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end, as a reason to move forward with the new product. "What we're hearing from our con- tractors and distributors is that siding leads are up. Siding sales are up. And most particular to us, high-performance siding using insulating foam backers is up disproportionately to the rest of the market and we are happy to see that." But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Te growth in premium products is also clearly seen at leading manufacturers like LP Smart Side, CertainTeed, Tapco, Ply Gem, Royal Building Products, ProVia and James Hardie. Tis year, each company in their various seg- ments have rolled out key new oferings — everything from durable, fade-resistant vinyl and new formulations of cellular PVC to all- new composite materials with factory-applied fnishes. Many come with entirely new brand names and distribution models (more about those to come). And to an even greater extent than usual, these new oferings have been accompanied by a wave of new sizes, profles and SKUs within existing premium lines. New board-and-bat- ten oferings are common, as are shakes and shingles — from 5 in. on up to 9 in. with pro- fles ranging from rough hewn to perfection. Color is also king. Bold color palettes are coming to market across all categories of siding, including engineered wood and fber cement. Jerry Blais, senior vice president of marketing for siding at Ply Gem, says the wave of new colors and products is consistent with buying trends from the latest consumer re- search. Today's more confdent homeowners, he says, want solid aesthetics, low maintenance Premium Siding is Booming A mix of bold colors, new materials and new profles now meet a growing trend toward specialization and unique curb appeal. By Patrick L. O'Toole, Editorial Director and Publisher PROGRESSIVE FOAM makes insulating foam backers for vinyl siding as well as for fiber cement and engineered wood siding. Above, its LineBacker product is installed for a fiber cement application. Circle 4 on inquiry card or remodelers trying to diferenti- ate themselves in a crowded market, the siding products industry today abounds with new choices and new ways to stand out. Driven by a revitalized home improvement market, siding manu- facturers are innovating quickly and have, in some cases, charted new courses for their companies. Even specialty manufacturers like Progressive Foam, a supplier to siding makers, are busy creating new products. Te Beach City, Ohio, company makes insulating and reinforcing foam backing, primarily for fber cement and vinyl siding manufacturers. Over the past two years under the brand name Duraside, it has successfully test-marketed an entirely new type of product — reinforced vinyl siding. Within the next six months, CEO Pat Culpepper expects the company will announce plans for a vinyl siding manufacturer to produce and market nation- ally a new category of foam reinforced siding that is available in 6-and 7-inch lap profles. "We think the opportunity is three to fve- times the volume of insulated vinyl siding," says Culpepper, who sees a vastly improved market for siding, particularly at the higher F 44 July 2015 QR QualifiedRemodeler.com | ForResidentialPros.com PRODUCT TRENDS: Siding