emodeling is coming back and ex-
pected to remain strong for several
years henceforth. As people become
more confident in their econom-
ic status, more are willing to invest in their
home. Although wonderful for remodelers'
businesses, increased workloads also neces-
sitate becoming more efficient in design and
construction.
Exterior trim is one of the product cate-
gories that is undergoing development with
contractor efficiency in mind — both finan-
cially and functionally. Rick Kapres, vice
president of sales and marketing at Versatex,
talks about "market-back not plant-forward
decision making," which are decisions based
on observations and conversations out in the
field. "A lot of manufacturers are produc-
tion-driven, meaning they are heavily oriented
on what the plant can do and maintaining a
high efficiency level," he says. "We want to be
market-backed. at means going out in the
field, talking to contractors and understand-
ing their needs. en we go back to the plant,
tell them what the market needs and figure
out how to get it to them."
Versatex also hosts a Contractor Council
every 18 to 24 months, where 12 contractors
Exterior Efficiency
Trim is just one of
the products making
remodelers' lives
efficient thanks to its
versatility and ease
of installation
By Laurie Banyay
R
46 October 2016 QR QualifiedRemodeler.com
PRODUCT TRENDS: Exterior Trim