In a move to streamline operations and increase efficiency, Universal Forest Products Inc. is relocating its TechTrim manufacturing operations to Prairie du Chien, Wis., from Springfield, Ill.
TechTrim is an extruded polystyrene home exterior trim. UFP is relocating the extrusion lines in Springfield to a warehouse in Prairie du Chien, spokeswoman Lynn Afendoulis said.
Grand Rapids-based UFP acquired Inno-Tech Plastics Inc., the original manufacturer of TechTrim, in 2002.
Afendoulis said the first relocated extrusion lines will be operational by early March and the move will be complete by the end of March.
UFP officials knowledgeable on the future of the Springfield site could not be reached for comment, though Afendoulis said the decision to relocate TechTrim production was pretty straightforward.
``It's bringing two like products together in one place and achieving synergies by doing that,'' she said.
TechTrim will be extruded in a former UFP warehouse just north of the Prairie du Chien manufacturing facility where UFP extrudes wood-plastic composite deck boards for its Latitudes and Veranda decking brands.