W&D Weekly - December 12, 2007 | Vol 2, Num 49
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House Passes Energy Bill with Tax
Credit Extension
The House of Representatives passed an energy bill to extend energy efficiency-related tax credits another year...
While tax breaks for energy efficient windows are set to expire at the end of December, the House of Representatives passed a new version of an energy bill last Friday that would extend those credits another year. The 2007 Energy Independence and Security bill also seeks to push automobile efficiency standards higher, cut tax incentives given to oil companies in the 2005 energy bill and require utilities to use more renewable energy sources.
Other provisions in the House bill seek to increase the energy efficiency of commercial and federal buildings, higher efficiency standards for manufactured housing and a phase out of incandescent lighting. Left out of the new bill were requirements in the previous House version that would have called for states to increase code requirements by 30 percent and 50 percent in 2010 and 2020, respectively. The National Association of Home Builders, along with real estate interests, had lobbied against these building code provisions, while more than 50 groups representing utilities, insulation manufacturers, environmental advocates and state energy offices lobbied to keep those measures in the bill.
The House bill still has widespread backing from environmentalist groups, as well as some security hawks concerned about U.S. dependence on imported oil, however its future is very much in doubt. Efforts by Democrats to get a quick, up-and-down vote on the bill in the Senate have already failed. It is therefore likely that certain measures will have to be dropped or added in order to get enough Republican support for passage.
President Bush, who objects to the bill’s tax provisions on oil companies, as well as other provisions, has threatened to veto the legislation. A statement from the White House press secretary said the proposal “would raise taxes and increase energy prices for Americans,” and urged the Senate to “take a more cooperative approach and put forth a bill the President can sign.”
“This bill takes greater strides to increase our nation’s energy efficiency than any other legislation in decades,” says Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy. “While it does not include everything that energy-efficiency advocates would want, it includes many needed, credible steps.”
Certain elements of the most recent bill, most notably an increase in fuel efficiency standards for cars, do have significant bipartisan support, and Washington watchers suggest a compromise incorporating these areas of more widespread agreement is likely. “The House will work with the Senate on a bipartisan basis to pass a strong energy bill and send it to the President’s desk for his signature,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a driving force behind the bill.
Both the House and Senate passed energy bills earlier in the year, but significant differences between the two stalled progress. Neither of those earlier bills included extensions of the tax credits established for energy efficient home improvements in the 2005 Energy Policy Act.
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Siltech Expands in Florida
Hoping to rollout its solid surface windowsills in 2008, Siltech plans to expand with an 87,500-square-foot production facility...
With an eye toward a national rollout of its solid surface windowsills in 2008, Siltech announced plans for an expansion that includes an 87,500-square-foot production facility. Based in Naples, Fla., the producer currently serves the state of Florida but aims for building a national footprint next year.
According to Dino Longo, president and founder of the firm, 2006 exceeded expectations, bringing in more than $3 million in windowsill sales. In addition to creating the solid surface windowsill, Siltech manufactures and sells flooring transition thresholds, shower curb caps, window seats and wall caps.
“We believe that solid surface windowsills are becoming the industry standard for new construction and remodels,” Longo says. “Our market is continuing to expand, which we believe will further boost demand for the product.”
Longo says discussions are now in progress for the location and financing of the plant, and distributors and retailers are being selected.
The company started in Naples in 1998, and spread to other areas in the state in 2004.
Company officials expect the new production facility will be capable of producing nearly a million lineal of feet of product per month.
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Elixir Industries Closing Tennessee Plant
Citing weak market conditions, Elixir Industries plans to close its door manufacturing plant in Crossville, Tenn...
Citing weak market conditions, Elixir Industries plans to close its door manufacturing plant in Crossville, Tenn., at year’s end. The company will consolidate steel door production at its facility in Douglas, Ga.
The move will mean about 30 lost jobs at the Tennessee plant, which not only produced steel doors, but also served as a distribution operation for fiberglass door slabs. The consolidation and relocation of operations is not expected to have any negative affect on customers. “The Douglas division is a flagship for Elixir and we anticipate process improvements in many areas that will enhance the steel door slabs going forward,” states Tim Suttles, director of national sales and marketing. “Customers should be pleased and we should be producing product in January ‘08.”
Bob Powers, Elixir’s national sales coordinator, told the local Tennessee paper that the move would also allow the company to remain competitive with Chinese-made imports.
Headquartered in Mission Viejo, Calif., Elixir is a 2007 Window & Door Top 100 manufacturer reporting sales in the $100 million to $200 million range. Offering doors for residential and factory-built housing, as well as recreational vehicles and other applications, it has manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S.
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Truth Allies with ISC
To improve customer relations, Truth Hardware has partnered with Industrial Sales to augment sales staff efforts...
In an effort to improve service, communication, and value with its customers, Truth Hardware has signed an agreement with Industrial Sales Corp., the manufacturers’ rep agency serving the window and door industry, to augment the company’s sales staff efforts throughout the United States.
“Truth is excited about the opportunities that ISC brings to our team,” says Steve Groves, Truth’s senior VP of sales and marketing. “With more ‘feet on the street,’ Truth’s presence will become broader and allow us to be more responsive throughout the industry.” With the addition of ISC, Truth will now have 29 team members to listen to customers, improve responsiveness and promote its products.
“ISC always strives to be aligned with the market leader in each product segment of the fenestration industry,” says Jim Hornung, ISC president. “Our alliance with Truth brings together the premier hardware supplier in our industry with our professional sales team. This relationship will bring our customers more products and solutions to add value to their business.”
Started in 1914 and manufacturing window hardware since 1955, Truth has manufacturing facilities in Minnesota and Toronto and supplies operating hardware for windows and patio doors to manufacturers throughout North America. Established in 1979, ISC operates several offices around the country, with personnel calling on manufacturers of windows and doors.
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HD Supply to Sell Lumberyards to Pro-Build
HD Supply has signed a letter of intent to sell its lumber and building material units to Pro-Build Holdings...
The one-time Home Depot wholesale distribution unit, HD Supply, has signed a letter of intent to sell its lumber and building material units to Pro-Build Holdings, according to a report in the Orlando Sentinel. Located in Florida and Georgia, the operations to be acquired include 39 lumberyards, as well as a construction services unit and some fabrication operations.
Although HD Supply was in the process of re-branding all its business units, the lumber operations included in the deal—Georgia-based Williams Bros. Lumber and Florida-based Cox Lumber and Forest Products Building Materials—continued to operate under their original names. HD Supply acquired the three companies during the years Home Depot was rapidly moving to become a leader in the professionally oriented building supply business. That effort ended this year with Home Depot selling HD Supply for $8.5 billion to a consortium of three private equity firms.
With more than 500 lumber and building product distribution, manufacturing and assembly centers in 40 states, Pro-Build states it is the nation’s largest supplier of building materials to professional builders and contractors. Based in Denver, the company operates under locally recognized brand names, including The Contractor Yard, Dixieline, Lumbermens, Strober Building Supply and United Building Centers. It is already active in the Southeast market through its Hope Lumber & Supply.
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New Owner for European Extruder
PVC window profile supplier Profine GmbH has been acquired by international investment firm Arcapita Bank B.S.C.(c)...
Profine GmbH, a leading supplier of PVC window profiles in Europe, has been acquired by Arcapita Bank B.S.C.(c), an international investment firm headquartered in Bahrain. The extruder, which markets products under the Kömmerling, Trocal and KBE brand names, was previously owned by Advent International and Carlyle Group.
Headquartered in Troisdorf, Germany, Profine is reported to have a 22 percent market share in Europe. With more than 3,700 employees in 26 locations in 21 countries, the company achieved sales of €848 million ($1.24 billion) in 2006. In addition to its strong position in Western Europe, the group is already well established in the high-growth markets of Central and Eastern Europe, including Russia and Ukraine, where it generates more than 50 percent of its overall revenues, officials report.
“The investment represents an opportunity for our investors to participate in the long-term growth opportunities of Eastern Europe, a high-growth region where there is still a shortage of housing and a pressing need to renovate a considerable quantity of the existing stock, states Atif A. Abdulmalik, Arcapita CEO. “The business is led by a strong management team and we look forward to working closely with them in growing the company.”
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Milgard Employee Charged With Stealing $1.6 Million
from SeattleTimes.com
A woman who worked for the president of Milgard Windows & Doors has been charged with embezzling $1.6 million from the manufacturer... read more
Existing-Home Sales to Trend Up in 2008
from National Association of Realtors
Existing-home sales are projected to trend up in 2008, with pending home sales showing a slight near-term rise, according to the latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors. However, a recovery for new-home sales is unlikely before 2009... read more
84 Lumber Closes 12 Stores
from Post-Gazette.com
84 Lumber Co. closed 12 stores in nine states yesterday as the Washington County building supply company continued to adjust its operations during a difficult year in the nation's housing market. The move, which follows layoffs at the private company's Eighty-Four headquarters last week, did not affect any stores in the Pittsburgh area... read more
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