International PVC maker expa decking and

DVC SHEET producer Inteplast Group, Livingston, f N.J., is launching a new line of finished building products, starting with TUF deck and TUF railing.

"Before 2007, you could only see polyethylene and polypropylene decking boards available in the marketplace," said group president Dr. John Young. "Our TUF deck is made of PVC with a hardened and embossed surface that provides superior stain and scratch resistance. He said that the boards are also "lighter weight and they display better workability."

The new building products are produced exclusively in Lolita, Tx., in what Young called the "single largest vertically integrated plastics manufacturing site in the world." He added that the central location of the plant cuts shipping costs for customers.

"The large size of our operations was required to make manufacturing in the U.S. viable and competitive against imports," he said. "Today, we have many other plants elsewhere in North America and Asia, but we have always found the south Texas plant to be the most economical and productive site."

The first building products produced at the Lolita plant were TUF board and TUF moulding. "Our products can be worked with standard woodworking tools," said Young. "They do not decay or rot, and once mounted, they no longer need any maintenance."

The decking and railing products, which were introduced to the market in the second half of 2008, are avail- able in four different colors with reversible finishes. Wholesale distributors such as Boise and Guardian Building Products carry the products.

"We've built a large, loyal client base by focusing on economy of scale and quality," he said. "With our continuous drive toward automation and creating a paper-less operation, we believe that our operations are cost-effective against any domestic or foreign competitor."

According to Young, the company is already developing a new line of PVC fencing. "We anticipate adding both fencing and siding, to create a complete portfolio of TUF Building Products," he said.

"Today's customer wants to buy more items in smaller quantities, to simultaneously achieve the cost benefits of full truckloads and minimal inventories," said Young. "This customer expectation of a 'one-stop supplier' is in line with our own Inteplast concept of meeting our customers' multiple requirements as one vendor."