FenceWeek Video

Barry Willingham of Ameristar Fence Products sits down with FenceWeek at last years FenceTech in Las Vegas. Barry discusses the need for raising the bar in the Fence Industry. Take a look at the video and let us know what you think by adding your comments.

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Chain Link Article - FenceWeek 4/1/08

There was a story in last week in the San Jose Mercury News, CA, Casting critical eye at chain-link, Saratoga planners consider ban . It seemed a bit one sided to me so I contacted Mark Levin at the CLFMI to get the industries view. Here's what Mark said:
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Gene-

I did want to respond on behalf of the Chain Link Fence Manufacturers Institute (CLFMI) regarding the article that appeared in the Mercury News and was referenced in the April 1 edition of FenceWeek.

In the article, reporter Dennis Theriault (who initiated contact with CLFMI) quotes CLFMI Past President Ted Eysenbach as saying "Snobby may be too harsh,"....when Mr. Eysenbach was talking about people who don't like chain link around their homes. According to Mr. Eysenbach, it was actually Mr. Theriault who initially used the term "snobby" (i.e. "Do you think these people who don't like chain link are being snobby?"). Mr. Eysenbach used the term only in response to Mr. Theriault's question, and only to say that he felt that was an inaccurate way of describing those who opposed chain link in residential areas.

Secondly, Mr. Eysenbach does not recall ever saying anything about people locking their doors or being afraid to drive through or live in neighborhoods where chain link fencing is used. We understand that Mr. Theriault did not have space to record his entire conversation with Mr. Eysenbach but we do believe his summary of Mr. Eysenbach's statements were misquoted and /or misinterpreted.

CLFMI has always promoted the safe, efficient, and aesthetically appropriate use of chain link fence in all neighborhoods. A White Paper on this subject has been produced, and an executive summary is included below. The entire White Paper can be viewed at

http://associationsites.com/page.cfm?pageid=906&usr=clfma.


We appreciate Mr. Theriault contacting CLFMI and presenting an even-handed view of this issue. We just want to set the record straight on exactly what Mr. Eysenbach said and what CLFMI's official policy is regarding chain link fences in residential areas.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Mark

Mark Levin, CAE, CSP
Executive Vice President
Chain Link Fence Manufacturers Institute
http://www.chainlinkinfo.org/

CLFMI White Paper

FenceTech - Day 1

Started out at the awards breakfast yesterday. It's amazing what's new with the AFA. The amount of training available and the general impression of professionalism they bring to the industry has a whole is very impressive.

I was sitting with David, Matt and Dick from Quality Fence from Terra Haute, IN. Just chatting with them about what they are seeing in Norhtern Indiana. They say there have been a lot of plant closing in the area but in general business has been good. They mostly do residential, "Dogs and kids are very good for my business" Says Dick. Dick is a grandfather and in some of his television spots, he features his family. He says "maintanace free" is the key. All of his customers would rather be playing with the kids or walking their dogs on weekends. That being said, he said they do sell a lot of wood.

More later.

FenceTech 2008 - Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada

We're blogging in Vegas. Got here today, we're going to post while were here. Come by and see us at booth #2180. Lots of new products, more on the later today. I'll be going to the "State of Industry" kick off speech this morning. Planning on doing some more videos, and other reports.

Check back.

Wood-Plastic and Natural Fiber Composites 2007

I was invited to go to the Wood-Plastic and Natural Fiber Composites 2007 Conference, put on by Princpia Partners, in Baltimore last Tuesday (10/9/07). It was a great conference that addressed where the world of composites are going and specifically what the future of composites in the fence industry might hold.

Wood composites in the decking industry are fairly well known: Trex, TimberTech, and AERT are a few of the more familiar names, plus many more. But in fact, composite fencing is fairly new. Trex introduced their Seclusions® line a couple years ago and are adding more and more dealers all the time.

The general sense I got from the vendors and the participants at the conference are that they are all looking to the fencing industry for their future growth. Many were there to better understand the fence industry and to get a sense as to what they may be getting themselves into.

I attended the conference on Tuesday. The morning session largely covered the raw materials side: how composites are made and how much material is available. As I understand it, the raw material issues are not a big concern.

The afternoon session strictly dealt with composites and the fence industry. The general purpose was to introduce the composite makers to the fence industry, and to provide background as to how and why the fence industry is the way it is.

The afternoon session led off with Rose Lee from CertainTeed. Rose is Vice President and General Manager of the Pipe and Plastics Division, which includes the fence, rail and deck divisions.

Rose gave an overview of the fence distribution channel. She explained that the fence industry is different than most building supply industries. Unlike most building materials industries that are dominated by 2 or 3 large companies, the fence industry distribution is much more varied.

Another great presentation came from Rick Ashcraft of CFC Fences and Decks in Utah. Rick was one of the first dealers of the Trex Seclusions® fence and he worked with Trex during the development of the Seclusions product. He described how popular the product is in Utah --so popular that he has a crew that does nothing but the Trex fencing! Rick explained some of the attributes of the Utah market, for example, cultural elements that make privacy and low maintenance important. While there are some unique characteristics about Utah, in reality many of those elements are not that different from the rest of the country, so it seems logical that the successes could be repeated in other areas.

Rick explained that vinyl in the early 90’s also had tremendous growth in the Utah area. But as with any growth, many players entered the market without installation expertise and with inferior products. When the Utah market became saturated and vinyl fencing was considered a "commodity item", it made it all the more difficult for Rick to make a decent profit in the vinyl industry. He then explained that one thing that distinguishes the Trex product from others and contributes to its popularity is that it really is different in its class. The Trex product makes it difficult for people that are trying to “Keep up with the Joneses” as the bar has been raised so high, and offers people that are really hungry for a low maintenance product that is new a good alternative option. Finally, Rick warned manufactures against the commoditization of the composite industry.

Next to address the group was Jim Lucci from Management Motivational Associates and World Fence News. Jim gave a talk to the group on dealing with the installers. Jim, as always, has been a great advocate for the contractors. Jim wanted to make sure that the concerns of the contractors will not be ignored. Appropriate education and support from the manufacturers is crucial.

There was another discussion from Harold Hudson from Summer Classics. Harold talked about the outdoor furniture market and how this can be another new opportunity to the composite maker. Continuing on in this vein, I wonder if this isn’t also an opportunity for the fence and deck contractor too? The whole movement seems to be not just selling a fence or a deck, but rather a backyard environment. I know a lot of fence contractors have showrooms. If the backyard is the selling point and there is more to sell than just fences, then couldn't the fence contractor's showroom be a good place to see more than just the fencing? Why not show customers their many varied offerings?

The session ended with a panel discussion of fence experts. Dean Ervin of Southern Vinyl Manufacturing, Glen Peacock of Mid-Atlantic Deck and Fence, Larry Boyts from Digger Specialties, Charles Skulsky of Perfection Fence, and Sal Militello from Wayside Fence were the panelists.

The discussion provided a good sampling of what the industry is currently thinking about composite fencing and its future. Everybody seems cautious, but for the many people I spoke with, they all seem to think this is definitely the wave of the future.

Some of their concerns are color, quality, gates, and other related areas. Of the five panelist, a couple seemed to be testing the composite fencing waters in their areas. They’re getting in cautiously and slowly. Others were taking a more of a wait-and-see attitude: they were not convinced that the quality and durability were quite there yet.

Talking to the vendors and the participants that were there, I reached the general feeling that composites are on the brink of making a huge impact, and many vendors and participants are experiencing a sort of déjà vu: today it feels a lot like it did in the early nineties when vinyl fencing was introduced.

So, what do YOU think of the composites? Have you given them a try? Will it dominate the industry in another five years? Will there be pressure to make cheaper versions of composites, and if so, what kind of problems might be caused? What do you see as some of the problems? Please share your views in this blog.

Seclusions® and Trex Seclusions® are registered trademarks of Trex Company Inc.