new product wrap, an innovative heat treating system, and a wellreceived mobile demonstration unit.

Since 2001, the plant has focused on producing the company's line of KOMA trim products. Additional capacity was needed to meet increased demand for wood-alternative exterior trims.

"We have installed the necessary converting equipment to rip, cross-cut, and surface materials," said Harald Unterieser, vice president of Kommerling USA. "Now we are transferring our master sheet from Germany to our North American operation."

According to marketing and sales manager Patrick Shabal, "This approach gave us the necessary flexibility to provide a multitude of SKUs from a stock of master sheets, fine-tune our product line, and then right-size our sheet production unit to best suit this developing market."

To keep KOMA trim products bright rvhite from production to installation. an optional product wrap is now available. "The market has convinced us that builders don't want their trim carpenter or painting crew spending one minute cleaning mud and footprints off trim." said Shabal.

After master sheets are transformed into dimensional boards, the trim stock is sent through state-of-the-art machinery rvhere a plastic rvrap is applied. The wrapped trim then goes through a secondary machine rvhere the plastic film is heat shrunk to produce a tight package.

With KOMA's new heat bending system-developed with Hi-Heat Industries. Inc.. Lerviston. Mt.-customers can take a flat piece of trim and bend it into virtually any shape. "No longer do rvindorv surrounds have to look like a collection of boards and radius cut panel stock rvith different surface textures." said Shabal.

The system rvas designed for easy set-up and use. rvith the entire process taking less than 15 minutes. While heat treatment can take place at the jobsite, the company advis- es that the most significant results are achieved in a temperature-controlled shop. Included are two heat blankets, a timer, safety gloves, a demonstration CD/DVD, and a protective case.

When KOMA's mobile demonstration unit visited Hingham Lumber, Cohasset, Ma., customers got to check out the heat treating system, learn about new products, and get tips for installation. "It had an amazing effect on business, because three years ago people were not familiar with the brand," said Ron Figueiredo, who handles lumber sales and purchasing for Hingham. "Today, customers are coming in and asking for KOMA by name."

The colorfully decorated truck and trailer contain tools and accessories for hands-on demonstrations, plus products such as adhesives and finishes that work well with the company's trims. "We introduce customers to new devices and supplies on the market that will help them achieve better results and quicker installations," said Shabal.

"Mobile marketing is a new frontier," he said. "You can only accomplish so much at tradeshows and in print and electronic media." A surprise benefit of the mobile unit, he added, "is the opportunity to hear great ideas from our past and ootential customers, "